Computer Tech Question: If I have Norton Anti-virus, do I also need SpySweeper?

Self | November 23, 2007 | PJ-Comix

[PJ-Comix]

Okay, a question for you techies out there. I just renewed my Norton Anti-virus system and the renewal for my SpySweeper is coming up as well. Is it necessary to have SpySweeper also? If Norton Anti-Virus is sufficient then it doesn't make sense to renew SpySweeper. Some have said they might even be interfering with each other.

So to renew or not to renew SpySweeper? That is the question.

[PJ-Comix]

In that case, I will NOT renew my SpySweeper subscription and get the free SpyBot instead. Next year I’ll get rid of Norton as well.

[Petronski]

Very wise.

[Quix]

Excellent comments. THANKS TONS.

The RAID card fits the same slots as the New

ATI —All In Wonder was what I originally had . . . video, sound etc. This version runs

ATI CATALYST. I forget what ATI stands for . . .

Upgraded to a new medium high end similar card. Was standard connector bus for modern systems as I understood it from the Best Buy salesperson.

So you are now happier with Intel than you used to be with AMD. Good to know.

Would like to have maximum number of drives possible on the system. So would like the RAID card to fit but not the end of the world if it doesn’t.

Don’t they make mother boards with more hard drive connectors? Strange.

Thanks for your kind bother to comment.

[ThePythonicCow]

Don’t they make mother boards with more hard drive connectors? Strange.

That motherboard handles lots of drives - seven SATA connectors.

Look for the stack of four reddish-orange connectors, each perhaps 3/4" by 1/4", plus two more oriented sideways near by, all just above the blue IDE connector along one edge. The seventh SATA connector is black, next to the blue PCI Express.

Expect to use one of the two IDE (PATA) channels for your CD-ROM or DVD drive. SATA DVD drives are still less common.

It's the IDE (PATA) hard drives that are getting phased out fairly quickly now.

[Quix]

Good. Much appreciate the info. May break down and go ahead with a new motherboard/CPU power supply setup next payday or two.

Greatly appreciate your kind bother.

[ThePythonicCow]

You’re welcome — good luck with it.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

I have never used Norton as all I read is that it is the worst thing you can put on your computer.

I used to use Norton System Works but dumped it because it sucked so bad. I've been using AVG ever since with no problems at all.

The only Norton product I use is Ghost, It's basic, small and does what I need with no adverse effects on my systems.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

So keep or NOT keep SpySweeper?

I think the answer you are looking for is YES....keep Spysweeper. It is not an anti virus package per se. It is a spyware cleaner and protection suite. This is different from anti virus.

No matter what you wind up using for anti virus, keep the Spysweeper if you have problems with spyware and bots.

[Quix]

Me again . . .

If convenient enough . . . please let me know what you think about this

GIGABYTE board.

http://www.motherboards.org/reviews/motherboards/1661_2.html

vs

this one

http://www.motherboards.org/reviews/motherboards/1690_1.html

And this powersupply/case

http://aspireusa.net/product.php?pid=51

I like the slide out features of the case. I assume the powersupply would be quite more than big enough with 500 W?

What CPU should go with the above boards?

Sorry I take so much hand holding. Feel free to say you’ve given enough!

Am really toying seriously with the idea of going with UBUNTU on the new machine. But might should do a dual boot setup. What dual boot manager would you suggest if you are familiar with such?

[ThePythonicCow]

I can't tell, but it wouldn't surprise me of that power supply in the Aspire case:

1. lacked enough sata power connectors
2. had only a 20 pin, not 24 pin, motherboard power supply connector, and
3. is marginal -- won't hold rated power except in artificial conditions -- which can lead to system instability when older or when more drives or memory or higher end processor or video is added.

For power supplies, I go with the best I can get, such as named on http://www.rootminus1.com/howard/psuselection.html. I've spent enough of my lifetime messing with unstable hardware.

For cases, it's like clothing. Whatever has the utility and looks that catch your fancy, with little hidden penalty for getting it wrong. I go for the industrial strength cases these days that have lots of fans and are easy, even a pleasure, to work on. In other words, Coolermaster cases. But whatever floats your boat.

