New Windows 7 Acer Laptop Security Status

[Paul Calcagno]

Not sure if I'm posting this in the correct Newsgroup since there's no NG
for Windows 7.......but here goes:

Here's the system configuration for my wife's new Acer Laptop computer we
just got yesterday:

OS Name Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium
Version 6.1.7600 Build 7600
Other OS Description Not Available
OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation
System Name Linda-PC
System Manufacturer Acer
System Model Aspire 5517
System Type x64-based PC
Processor AMD Athlon(tm) 64 X2 Dual-Core Processor TK-42, 1600 Mhz, 2
Core(s), 2 Logical Processor(s)
BIOS Version/Date Acer V1.09, 11/30/2009
SMBIOS Version 2.6
Windows Directory C:\Windows
System Directory C:\Windows\system32
Boot Device \Device\HarddiskVolume2
Locale United States
Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = "6.1.7600.16385"
User Name Linda-PC\Linda
Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Installed Physical Memory (RAM) 3.00 GB
Total Physical Memory 2.75 GB
Available Physical Memory 1.02 GB
Total Virtual Memory 5.49 GB
Available Virtual Memory 3.44 GB
Page File Space 2.75 GB
Page File C:\pagefile.sys
Hard Drive 320 GB

The system is running just great but I'm only concerned about it's Security
Status as follows:

The unit came with 30 day trial version of McAfee Security Suite already
installed and running. When I checked into the state of Windows firewall,
the appl said that the "firewall components are being managed by McAfee".
Ie, I can't turn on or off Windows firewall because nothing is clickable in
the Windows Firewall appl that opens. Because there's almost 40 Windows
Updates (WU) awaiting my action, I feel I need to secure this unit system
right away and get the WU's installed.

I would prefer to use Windows Firewall, Windows Defender and Spyware Doctor
with A/V (and run SAS, CCleaner and MBAM as needed). I did just install my
paid subscription of Spyware Doctor w/Av so I have what I believe is good
protection, except that I don't know what's happening with my firewall
because of McAfee. I believe I need to find a way to stop McAfee from
controlling Win Firewall, or uninstall McAfee so that I can turn on Windows
Firewall myself.
Can anyone advise as to the sensible way to get to where I want to be, or
perhaps there's some other suggestions about how I should set up the
security on this new computer.
Thanks much in advance................Paul C.

 

[Leroy]

Please repost your inquiry in the appropriate Windows 7 Forum:
http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/protect/default.aspx

 

[ray]

Not sure if I'm posting this in the correct Newsgroup since there's no
NG for Windows 7.......but here goes:

Sure there is. alt.windows7.general

 

[c_atiel]

You should have a real time Anti-virus program to catch the low lying fruit.
I would uninstall McAffee and install Microsoft Security Essentials, which
is free. Your computer will then revert to the Windows firewall. AVG is also
still a reasonably good free antivirus program. I believe MSE replaces
Windows Defender.
Third party firewalls are overkill for almost all users and often interfere
with ordinary web surfing and p2p network setup. The Windows Firewall and
the hardware firewall in your router are enough.
I find Malwarebytes, which is also free, to be the best tool for initially
scanning and removing suspected malware. None of these programs is perfect,
particularly if you like to download free programs from Eastern European
websites, serial number crackers and porn. Microsoft constantly updates the
"Malicious Software Removal Tool" but it does not seem to do anything
useful.
There is nothing in your current setup preventing you from downloading
Windows updates. If Windows Update wants to download patches for your free
trial of Office 2007 I would not bother with them if you do not plan to buy
that program.
The processor on your laptop is fairly slow and I would try to avoid
burdening it with too many programs that want to load at startup. "Slow"
does not mean "bad": it just is what it is compared to other CPUs. AMD CPUs
tend to have a higher price/performance ratio than Intel processors.

 

[Paul Calcagno]

C_atiel, thanks for your kind and thorough reply. And I appreciate you not
telling me that I posted in the wrong place. I knew that.

Sounds like you're saying MSE might be better than Windows Defender.
Correct?
As in all such situations, whatever seems to work is usually a good bet.
I've always run with Windows Firewall, Defender, Spyware Doctor with AV and
then on demand I run MBAM, SAS, and CCleaner. Never had any serious viruses
or malware in the past 4 or 5 years I couldn't remove, so I might stay with
that configuration. Spyware Doctor has a real-time scanner and it can be
set up to scan and update on it's own. But I'll think about switching over
from Defender to MSE since I hear such good things about the latter.
As a Brighthouse (Road Runner) subscriber I used to run with their CA
Security Suite that had it's own firewall, but the minute I disabled that
FW, everything in the computer got faster. That was the day of reckoning to
me and after that I swore off 3rd part FW's.
Regarding the Updates, I'm just not sure if McAfee would interfere with
downloading those, so at the very least I'd disable McAfee to do the
updates.
If I can uninstall or disable McAfee and get it to release it's control over
my firewall then I'd consider that progress.

Regards...........Paul C.

 

[Billns]

Not sure if I'm posting this in the correct Newsgroup since there's no
NG for Windows 7.......but here goes:

Here's the system configuration for my wife's new Acer Laptop computer
we just got yesterday:

OS Name Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium
Version 6.1.7600 Build 7600
Other OS Description Not Available
OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation
System Name Linda-PC
System Manufacturer Acer
System Model Aspire 5517
System Type x64-based PC
Processor AMD Athlon(tm) 64 X2 Dual-Core Processor TK-42, 1600 Mhz, 2
Core(s), 2 Logical Processor(s)
BIOS Version/Date Acer V1.09, 11/30/2009
SMBIOS Version 2.6
Windows Directory C:\Windows
System Directory C:\Windows\system32
Boot Device \Device\HarddiskVolume2
Locale United States
Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = "6.1.7600.16385"
User Name Linda-PC\Linda
Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Installed Physical Memory (RAM) 3.00 GB
Total Physical Memory 2.75 GB
Available Physical Memory 1.02 GB
Total Virtual Memory 5.49 GB
Available Virtual Memory 3.44 GB
Page File Space 2.75 GB
Page File C:\pagefile.sys
Hard Drive 320 GB

The system is running just great but I'm only concerned about it's
Security Status as follows:

The unit came with 30 day trial version of McAfee Security Suite already
installed and running. When I checked into the state of Windows
firewall, the appl said that the "firewall components are being managed
by McAfee". Ie, I can't turn on or off Windows firewall because nothing
is clickable in the Windows Firewall appl that opens. Because there's
almost 40 Windows Updates (WU) awaiting my action, I feel I need to
secure this unit system right away and get the WU's installed.

I would prefer to use Windows Firewall, Windows Defender and Spyware
Doctor with A/V (and run SAS, CCleaner and MBAM as needed). I did just
install my paid subscription of Spyware Doctor w/Av so I have what I
believe is good protection, except that I don't know what's happening
with my firewall because of McAfee. I believe I need to find a way to
stop McAfee from controlling Win Firewall, or uninstall McAfee so that I
can turn on Windows Firewall myself.
Can anyone advise as to the sensible way to get to where I want to be,
or perhaps there's some other suggestions about how I should set up the
security on this new computer.
Thanks much in advance................Paul C.

I bought an Acer laptop with Win 7 a couple months ago. One of the
first things I did was uninstall McAfee and substitute MSE for it. I've
been using MSE for some time on my XP and Vista machines and have no
problems with it.

If you're happy with Spyware Doctor contine using that after you get rid
of the McAfee stuff.

Bill

 

[Paul Calcagno]

Bill, thanks for your suggestions.

What are you doing about your firewall? Does MSE have it's own 3rd party
firewall? Paul C.