McAfee's real-time IP app's
I know there's controversy about McAfee, as well as any "suites" of IP software, but I've had McAfee - free to Comcast customers - for years now, and its real-time protection has saved me an uncountable number of times. I've also installed McAfee's free "Site Advisor" on my browser to protect me from problem websites. McAfee's "Stealth"/"Alert & Log" firewall settings have been a huge help, and its automated self-updating and scheduled run of its anti-virus app have kept my system operating great. Instead of relying on IP software alone, I have installed Piriform's CCleaner, and moved those cookies I choose to save into its "Cookies to keep" section before running it. It serves as a "PC vacuum cleaner" that I run after each internet surfing/browsing session, as well as after deleting a program from my PC. With its cleaning setting at "Secure File Deletion - Guttman 35 passses", it runs blank data over whatever you've deleted 35 times! You just have to see what cookies appear in CCleaner's "Cookies to delete" window upon login into whichever websites whose username & password auto-login cookies you want to save, and move them over to CCleaner's "Cookies to keep" window. You have to be aware of those cookies that might present a potential secure online info hacking problem for you when you pick and choose which cookies you want CCleaner to keep (such as those from unfamiliar websites). Further, I've kept up with TechRepublic's observation that a fragmented hard drive can cause plenty of system slowdowns and crashes. So, I also use Diskeeper Pro Premier every time I use my PC. I run CCleaner and Diskeeper before I shut down. I've found these PC protection & maintenance app's keep my PC running like greased lightening. I also clear out prefetch, %temp%, and "c:\windows\temp" (only those files dated before the day I clean the Windows temp files out), and run AVG's "vcleaner" bootup virus cleaner in Safe Mode (although I wonder about vcleaner since it's release date is in 2007 - has AVG abandoned vcleaner, but still offers it from their website?) - and my PC runs perfectly. So, unless anyone can come up with an extremely compelling argument for installing any other IP software in addition (I checked out EMSI's "a-squared Free v4.5" webpage, and it looks like a decent free app), I'm running great as I am.
