Posted on 04/01/2011 6:06:54 PM PDT by PinkChampagneonIce
I am seriously in need of some FReeper help in the computer department. For several years I have used the free Avast! virus protection program on my home computer. A few days ago I began receiving pop-up notices that my subscription was about to expire. I tried to download the newest free version, but I am on dial-up, and the download time is over eight hours. I lost my connection at six hours and gave up. Then I tried to contact Avast! However, in order to put in a "ticket" I have to be registered. I input my info and was informed I would receive an e-mail instructing me on how to complete registration so I could submit a question, but no e-mail ever came. Did it again, nothing. I have no trouble receiving other e-mails. The Avast! website gives a telephone number for customer service, but it doesn't seem to be in this country.
What to do? I like Avast! and have been happy with their program. I would like to keep my current version. But I can't communicate with them and that makes me nervous.
Am looking forward to some good advice on what to do now to protect my computer from viruses/malware.
I’ve had satellite internet. It does suck.
It sucks on dry ice.
Look on the bright side, though. If you’re livin’ way out in the boonies, you can go target practicing in your back yard.
NO RANGE FEES!
I’m jealous.
Hah! Where I am, the deer come right up to the front door. Target practice is considered a poor use of good resources! I have 30 acres.
LOL! As you have been told, no, it is not true.
One of my clients is the last guy on the wire behind what was a positively ancient switch. He could not get better than 33.6 speeds (on a good day). Now, the switch finally died, and was replaced last summer, so he is flying high at 125 DSL, which is a great improvement. But also about as fast as he is ever going to get in his lifetime. And if you look at the size of the stuff that has to be downloaded for display today, and extrapolate what it will be like in 10 years, that 125 speed will feel just like dialup again by then anyway (it is PAINFULLY slow to me right now...)
And there are plenty of folks past him that will never have internet at all, not to mention electricity even.
So don't get all high-and-mighty. You have no idea. There are many, many people living off the grid, many of whom are still using kerosene for light. Their entire economy and way of life is completely foreign to you. They don't, nor will they ever fit your ideal.
And it makes me laugh. Thanks for that.
You could use Firefox, then get an add-on called DownThemAll! that is a download manager that will allow you to pause, resume, stop and/or restart downloads without losing already downloaded parts of the file.
http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/new/?ref=logo
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/201
You still have to give it 8 hours to download though.
CD is free and donation asked for.
Having used Unix for years, and had Zero troubles while burning zero resources on antivirus, I recommend it. My Unix, the real thing, is Mac OS X. I like it, and I like the Apple store (which is moot if you're in the sticks).Note to the sensitive: this post will probably not make the first fifty, even. It's not like this is gonna hijack the thread, after all. And it has no ad hominem content.I do not sneer at Linux as an alternative, depending on your pocketbook and your geek characteristics. Free is good, for a good product.
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security_essentials/default.aspx
fast download, easy to use, free.
you could always put it on a flash drive when you go to the big city, lol... library pcs, etc.
if you have a laptop or netbook, you can park outside the library and get it...
Those MOBOs maxed at 32 mb of RAM, IIRC.
Thanks, bitt. I decided to go with your suggestion. I uninstalled Avast! and SpyBot, and the program download took about an hour. HOWEVER, after I installed it, it indicated that it needed to update in order to do a scan. I’ve been updating about eight hours, and it looks to be about half done. The good news is that when I lose my connection it seems to pick up where it left off. At this rate, I will finish the download and may be able to do a scan tomorrow. Hope it works, now that I’ve deleted everything else.
AND, in response to the previous poster — yes, there are lots of us who are just barely on the grid. I, myself, have 20 gallons of kerosene for the lanterns. My closest neighbors are completely off grid, and don’t even have running water. DSL you say? Ha! But if it ever gets to the point where the grid doesn’t work, y’all are welcome over to my house where things will continue to run as normal.....
Oh, bitt, my library does have computers. But none of that “signal in the air” business.....all the computers are plugged into the wall.
then you definately! need a flash drive.
you could copy the microsoft security essentials and malwarebytes (malwarebytes.org) onto the flash, and just run it from the flash when you get home!
I also like to leave a copy of free ‘superantispyware’ on the desktop - that seems to be able to run even when the critters disable everything else...
most of these (monthly) bad guys can’t get a foothold if you do your windows updates and run the MSE...
Thank you, bitt, for all your help. I spent most of this weekend downloading the Microsoft program. Took about six hours for the “small” program file, then all night for the update. Then six more hours for the “7 day update.” But everything installed fine! Then I did a full scan (5 hours), and deleted the one trojan that was found.
THANK YOU again. I really think this program is the best for what I have and need, and wouldn’t have found it nearly as soon or as easily without your post. I appreciate it.
it's the only thing I'm good at, so I'm glad I saw your request.
Maybe you can do the download at a library. Can’t hurt to ask.
Thanks, but I was able to download bitt’s suggestion, which was the Microsoft Security Essentials. It did take me a while (about six hours for the initial program and overnight for the first definitions update). The subsequent definitions updates don’t take all that long. One reason it is a good option for those on dial-up is that if you lose your connection you do not have to start all over again - it retains what you have already downloaded.
After I downloaded everything I did a scan (which took about 4 hours), and a serious Trojan Downloader virus was discovered and deleted, so I’m very happy with it so far!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.