Emsisoft, Kaspersky and ESET other questions in performance

[Azure]

No. I had Emsisoft on both Windows 8.1 and 10, and neither had issues with Emsisoft updates from what I can recall.

You might want to go to Emsisoft support forum, if you encounter the same problem, they would most likely be able to fix it.

 

[ofbeautyandrage]

No. I had Emsisoft on both Windows 8.1 and 10, and neither had issues with Emsisoft updates from what I can recall.

You might want to go to Emsisoft support forum, if you encounter the same problem, they would most likely be able to fix it.

I didn't even think of going there, I may try it. I'm still debating on whether I still want to use Emsisoft or to just go ahead and buy ESET.

 

[Azure]

I didn't even think of going there, I may try it. I'm still debating on whether I still want to use Emsisoft or to just go ahead and buy ESET.

Before buying any software. I recommend to get more info from trusted sites like this one and its users. Also you can use the trials, spend some time using it before deciding to pay for it.

 

[ofbeautyandrage]

I've been researching here and there and I've used their trials in the past but not our current machines.

 

[hjlbx]

Emsisoft should not be slowing down your W8.1 system - even with large updates.

The usage you see is not disk, but RAM usage (should be in the high 100s to mid 200s of MB). It should present no problem if you have 4 GB or more of RAM.

The slow updates are much more likely a network issue than anything else; complaints about Emsisoft updates are common. Emsisoft is often blamed, but the real problem is a networking one.

Emsisoft File Guard is always active, during boot - and even when you're logged off the system - by default.

On W8.1 it doesn't get any better than EIS - so I suspect there might be other things amiss.

Kaspersky drivers are actively protecting system long before the GUI appears - so no need to worry about Kaspersky boot time protection. If you have question about this, then ask @harlan4096 - he is "Gold" level beta tester for Kaspersky.

If you choose to use ESET, then HIPS Automatic with Rules will be best for you.

 

[ofbeautyandrage]

Are you sure its RAM? because when I open Task Manager I see the tab "Memory" and beside that is "Disk" and disk is the one that's so high and then it will calm down after a few minutes, so its not like 99% all of the time.

I wasn't sure about Kaspersky until you pointed that, it just seemed like it was pointless to even have it if I had to wait on it and its protection modules to load up. I wasn't sure if the active protection was working until it loaded up its UI.

What does Automatic with Rules do?

 

[hjlbx]

Are you sure its RAM? because when I open Task Manager I see the tab "Memory" and beside that is "Disk" and disk is the one that's so high and then it will calm down after a few minutes, so its not like 99% all of the time.

I wasn't sure about Kaspersky until you pointed that, it just seemed like it was pointless to even have it if I had to wait on it and its protection modules to load up. I wasn't sure if the active protection was working until it loaded up its UI.

What does Automatic with Rules do?

The Disk column is reads\writes to the swapfile. Emsisoft is reading\writing to the disk. The activity is short-lived.

Disk read\write can be hard on an under-powered CPU.

Memory is the amount of installed physical memory (RAM) being consumed by each application.

ESET HIPS using Automatic with Rules applies pre-installed HIPS rules. It is the easiest HIPS mode for the novice\beginner.

There are a lot of tutorials on the ESET website. Their documentation is much better than most.

At your level, perhaps Norton will serve you better. A few settings tweaks and Norton protects the system much better - without hassle.

However, whatever you choose, you learn by doing.

 

[ofbeautyandrage]

That makes more sense, sorry I'm not that technical with these things. So would a 4th Generation Intel Core i5-4 210U processor be powerful enough to handle Kaspersky etc.?

I've tried Norton in the past and didn't really like it, and for a long time that was all we used but it got on my nerves how it kept letting PUPs get by so that's when I switched to Emsisoft.

 

[hjlbx]

That makes more sense, sorry I'm not that technical with these things. So would a 4th Generation Intel Core i5-4 210U processor be powerful enough to handle Kaspersky etc.?

I've tried Norton in the past and didn't really like it, and for a long time that was all we used but it got on my nerves how it kept letting PUPs get by so that's when I switched to Emsisoft.

i5 is sufficient for Kaspersky - dependent upon how much other softs you have installed and use concurrently. For example, if you are running music while working with CAD program then it is going to affect your system.

Kaspersky behavior is specific to every system in my experience. On some systems, there is little affect, while on others it is quite heavy. On my laptop, for example, it adds a lot to reboot time, but I hardly notice it while working on the desktop.

Kaspersky is not the very best in detecting PUPs... just to let you know. You should ask @harlan4096 more about this topic.

Emsisoft and ESET have been the very best in terms of PUPs - in my experience.

How do you use your systems ?

Who uses them ?

Is there high-risk surfing, downloading ?

What softs do you have installed - e.g. Microsoft Office, Adobe Flash, Windows Media Player, java, etc. ?

 

[ofbeautyandrage]

Well me and my mom use ours to just casually browse the internet, she mainly checks her email and that's about it. I use Spotify at times in either my browser or the application and I occasionally use GIMP (image editing software), so nothing too hard core lol. No high-risk surfing or downloads. Windows 8.1 computer has a few games from the Windows Store but they are barely touched, regular Dell and Intel software, and whatever else that was already pre-installed.

