Q. Until recently I have used AVG 2011 plus Super AntiSpyWare and Spybot Search & Destroy to protect my computer. A problem was that AVG 2011 appeared to slow everything down so I uninstalled it and replaced it with Windows Security Essentials. My computer now operates much faster. Was replacing AVG with the Windows version a good move? Your comments would be appreciated.
I have been told that I should replace Spybot with the free programme available from www.Malwarebytes.com for better protection. Your comments on this please?
A. Hi Bob, I endorse both AVG and Microsoft Security Essentials as excellent free antivirus tools, another good one is Avast of course. So yes if you found that you were not getting on with AVG then replacing it with Security Essentials is a good move, it certainly seems to have worked for you. Both Microsoft Security Essentials and AVG have buit in Anti-Spyware detection, so in short there is no “need” to use any additional applications, however I have to say that MalwareBytes is such a great tool that its certainly worth downloading and running weekly / monthly to give yourself that “belts and braces” feeling. I would not recommend using the “real time” protection (although this is actually not available in the free version of MalwareBytes anyway, just mentioning it in case you decide to purchase the full version) as this could clash with the “real time” protection that you already have in Microsoft Security Essentials.