So, my Avast expired a couple weeks ago and being as lazy as I am, I haven't renewed it. Of course, Antivirus Soft decided to install itself on my computer. I'm sure plenty of you know that it is a very aggressive virus. It won't let me fully install any program to combat it, even in safe mode. After exiting safe mode, it did "back off" if you will and allow me to transfer most of my pictures and documents onto a separate drive, however it would still corrupt any installation of antivirus programs.

I'm assuming that my only option is to reinstall windows. I don't have a copy of Vista laying around. Will a Windows 7 upgrade pack allow me to fully reinstall windows?

Any other options?

Btw, the computer is a HP Pavilion a6300f.

 

Yup, I did a clean install from my Windows 7 upgrade disc. Follow the steps for option 1 and if activation fails like it did in my case just go to option 3 (all 3 is really doing is tricking windows into thinking it was installed over an old version as an upgrade so that the activation will go through).

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials...7-version.html

 

Altair is correct. A Windows 7 upgrade disc can do a clean install as long as it sees a Windows XP or Windows Vista install on the HD (before you wipe it out).

Other current "popular" viruses that do basically the same thing are Alpha Antivirus and Security Tool. Security Tool is the one I've seen the most of at work, we get at least four machines in per day with that guy on it.

 

jason,

since you locked the security and you thread, I figure I will post my question here.

You mentioned in that thread that AVG is bad and to stay away from it. Can you give me a reason? My brother recommends it as a good free protection and have been running it (thinking that it is ok) and don't seem to be having any troubles, but if there is a logical reason why not to have it, it will be gone from my computer.

Thanks in advance and sorry junior I hijacked your thread. To damn lazy tonight to hit the new thread button and do all that work...LOL

btw, you might want to unlock that thread for questions, just in case. Very good thread btw.

 

The last time I used AVG, it wasn't proactive. Meaning, any new coming file or data packet headed to your system isn't scanned first. Once you download it, you get the most up to date virus definitions, but no updates. That means that a few months down the road, there can be a new malicious bug running around that AVG doesn't know to look for. Another problem it has is the fact that it doesn't have the best definitions known to man. Compared to brands such as Kaspersky, NOD32, and others, it's quite lacking.

To an advanced user, AVG would be just fine considering that those types of end users know what they are looking for and don't usually mind dealing with reformatting their hard drive every so often.

Take my Desktop for example. It's used as a test rig only and I keep no AV software on it. It accesses the web and downloads what ever I tell it to. Because I'm always axing the OS install and putting something else on it, I have little to worry about.

Paid AV programs work well for people that do not have the knowledge or skill to fix problems should they arise, or for people that know how to fix the same issues, but would rather not have to deal with it. Like my laptop. I'm on it the most of all and it's the most heavily protected system in the house. I do not want to deal with the issues concurrent with today's free AV programs, so I pay for a license every year.

Remember, what's good today might be bad tomorrow, and what's considered junk today might be gold tomorrow.

 

Ask any real techie what their nickname is for AVG: AVeraGe. Avast and Avira are both completely free, and do a better job than AVG.

Many, many times, we've scanned machines that appeared to have minor issues, only to discover major pieces of spyware or adware in the background that AVG missed. The most common AV on Security Tool (or similar nasty critters) infested machines that we've seen is AVG. When it first came out, years ago, it was fine. Now-a-days it just plain stinks.

It gained popularity and people know its name, thats the only reason people still use it right now. That is a similar story to another AV program that for many years sucked, but was popular just because people knew its name... Norton.

For my gaming power house machine, I use Kaspersky, and run manual scans once a month (ish) with Malwarebytes Anti-Malware, Superantispyware, Lavasoft Ad-Aware, and a-squared Free. All of those last four names are free, and excellent extra layers of defense. Even the best, Kaspersky or whatever, will miss things on occasion.

On my junky Dell laptop (a four or five year old laptop I use just for internet and email downstairs, what can I say, it was free), I use NOD32. Its my test bed... if it gets infected, I figure out how to remove the nasty critters. Worst case, I reformat, not a big deal.

On my wife's Mac I run... yup, nothing for AV software. Not needed yet. Not saying I'm a Mac fanboy, but they do have their points, just like Windoze PCs.

 

Well there is my answer...LOL!!! My brother and I both now how to fix problems and both of us have other free programs like Adaware and spybot to run weekly and so on to help keep out computers running. As mentioned above, we both also have computers that we have nothing on that downloads everything we tell it too and if we have to format, we format, no biggy...LOL

 

Jr - as I'm sure you've found out, you will like Windows 7. At least I love it!
Here in a few days, I'll be back in the US. I just ordered Windows 7 Ultimate and a fresh 750GB HD from NewEgg, so you know what will be up!

I've been using Norton/Symantec products for the last 7 years with only about 2 problems. I have my anti-virus to fetch updates daily, and do a full system scan daily, as well. (Whatever system serves as my daily-use system stays on 24/7)
Currently have Symantec Endpoint Protection 11 - which is combination firewall/anti-virus/anti-spyware. It kinda helps that I get it for free through work!

 

I got that same virus...musta been lookin at some bad poon.... anyway avg didnt find it nor did avast, or any others. Till yesterday when we lost power and avg started scanning when it rebooted. Avg finally was the one that found it. So avg works fine imo. I only really use that computer for my personal weather station i have set up(Davis vantage pro 2)

 

So you are saying that AVG didn't find it in the initial one or two scans, but found it later?

I bet you still have infections, you just don't know it because AVG isn't finding them. AVG may have found one, but I'd love to run Kaspersky and Malwarebytes Anti-Malware on your machine, see how many things they find.