This thread made me check a recent AV test by a reputable German computer magazine:

 

http://www.chip.de/artikel/Virenscanner-Windows-7-26-Programme-im-Test_63365226.html

 

- Avast 6th of 26 softwares (best freeware tool)

- my old ZoneAlarm only 23rd(!)

- MSE 25th (zero score in recognition; two 25th in a set of 26!!!)

 

I'll download Avast 8.0 for free and perform a full scan of my system tonight ...

I don't use an anti-virus. If you know what you're doing and don't download crap, you'll be just fine. 3 years without an anti-virus and just for the fun of it, I installed one of the freeware ones and had it scan my computer - no viruses.

 

+1

 

 

In adition to avast, i use acronis true image and i have whole system backup on external hard drive

 

I have a 500Gb SDD and would like to make a clone of it, however I'm still unclear how simple/problematic this will be w/ cloning software if I intend to go SSD >> HDD then back to SSD.  Thoughts on that w/ regard to True Image?

Any computer that is connected to the Internet should have some kind of anti-virus software running, even if it's behind a firewall. Exploits can use well-known ports, and viruses can get in using other methods than tricking users into visiting malicious sites.

 

Just to expand on what JimmiG stated. (Outside of A2A Simulations my day job is as a PC tech)

 

Any computer should have some kind of Anti-virus/protection. Theres a strange trend of people believeing that a none net connected computer is safe. The truth is, so long as you are still using USB sticks, cds and other formats a pc not connected is just as unsafe (in many ways a lot worse) than one that is connected and updated thanks to the net.

One other issue I failed to mention is that I do not have any Office software installed, and I think may exploits utilize Office components, or at least that's my take.  I actually did run FSX on Vista 64 w/o a/v software and did fine with it.  Since I restrict visiting sites to know FS related ones, or nVidia, etc, I think I'll hold off and just run daily scans using Malwarebytes and leave the realtime protection out of the picture.  What I really need and am stumped w/ is whether or not I can clone my 500Gb SSD to an HDD, then back again.  It is in no way clear whatsoever from everything I've read on the web.   None of the cloning software mentions this in their feature lists.  The issue of alignment, and how Win 7 manages boot sectors apparently can leave an SSD that was re-cloned back from the back up HDD unbootable.  If anyone here has solid info on this please share!

 

 

Any computer should have some kind of Anti-virus/protection.

 

Windows Defender doesn't quality as 'some kind'?

Certain malware will look for security holes in your Acrobat Reader, your browser, your Windows tools and some more stuff as well, I suspect.

I have a 500Gb SDD and would like to make a clone of it, however I'm still unclear how simple/problematic this will be w/ cloning software if I intend to go SSD >> HDD then back to SSD.  Thoughts on that w/ regard to True Image?

 

I'm not sure if i understand your question, you asked about backup on HDD, or restoring to HDD?

 

You can use Acronis True image to save compresed system, drive or folders image to some other drive, no matter if that is HDD, SSD or external HDD. Or you can use their online backup also. You will be able to restore without errors, directly from saved location, or using disc or USB stick in case of OS drive failure for example. You can restore drives to drives other then original location

Yes Noel, though its not ideal.

 

However and here is the catch 22 situation of a 'safe offline pc'

If a pc is offline then its defender is also offline and hence not updated. This is therefore vunerable to all exploits discovered and used by malware after its creation and these after a relatively short time can be in the thousands and are an ever increasing number. It really is a damned if you do, damned if you dont situation.

This thread made me check a recent AV test by a reputable German computer magazine:

 

http://www.chip.de/artikel/Virenscanner-Windows-7-26-Programme-im-Test_63365226.html

 

- Avast 6th of 26 softwares (best freeware tool)

- my old ZoneAlarm only 23rd(!)

- MSE 25th (zero score in recognition; two 25th in a set of 26!!!)

 

I'll download Avast 8.0 for free and perform a full scan of my system tonight ...

 

 

"And these are the results of the German jury":

 

Two full scans with my brand new Avast 8.0 (one with default settings, one with ultra-high settings) - not a single MSE oversight has come up.

 

This does NOT prove that Avast is NOT better than MSE - but I DO start wondering about marketing strategies for AV softwares.   B)

I use AVG 2013 ( free version ) with no problems, and I even get on porn sites occasionally. Also AVG tune up ( paid version) I really like that, it does what it says.

Certain malware will look for security holes in your Acrobat Reader, your browser, your Windows tools and some more stuff as well, I suspect.

This is exactly how most malware and viruses infect PCs these days. The Java browser plug-in and Adobe Flash are two of the worst offenders. Even worse is that the more sophisticated ones don't require you to do anything more than just load the web page. And sticking to the "safe" parts of the web isn't any guarantee either. A few years ago the ad servers used by the NY Times website were infected, for one example. Also, just because you haven't been infected yet, doesn't mean you are safe from infection in the future. Smart browsing and not downloading random unknown files from seedy sites certainly does help minimize the risk, but it does not eliminate the danger.

 

Unless your computer is run in complete isolation from all other computers (this includes not transferring files with USB memory sticks) it should have some form of anti-virus protection installed and regularly used. Many anti-virus programs these days also have a game mode that can be activated to minimize their impact.

I use AVG 2013 ( free version ) with no problems, and I even get on porn sites occasionally. Also AVG tune up ( paid version) I really like that, it does what it says.

Quite a confession!

Quite a confession!

Not really. Lots of adults, male and female, enjoy watching AVG on their screens.

Certain malware will look for security holes in your Acrobat Reader, your browser, your Windows tools and some more stuff as well, I suspect.

Ahh, very good thank you for that.

 

 

Unless your computer is run in complete isolation from all other computers (this includes not transferring files with USB memory sticks) it should have some form of anti-virus protection installed and regularly used. Many anti-virus programs these days also have a game mode that can be activated to minimize their impact.

OK, how about if you only ran FSX & REX, didn't open any manuals using Adobe Reader or open any web pages or run other software.  Then how much would you need realtime protection?

I'm not sure if i understand your question, you asked about backup on HDD, or restoring to HDD?

 

You can use Acronis True image to save compresed system, drive or folders image to some other drive, no matter if that is HDD, SSD or external HDD. Or you can use their online backup also. You will be able to restore without errors, directly from saved location, or using disc or USB stick in case of OS drive failure for example. You can restore drives to drives other then original location

I must not have been clear enough sorry for that.

 

I have a 500Gb SSD in my new build, loaded as I intend to keep it to run primarily FSX for now, maybe XP 64 or P3D (would abandon FSX at that point).  I would like to make an exact (bootable) clone on a 500Gb HDD.  In the unlikely event the SSD fails, I can simply swap it out for the HDD.  After booting to the HDD, I would then reconnect the SSD that is corrupted (or a new one, as needed), wipe it, then clone the HDD back to the SDD.  After this last step, the SDD is reinstalled after disconnecting the HDD, and all is back to normal w/ minimal service interuption.  I would like to have an external HDD for this purpose, to take w/ me during an emergency, wildfire evactuation (had one in 2008), or what have you.  As I say, I haven't found anything definitive about how this works, and again, there is an issue w/ 'alignment' in some situations where when you clone HDD > SDD the SDD becomes unbootable because of this alignment issue.  Sector alignment, or sequence of laying down data, etc.