Agree just leave AVAST for now since you have it on and it is running well you are good there with an active Antivirus program. What I suggest people do with Avast is to set up the scanner in screen saver, go to your screen saver settings area and select Avast screensaver from the list, in Advanced you can select which screen saver to have it use while Avast scans. Save your settings then anytime your pc goes to screen saver it will start scanning, when it is interrupted it stops then starts where it left off the last time etc, works great. As Zep said AVAST is constantly scanning so you really don't have to do scans like you do with others. I would go with the windows firewall it is a decent firewall. But if you want to use zone alarm since you have it that is fine but you do have to turn off the windows one like zep gave directions for. You have the same programs I use, malwarebytes, superantispyware, spywareblaster, update weekly and do scans. That first AVAST scan does take a long time to run and yes windows 7 is a large program so you will have a lot of files to scan. You are applying a very good layered protection on your pc. Just remember to also use the secunia software inspector to keep all programs updated too.

Gillian when I was using the Comodo firewall I seem to remember that the computer showed there was none installed. It caused me concern at the time too. However I think if you check the Add/Remove programs feature you will see it listed there. Click Start, click Control panel, click Add/Remove programs. There will be a time delay while the computer is listing all your programs.

owbist, Thanks, it was just me being stupid, not reading what was before my eyes. Yes, Microsoft's Windows Security Manager did show a firewall was on, and it was/is Zonealarm. I didn't expect MS to be so open as to say some FW other than theirs was active. I'm at a meeting and grumbled to my neighbor at the table, he looked over and said: "it says Zone Alarm is on".

Hey Sandy...did not mean to overlook you. Its getting near quitting time, but - while having huge difficulty with the desktop (an AT&T support tool set-up request screwed up the first attempt) the flash player said something on the order of 'Helps secure router something or other signals'. "Helps" isn't quite enough...so the Windows Firewall Advanced 1394 coverage is remaining checked along with the other checked boxes on that menu. I don't know if I made a mistake or not, but watching grass grow would be faster than the 'backup files' feature. The transfer for 1GB of files has been almost 2 hours. I selected the 'turn off computer upon completion' button and am heading for home. Tomorrow I will ask about another subject...my boss got a bill from an internet provider for dial-up service that she doesn't have...the company has a site ...but I'm not sure what to do. I don't know if its legitimate and/or if responding will only make things worse. No one around here has ever heard of this company. marf