Tips: How to keep your computer safe

First off, READ THIS THREAD. There's a lot of great stuff here to help your computer.

1) if you're using Windows, run Windows Update! You can either go to http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/ or turn on Automatic Updates in your Control Panel.

2) Install an anti-virus software. AVG Anti-Virus is free, so there's no excuse.
http://free.grisoft.com/

3) Install anti-spyware programs. I personally recommend a combo of SpywareBlaster and Spybot Search and Destroy.
http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html - SpywareBlaster
http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/ - Spybot Search & Destroy.

4) If you have a router, turn the firewall on. For instructions on this, read your router's documentation. Some programs may require port forwarding if you do this. For instructions on how to do this, check out http://www.portforward.com/

5) Install a popup blocker, or use a better browser, or both. I personally recommend Maxthon which has a built in ad/popup blocker, though Google's Popup Blocker makes a great suppliment. There is a bug with the newer GPB that causes come problems though, so you'll need an older one.
http://www.maxthon.com/
http://forum.maxthon.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=6685 - About Google Toolbar and a link to an older version

6) For the love of god people, DO NOT OPEN UNEXPECTED ATTACHMENTS.


To our Help Desk bigshots, add whatever you feel is needed.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

I went with the hardware firewall because unlike software firewalls, they're always on. Software firewalls have a small gap time before they're on. Plus like other pieces of windows software, they can crash.

How ya doing, buddy?

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I wouldn't suggest Windows Update, viruses are able to get into your computer. It's happened several times.

Get the fuck out of my forum.

Windows Update is designed to FIX flaws that can lead to viruses/trojans/etc. If you got viruses because of it, I recon to bullshit your statement.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

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i know hardware firewalls are also able to crash (though far less often than in windows).

Yeah, but if your router shuts down, so does your connection. So I wouldn't be worried about it.

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Is the adaware a good spyware software (I ask because each week I have 20 spyware on my pc, maybe normal)?

I personally use Spybot myself, though some swear by Ad-Aware. The thing I like about Spybot is that there is a way to set it to scan every week totally silent and w/o user intervention while getting all updates and all that by itself. Ad-Aware can't do that.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Is your Common Sense™ a clone of my SmartBrowsing™? Cause if so, I'm suing you.

I was speaking idiomatically.