[BloodEagle]

Despite the painful cost, I'm going to replace my failing computer with a new one.  The new computer will be running Windows 7 Professional 64-bit.

I ask you, now, which antivirus/firewall combo would be best for such a system?

[Flipside]

I use Avira for Anti-virus work, seems to do a very good job for a free piece of kit. The only annoying thing is that when it updates once per day, it opens a pop-up advertising the paid version.

[The E]

Windows built-in Firewall + MS security Essentials.

[Grizzly]

Avira and MSE are the only ones I really got around with. I am using MSE right now, as it has both anti spyware and antivirus and is non intrusive and non-bloaty.

[Dragon]

COMODO Internet Security is good if you can stand constant warnings in the initial "learning" phase. It's a bit paranoid, but once it learns it's way around programs you use, it stops spewing warnings unless something new happens. I never had any virus problems when using it. Oh, and it's free.

[Bobboau]

the anti-virus I use is called "not being an idiot" just don't click on every other flashing light or shaky window telling you "yuo has been infected!!!!!!1!11!!", in fact don't click on _anything_ that tells you to click on it.

[Dragon]

That's a good thing to, but remember that there are viruses which don't need you to click anything, they just install without you knowing (unless you have COMODO, which will trow a big honkin' security warning at you in that case) exploiting browser bugs.

[Nemesis6]

Think twice about using Avira - http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r25973411-Avira-Partners-with-Scareware-and-Sleazeware-Vendors
Avira is one of the best free pieces of AV you can get, but this is rotten behavior.

[Flipside]

Well, it's kind of like Skype trying to install the 'Jeeves' toolbar onto my computer, I simply don't do it. Basically, I never install anything that is recommended by Email or on a web-page etc.

Besides, I have 2 Email accounts, one for personal stuff, and one for registrations etc, which helps filter the crap from the relevant

[Achillion]

If we're all voting for our own setup here, +1 for Avast and MSE.

I also recently started using KeePass for managing passwords, which makes it easier to use a different password for each thing and long strings of random characters/numbers/symbols.

[Mongoose]

I've been very satisfied with MSE myself.  Despite the old oxymoron, Microsoft Works in this case.

[karajorma]

Yep, I use MSE too. Never had an issue it couldn't fix. And that's despite me having to use USB Sticks on the Uni's virus-ridden PCs all the time.

[JGZinv]

I used to use Avira everywhere I went or PC's I fixed... but I found that in a few cases it didn't catch everything, was
a bit harder for uneducated folks to use, and you had the pop up that you had to go into safe mode to kill.

So I use Comodo firewall, Avast, Spybot, Adaware, eset online scanner, Spyware Blaster and Spyware Guard, Adblock Plus, iobit Advanced System Care,
and a couple other things setup custom to block intrusions...   it's pretty hard to infect me unless I download and run it. Even then, there's levels of security there.

Plus I've got a couple USB sticks worth of other scanners and utilities...

[TwentyPercentCooler]

Gonna throw in another tally for MSE. It's surprisingly competent. I generally use the "don't be an idiot" method of avoiding infections, but you can never be too careful. MalwareBytes' Anti-Malware is another good thing to have around. AdBlock+/NoScript/Ghostery for FF, AdBlock+/NotScripts for Chromium, and a healthy dose of paranoia will keep you pretty damned safe. I've got about 8-9 years of uptime across three computers without a damaging infection (I'm not naive enough to think that I've completely avoided everything, but there hasn't been anything harmful).

Given that everyone on these boards has to have at least an intermediate level of tech-savviness to be able to keep FSO running, updated, and pretty, I'm probably giving out redundant information, but on the off-chance that I'm not: PeerBlock and CCleaner are some more good things to have. PeerBlock might make you paranoid, though. 

[SypheDMar]

Gonna throw in another tally for MSE. It's surprisingly competent. I generally use the "don't be an idiot" method of avoiding infections, but you can never be too careful. MalwareBytes' Anti-Malware is another good thing to have around. AdBlock+/NoScript/Ghostery for FF, AdBlock+/NotScripts for Chromium, and a healthy dose of paranoia will keep you pretty damned safe. I've got about 8-9 years of uptime across three computers without a damaging infection (I'm not naive enough to think that I've completely avoided everything, but there hasn't been anything harmful).

Given that everyone on these boards has to have at least an intermediate level of tech-savviness to be able to keep FSO running, updated, and pretty, I'm probably giving out redundant information, but on the off-chance that I'm not: PeerBlock and CCleaner are some more good things to have. PeerBlock might make you paranoid, though. 

Always use PeerBlock if you're torrenting just to be safe.

[achtung]

I would personally suggest:



In reality, I only bother with MSSE on my Windows installs.

[TwentyPercentCooler]

Gonna throw in another tally for MSE. It's surprisingly competent. I generally use the "don't be an idiot" method of avoiding infections, but you can never be too careful. MalwareBytes' Anti-Malware is another good thing to have around. AdBlock+/NoScript/Ghostery for FF, AdBlock+/NotScripts for Chromium, and a healthy dose of paranoia will keep you pretty damned safe. I've got about 8-9 years of uptime across three computers without a damaging infection (I'm not naive enough to think that I've completely avoided everything, but there hasn't been anything harmful).

Given that everyone on these boards has to have at least an intermediate level of tech-savviness to be able to keep FSO running, updated, and pretty, I'm probably giving out redundant information, but on the off-chance that I'm not: PeerBlock and CCleaner are some more good things to have. PeerBlock might make you paranoid, though. 

Always use PeerBlock if you're torrenting just to be safe.

Yep, it's AMAZING what kind of crap connections get blocked. Social engineering and monitoring is a very, very deep rabbit hole. PeerBlock is the red pill.

[Kosh]

I use a free AV, but I reformat every 6 months or so these days so I guess it's enough.

[T-LoW]

Spybot Search & Destroy is pretty neat, too. No program ever will harm your registry, if you don't tell spy bot that it's allowed to do so

[BloodEagle]

I think I'll grab Comodo for a firewall, and MSE for anti-virus.

Thanks, all!