Security Software.

Is there any free security software that you guys usually install on a fresh install of windows? I reformatted my gf's computer and i was wondering what you guys use to keep your machines from getting loaded with viruses and malware etc.

At the moment i just installed what we use at home.

AVG Free edition
Ad-Aware SE personal
Spybot-Search and Destroy.

Thanks for any responses.

You could get Windows Defender. Otherwise, that's all I have on my computer.

throw on zonealarm too if you fancy it - never hurt anyone (to my knowledge)

Zone Alarm is really in my opinion the best defense u have against viruses. Mainly because it stops intrusions. it's one thing to clean up the viruses after they have landed on your computer but an entirely different thing to stop them from getting in your computer all together.

Is zone alarm free, or just a free trial? I personally wouldn't mind spending the money on a good firewall/antivirus suite, but i couldn't imagine my girlfriends mom purchasing any software.

Thanks for all of the input guys, i appreciate it.

Edit: Another problem with the whole purchasing software is, unless it runs in the background, it might not get used much. I'm only here on weekends and i don't know how often the computer gets scanned for viruses and what not.

Your best bet then is zonealarm, avg free and avg antispyware.
Of the three, antispyware has a trial period and you will want to purchase it after 30 days to keep it autoupdating and scanning on its own.

Both AVG programs will update and scan the machine on their own, at times you set.

Zonealarm is a noob friendly, mildly intuitive firewall designed for home use, and it is free for home use. Turn off Windows firewall, it's ****.

What I've used in the past. All free, I don't like spending money on software.

AVG Anti-Virus, and Spyware protection
Lavasoft Ad-Aware
Zonealarm
Windows Defender
Windows Firewall

AVG, Ad-Aware, and Zonealarm all have free and paid versions available. I've never run into any problems using the free versions, and they're very effective.

OK, Thanks for that guys. I don't have time to put them on this weekend, but ill be sure to download them next weekend.

Thanks again

-Lucius

I use a variety of security programs, may I suggest however, Anti-Vir. A very reliable easy to use anti-virus, unlike say norton it can actually get rid of viruses. It's free, and incredibly effective. For spy-ware spybot is great (already mentioned) but so is Spysweeper.

Good luck finding what works for ya.

quickly can i recommend against adaware by lavasoft. used to be one of the best but has gone downhill and is verging on useless now!

i don't use antivirus anymore, i have no idea why, i really should, i just don't!