For motherboards, it's whatever has the features you want. Gigabyte will tend to be more feature rich, and Intel boards will tend to be rock solid, with lots of overclocking headroom. I do look for motherboards with high end aluminum solid electrolytic capacitors on them, for longer life and cleaner power -- one more way that I demand rock solid stability. This Gigabyte seems to have all these caps, and the Intel a mix -- which is probably just as good. So this is not a distinguishing feature between these two boards.

In short:

• For power, avoid the bottom two thirds of all brands, which includes avoiding Aspire power.
• For cases, whatever has room for what you need and delights your sensibilities.
• For motherboards, be sure it has the features you want, and runs the processor you want.
• Then be sure your power supply has the connectors you need for your motherboard and graphics card(s). If you can't find an exact list of what connectors are on a power supply, don't buy it (or, if it comes with the case, throw it out.)

What CPU should go with the above boards?

According to the specs on the links you provided, both take LGA 775 socket processors, such as listed on

Newegg >
Computer Hardware >
intel (x) >
CPUs / Processors (x) >
CPU Socket Type : LGA 775

For dual booting, install your Windows first, as if it were the only operating system, then when that is up and running and healthy, boot off the install DVD for Ubuntu, which will guide you through making some room on your disk for the Linux install, and will automatically setup the dual boot screen to choose between booting Windows and booting Linux. This is perhaps the most common installation scenario that a Linux distribution such as Ubuntu has to deal with (going in after a Windows install) and they have it down pretty good.

The reverse scenario, Windows going in after Linux, is equivalent to erasing your disk and clean installing Windows.

For fancier multiple operating system booting environments, I recommend Salvisberg's boot.sys. He no longer takes money for it, but offers it as a free download. It was the gold standard of multiple booters in its time.

[ThePythonicCow]

That Achevia Aspire case looks like a Chieftec case, a Taiwan manufacturer of cases that makes some of Antec's cases as well.

Antec used to be my preferred case vendor. Their stuff is lighter weight than Coolermaster, uses more rivets and fewer screws, and typically doesn't provide a slide out motherboard tray. It's still good stuff. Switching from Antec to Coolermaster is rather like going from driving a Toyota Corolla to driving a Ford truck (F-150 or up, depending on what size case you get.)

[ThePythonicCow]

Ah - here's a good review of a similar Chieftec case: Dan's Data: Chieftec Scorpio TX-10WD computer case.

See also: ExtremeTech's Semi-Annual PC Case Roundup: Chieftec AH-01SL.

[Quix]

WONDERFUL INSIGHTS AND INFOR AS USUAL.

Glad to get the UBUNTO instructions particularly.

And the case . . . have decided may as well go with a new case . . . leave my current system running as you suggested earlier. Get the new one up and running before discarding the old one.

Would prefer to do over the Christmas holiday. Will see how far I get.

Was shocked to see some power supplies cost everal thousand dollars! LOL.

Blessings this week to you and yours,

Thanks Big as ever.

[ThePythonicCow]

Get the new one up and running before discarding the old one.

Who said anything about discarding the old one <grin>?

Just before my move to Texas, when I gave some away, I had eight PC's running in my modest apartment. Now I'm down to a mere five. Time to build another one.

[Quix]

I can understand that.

However, I have a loom and my own loom contraption addition to it that is 3 feet by 3 feet by 6.5 high feet on the back of the loom. NOt a great deal of space left in a single wide trailer! LOL.

[ThePythonicCow]

Ah - a single wide - I grew up with my father and sister in a single wide - 8x40. That's a third of the space I have now in an apartment that just I live in.

Yup - that would make a difference.

[Quix]

Dad . . . 84 years old . . . wanted the double wide to himself on our acre. Anyway—plenty of long boring stories ago . . . the last couple of years.

LIved in a biggish 3 br apt in Taipei. But hauling stuff back and forth across the Pacific pared my stuff down considerably. Still . . . . have to take the machete to packratism regularly.

BTW, you should have email invite shortly.

[PJ-Comix]

Hey! I thought SpyBot is free. I downloaded it and then to sweep my computer I have to pay 20 bucks.

[PJ-Comix]

Where can I get FREE SpyBot? I haven’t found it. The download is free but they charge you to clean up after the sweep.

[PJ-Comix]

Okay. I downloaded AVG free Anti-Spyware 7.5. Right now it is sweeping my ‘puter. I hope I can use this with my Norton Anti-virus to replace SpySweeper.