Spywareblaster is an excellent tool in your arsenal, all you have to do with it is hit the update button let it get the updates then hit the enable all protection button so that the shield is green, that is it, do that once a week, it just sits there in the back ground keeping the nasties away. Yes you have some good programs as long as you do remember to update them then run the full scans about once a week. "Prevent the installation of ActiveX-based spyware, adware, browser hijackers, dialers, and other potentially unwanted software. Block spyware/tracking cookies in Internet Explorer and Mozilla/Firefox. Restrict the actions of potentially unwanted sites in Internet Explorer. SpywareBlaster can help keep your system spyware-free and secure, without interfering with the "good side" of the web. And unlike other programs, SpywareBlaster does not have to remain running in the background." there is a little info on spywareblaster by javacool As to Norton I personally had issues with it on my computers so do not use it and it was a bear to get off of them but if you have it and like it and want to keep it till it ends feel free, if you decide to change it later be sure you get the Norton removal tool from their website and use it to try to get it all off of your pc.

Hi everyone, I was unable to post because I couldn't log in. Apparently the cookie that it takes to get here was not there, so I emailed the forum and when I got back home walla I was able to log in and here I am. "Smiles" To answer the question is Auslogics an antivirus or a defrag program. It is a defrag program and is not an antivirus. I didn't know they had an antivirus. "LOL" I listened to the same thing you did about Norton and it definately has something in it which appears to be a firewall because it blocks things out and protects you like a firewall. I think the reason they made sure that the Windows firewall is on is because they aren't sure themselves. When I access a program Norton pops up and tells me it is safe to run. It happened earlier today but I can't remember what it was I was doing. I was in a hurry to do some things on this computer that I know they didn't do. I am a little nervous about CCleaner and I called them and one of the guys told me to take the check marks out of advanced so I did. I have never used CCleaner and it would be nice if I had more information on it. Can you all explain this program to me and what to look for, so that I won't delete something and my computer won't go boom? "LOL" Owbist you said this: I am amazed that someone as knowledgeable as yourself and willing to learn about computers would actually pay to have the computer cleaned or replace the CD player. If cleaning means removing dust a $3 can of compressed air fixes that pronto. If cleaning means removing programs (including those you wanted kept) then the simple Add/Remove feature does that for you. Replacing a CD player is a simple task also, even for those who have not tried before. You simply remove the old and reverse the sequence to install the new. The only reason that I took the computer in was because I have my grandchildren around 3 days a week and sometimes a little more because they love us. Ha! It is difficult for me to have the time to play by trying to install something and little ones that are 3 and 8 years of age want to play on the computer not watch me fix it. "LOL" Now when I got this computer back, it was running slow again and instead of calling them I did a scan disk and used Auslogics Defrag and walla it is running like a charm. I think they got lazy and didn't do it. I really like the Auslogics Defrag it is so fast and puts things back where they belong. They did check the hard drive to see if it was Ok and it is. This computer is going on 6 years old and I guess I haven't done to bad after all my very first computer I crashed several times but, that was ages ago. Remember the first packard bell computers? I had the 3.1 and then they sent me the CD for Windows 95. Well I learned fast that you can't put old on top of new because then it would crash. I still have that old computer and I need to get rid of it, I never get on it at all, it is just sitting there collecting dust. Ha! If there is someone here who has CCleaner I would appreciate a lesson on how to use it correctly. Thank You damccoy, zep516 and owbist, for your help and for your info. thirdfrt!!!

Programs that block urls, either outgoing or incoming via the restricted sites lists, the privacy lists, and hosts files(host file blocking really can grow huge) ... they all seem to make an overly bunch of entries which is good for blocking the bad and pesty stuff ..but it adds time for the browser to load webpages because it has to build an ip list for all the url names, then compare each incoming and outgoing ip against that list and then its subnets too to decide to block or allow things both in and out. Some of those programs seem to always add sites, but seldom delete any that no longer exist. It takes time to process that stuff. I've had to deal with a few computers that over time the users had run too many of those blocker programs and paused/slowed down web page loading ... although I gotta admit,, the biggest thing I seem to run into with slow internet is when people have multiple browser tool bars from google/yahoo/aol, etc. Why do you have all these tool bars... I dunno how they got there, but dont delete them. heh, too late. 4 oz chilled cola, 1 oz Vodka, 1 oz Cherry Liqueur = one Connie Cola

Witz right you are, indeed Bill P did decline and we all think very highly of him in the security community for doing so. Way to go Bill!! He is such a great guy anyway and that just proves it even more and WinPatrol is sure worth it. I know all of them want to create programs to help us all stay safe and make it easier for the support community to keep the pc's clean, the more clean ones we have the less we all suffer. It is a pay it forward thing for many of them, they just want to help. some unfortunately do end up giving in to the lure of the almighty dollar, I do not think that would be happening nearly as much if we all did contribute more to them in donations. It cost a lot of money to keep those sites up and running and time and effort to create the programs. I applaud them all and do get on the soap box occasionally to try to make people understand how valuable these people are and how supporting their free products is a worthwhile effort.