Alright, i'm making this topic to help people keep their computer nice and healthy...

 

 

First, this one is common sense get a good anti-virus, here are some of the best ones out there for the money..

 

• Bitefender Antivirus Plus
• Kaspersky Anti Virus
• Norton AntiVirus (not the free one 
• Advanced SystemCare Ultimate 6

​All of these are under $50...

 

Run your anti virus at least once a week, because it only takes seconds for a virus to get onto your computer, but it can take hours to get rid of one. Signs of a virus are listed down below...

 

• Computer performance degrades
• Takes forever to startup (longer then usual) 
• Toolbars and tray icons appear out of no were...
• Program keeps popping up saying your computer is infected... 
• Can't access Task manager
• Your anti virus won't start up
• High temps (this is a rare sign but if you have it, you need to get rid of it quickly, as its the type of virus that will over heat your hard ware and destroy it.)

 

Another thing you will want to do, is get your self a clean up program, such as advanced system care. Here is a list of things this program does.

 

• Cleans up registry (increases computer speed)
• Fix short cuts
• cleans up unused data 
• Fixes window errors
• List goes on, and there all great for your computer..

 

 

 

Hard Drive health/ RAM health

 

• Keep it clean
• Uninstall programs that you don't use
• Clean out your Recycle Bin
• Get rid of drivers, that you don't use. (such as old graphic cards drivers...)
• RAM HEALTH--------
• Clean out your RAM (need a program for that, that should come included with the advanced system care) 
• have more ram that is used, (should have at least 6 GB) 

 

Last but not least, always stay up to date on drivers, such as graphic cards, motherboards, ect...  This will help out your computer a lot.

 

Then also on a side note, keep up to date with window updates... This is only a start, they're are thousands of things you can do to speed up your computer and make it healthy, this is just a start but it is a great start to your healthy PC...

 

 

 

I know for many of you, this is old news, but for those of you who don't know much about computers I hope this helped you out a lot. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 21, 201312 yr by Darkangel

Paid antivirus is rarely worth the money. Free programs (Avast, etc.) are very, very good. Be very, very careful getting cleanup programs; make sure you're picking a widely used one. Paid ones especially are often scams.

Paid antivirus is rarely worth the money.

Gonna have to disagree. Free programs are free for a reason. Many of them skip out on vital Windows directories, or have an out of date scanner. More people need to just man up and pay the $40 a year, it's not a big expense, and getting a virus isn't worth the "savings" since you'll have to pay money to have it removed unless you really know what you're doing. I have a paid copy of ESET which I supplement with MBAM and Spybot S&D.

I agree with cp702, some free antivirus are really good, MSE for example.

And yeah be careful with cleaning softwares. Also free alternatives like Ccleaner or Glary are good enough.

 

To avoid viruses, it's more simple than that, and it's free :

- always check that your OS & softwares are up-to-date, same thing for web plugins

- don't download cracked softwares, even on well-known websites, if you don't have money use free alternatives

- always download a software on his official website, not on crap sites like softonic and his fracking toolbars

- never accept the downloading of a file, especially exe and pdf for example, if you've never asked for it

- I know that this one is difficult to do, but avoid porn websites too, get a girlfriend or use your imagination

- etc... well, to be clear, be reasonnable on the internetz.

 

I see a lot of f*cked-up systems that I have to fix everyday, even if the guy had the most expensive antivirus, only because he doesn't know how to keep a PC clean and stable.

Some people should pass an exam like driver license in order to use a computer -_-'

Paid antivirus is rarely worth the money. Free programs (Avast, etc.) are very, very good. Be very, very careful getting cleanup programs; make sure you're picking a widely used one. Paid ones especially are often scams.

 

Going to have to disagree with you, most "free anti virus" will either claim you have a virus but you need to upgrade to get rid of it. Also they will be limited and really won't do much in the ways of protecting.... I use to use a free anti virus, then my mom and dad bought a Kaspersky for 3 computers. I downloaded it and ran a virus check, it found 4 virus, that my free one didn't even pick up...

Gonna have to disagree. Free programs are free for a reason. Many of them skip out on vital Windows directories, or have an out of date scanner. More people need to just man up and pay the $40 a year, it's not a big expense, and getting a virus isn't worth the "savings" since you'll have to pay money to have it removed unless you really know what you're doing. I have a paid copy of ESET which I supplement with MBAM and Spybot S&D.

Gonna have to disagree on your disagreement. There are some scams for free and paid programs even normal downloads. that`s why we have to be careful on the internet. i would just check the reviews on everything before downloading. there are some good free ones out there too.

Avast by far is the best!

Gonna have to disagree on your disagreement. There are some scams for free and paid programs even normal downloads. that`s why we have to be careful on the internet. i would just check the reviews on everything before downloading. there are some good free ones out there too.

I never said anything about scamming. Just that people don't know or understand that there's no such thing as 'free'. There's always a catch. And in most cases, it's disabled/outdated functions or in the case of MSE; a "security expert" team that works for the same company that has all the vulnerabilities in its OS. Makes no sense, and tests prove that most other A/V's pick up things MSE doesn't. It's better than nothing, but I care more about my computer than that.