Upgrading my pc after 7yrs

[tvfreak]

Can you guys recommend a good anti-virus/malware/spyware software?

I currently have mcafee enterprise + antispyware enterprise 8.8 and malwarbytes.

 

[tvfreak]

I was wondering if anyone has enabled Intel's rapid start tech. I read a little about it.
is it useful?

Also should I enable msi fast boot or fast boot?
Is it needed or does it just boots my PC up faster than normal

 

[mfenn]

Can you guys recommend a good anti-virus/malware/spyware software?

I currently have mcafee enterprise + antispyware enterprise 8.8 and malwarbytes.

The big guys like McAfee are pretty average unless you're in an enterprise that needs the management features. No reason to change if it's already paid for though.

I was wondering if anyone has enabled Intel's rapid start tech. I read a little about it.
is it useful?

Also should I enable msi fast boot or fast boot?
Is it needed or does it just boots my PC up faster than normal

Those just make your PC start a bit faster. They don't matter if you don't boot it up multiple times per day.

 

[tvfreak]

Can you recommend something better?

The big guys like McAfee are pretty average unless you're in an enterprise that needs the management features. No reason to change if it's already paid for though.



Those just make your PC start a bit faster. They don't matter if you don't boot it up multiple times per day.

 

[mfenn]

Can you recommend something better?

Unfortunately no, because I don't use antivirus. I can't stand the extra I/O latency it creates.

 

[tvfreak]

ok well it seems I need something cause my toolbar is getting hi jacked.
The first time this happened is when I wanted to dl a image resizer. I went cnet. apparently my toolbar from firefox was hi jacked. I had the default setting for google. But after I dl the image resizer and I opened up my FF browser something was on their. It looked similar but with out the google name. My malwarebytes was blocking it. I guess ads and what not.

So I reformatted my ssd and it erased the problem.

So the second time I used IE. This time I typed in image resizer for mircosoft. So again I thought it was ok, but nope it was hi jacked again in IE. The first one was called conduit something that was on FF and this time on my IE browser it called mysearchdial.

I reformatted again, but this time it didn't get rid of it??? It worked when I reformatted my pc when FF was infected but not with IE. I reformatted 3 times with no success???
I manually removed it but I want it removed by reformatting so that way I know it's completely gone. Starting fresh sort of speak.

Any Ideas why this is happening? Is this something I need to be worried about?

On my old pc with winXP pro from yrs ago, this hasn't happen to me before. I've dl a mircosoft image resizer and my IE or FF wasn't hi jacked.

This is frustrating for sure.

Unfortunately no, because I don't use antivirus. I can't stand the extra I/O latency it creates.

 

[mfenn]

Step #1: Don't download random programs from CNET without reading about them online first.

Step #2: Read the dialog boxes in the installer carefully. Do not just blindly click next, next, next. Many times programs will come bundled in with fairly useless toolbars as a form of revenue generation. These can nearly always be disabled by unchecking a box during installation.

Step #3: Never use IE. Even after 20 years, it is still the most broken and insecure browser out there.

As for the toolbar coming back after you reinstall Windows, do you have your login associated with your Live ID? If so, it is probably pulling your preferences from there. Here's how to change the search provider back to Google: http://www.howtogeek.com/127766/how...ch-engine-in-windows-8s-internet-explorer-10/

 

[tvfreak]

God i must sound like an ultimate newb lol.
Generally or almost all the time i just don't click next, next, next etc lol.
i've down loaded things in cnet in the past with no issues of this sort before.

But i guess cnet is not what is was in the past.

It is odd even after reinstalling win 8.1 pro at least 6 times the hijacked tool bar was still there.

When installing 8.1, microsoft does ask if i have a hotmail account (which i do) and i need to use it to sign in. If i don't have an account, i have to sign up for one.

So, is it because i'm signing in with my email account it's using that and that's why the hijacked tool bar was still there?

I did google the hijacked tool bars (condiut and mysearchdial) and there were youtube vids and other info on how to get rid of it. I did follow the steps and it seem to work.

I just want to make sure it's nothing serious or it's still embedded in my ssd some where before i get my new pc up and running and install games and what not. I don't want to install steam and other programs and come to find out that it's still there and i have to reformat my pc again.

When i googled the hijacked toolbars or browsers, it doesn't seem it's a nasty malware or anything.

Step #1: Don't download random programs from CNET without reading about them online first.

Step #2: Read the dialog boxes in the installer carefully. Do not just blindly click next, next, next. Many times programs will come bundled in with fairly useless toolbars as a form of revenue generation. These can nearly always be disabled by unchecking a box during installation.

Step #3: Never use IE. Even after 20 years, it is still the most broken and insecure browser out there.

As for the toolbar coming back after you reinstall Windows, do you have your login associated with your Live ID? If so, it is probably pulling your preferences from there. Here's how to change the search provider back to Google: http://www.howtogeek.com/127766/how...ch-engine-in-windows-8s-internet-explorer-10/

 

[tvfreak]

I just read that firefox's browser was more susceptible in getting hacked vs IE, chrome browser. It was something where they paid hackers to c how well their browser was secured.
Firefox had something like 4 vulnerabilities vs chrome or IE's one.

Can't remember exactly what type of vulnerabilities it was but i was a little surprised by it.

Step #1: Don't download random programs from CNET without reading about them online first.

Step #2: Read the dialog boxes in the installer carefully. Do not just blindly click next, next, next. Many times programs will come bundled in with fairly useless toolbars as a form of revenue generation. These can nearly always be disabled by unchecking a box during installation.

Step #3: Never use IE. Even after 20 years, it is still the most broken and insecure browser out there.

As for the toolbar coming back after you reinstall Windows, do you have your login associated with your Live ID? If so, it is probably pulling your preferences from there. Here's how to change the search provider back to Google: http://www.howtogeek.com/127766/how...ch-engine-in-windows-8s-internet-explorer-10/

 

[mfenn]

When you sign in with your Hotmail account, you are telling Windows to sync your settings to "the cloud". Then when you format and sign in again, it pulls down those old settings. There's nothing hiding out on your SSD, it's being pulled down as part of your preferences package.

 

[tvfreak]

So, r u saying I'm good to go?
Nothing to worry about?

Like before I just want to make sure everything is OK before I start installing programs. I don't want to have to keep doing this.

When you sign in with your Hotmail account, you are telling Windows to sync your settings to "the cloud". Then when you format and sign in again, it pulls down those old settings. There's nothing hiding out on your SSD, it's being pulled down as part of your preferences package.

 

[mfenn]

So, r u saying I'm good to go?
Nothing to worry about?

Like before I just want to make sure everything is OK before I start installing programs. I don't want to have to keep doing this.

Yes, 95% chance that you are good to go.

The only reason I don't say 100% is because I haven't personally looked at the machine.

 

[tvfreak]

Well I guess its start using my new PC or keep worrying about it.
Thanks for your help.
Hopefully no more issues. Well at least not to soon.

Yes, 95% chance that you are good to go.

The only reason I don't say 100% is because I haven't personally looked at the machine.

 

[tvfreak]

I started another thread and i was wondering if you could help out.

Thanks.

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?p=36219278#post36219278

Yes, 95% chance that you are good to go.

The only reason I don't say 100% is because I haven't personally looked at the machine.