 

[hjlbx]

Well we both use ours to just casually browse the internet, she mainly checks her email and that's about it. I use Spotify at times in either my browser or the application and I occasionally use GIMP (image editing software). No high-risk surfing or downloads. Windows 8.1 computer has a few games from the Windows Store but they are barely touched, regular Dell and Intel software, and whatever else that was already pre-installed.

So you both are low risk users.

You can uninstall games if you do not want them. On W8.1, goto Start screen, right-click and select "Uninstall."

If few - if any - downloads, where did the PUPs come from ?

What exactly do you mean by PUP - give example if possible - please.

 

[ofbeautyandrage]

Well when we were using Norton it was before I bought the new computer and she had a previous Windows 7 Home Premium laptop and what Malwarebytes would usually find was OpenCandy and we never had any serious infections which is what kept me up at night sometimes.

Its been so long I don't remember, I don't even think she knew where they came from but they had to come from somewhere, either a wrong click or download.

 

[hjlbx]

Well when we were using Norton it was before I bought the new computer and she had a previous Windows 7 Home Premium laptop and what Malwarebytes would usually find was OpenCandy and we never had any serious infections which is what kept me up at night sometimes.

Its been so long I don't remember, I don't even think she knew where they came from but they had to come from somewhere, either a wrong click or download.

OpenCandy. OK that explains it. You were probably using Norton before they added PUA.opencandy to their database.

With the complaints about PUPs\PUAs, most security soft vendors have been more vigilant about them. It is a touchy, legal issue - since classifying an app as PUP\PUA can have dire financial consequences to some. This is why Kaspersky has been conservative about PUPs\PUAs - I think. Once again, I suggest talking to @harlan4096 - he's the man with the answers for all things Kaspersky.

Malwarebytes on-demand has always been good for PUA\PUP detection. There's also AdwCleaner.

Don't drive yourself crazy about desktop security. It only serves one purpose - to drive you crazy... LOL.

Emsisoft, ESET, Kaspersky - all will provide you with good base-line protection. None will provide you with perfect protection.

 

[ofbeautyandrage]

That wouldn't surprise me.

Lol! I know but it seems like every day you hear about horrible Ransomware and people getting infected by just visiting a website, malvertising and even opening emails isn't safe anymore. Good grief.

Those three are my main picks but its so difficult to decide on which one I want to use and possibly stick with for the long run. I've used Kaspersky in the past as well but didn't have a very good experience with it on Windows XP (this was before support ended). I updated the program and didn't find out until after it updated how much grief it was going to give me. It constantly crashed, so that's why I never went back to it.

 

[hjlbx]

That wouldn't surprise me.

Lol! I know but it seems like every day you hear about horrible Ransomware and people getting infected by just visiting a website, malvertising and even opening emails isn't safe anymore. Good grief.

Those three are my main picks but its so difficult to decide on which one I want to use and possibly stick with for the long run. I've used Kaspersky in the past as well but didn't have a very good experience with it on Windows XP (this was before support ended). I updated the program and didn't find out until after it updated how much grief it was going to give me. It constantly crashed, so that's why I never went back to it.

Well. I understand how you feel and think on the IT security reports. It can be over-whelming, but you have to keep things in perspective.

You are safe user. You surf to reasonable sites, don't use wares-cracks-keygens-torrents, etc. You download very little - if at all.

So, in reality, based upon your use patterns you do not need some crazy, over-the-top NSA security configuration. Sadly, even with an NSA-grade security configuration, an infection risk still exists - and contrary to what people may think - that remaining risk is not always manageably small.

Remember this for home systems: If you get infected, just clean install your OS and the infection is gone. This applies to all the various types of ransomware, rootkits, etc. If you don't backup personal data you will lose that too when you clean install the OS. In your case, use OneDrive to backup your personal documents and photos.

It is a different matter if your system is used for business and contains all your business related data.

Unfortunately, IT security requires way too much knowledge. Completely out-of-the-realm of the typical user and overwhelming.

The best thing I can tell you is to try the ESET and Kaspersky 30-day trials. You should clean install your OS before installing each to prevent a whole host of issues. Like I said, nothing IT is easy...

Eventually, you will decide which one works best for you both on your specific systems.

 

[ofbeautyandrage]

Now whether this is true or not, I read somewhere that the supplied hidden partition that you create your recovery media from can get infected or corrupted and I don't know about other manufacturers but this was specific to a Dell but someone said that if that gets infected or corrupted that your recovery media won't work because it requires the partition to run off of. But when I've reset mine, I do it by my DVD and not the main software when you boot into the recovery environment and it gives me an option to wipe out the partition and rewrite it.

That's so tedious and time-consuming to fresh install after I try either one I had no idea what I was getting myself into.

 

[hjlbx]

Now whether this is true or not, I read somewhere that the supplied hidden partition that you create your recovery media from can get infected or corrupted and I don't know about other manufacturers but this was specific to a Dell but someone said that if that gets infected or corrupted that your recovery media won't work because it requires the partition to run off of. But when I've reset mine, I do it by my DVD and not the main software when you boot into the recovery environment and it gives me an option to wipe out the partition and rewrite it.

That's so tedious and time-consuming to fresh install after I try either one I had no idea what I was getting myself into.

Tedious, time-consuming... and frustrating. You are now an IT security geek !

Anyhow...

It would be quite unusual for your OEM recovery partition to bet infected - most likely at the factory. Can it happen ? Yes. But it is rare. Can a malware writer find a way to do it on your system - perhaps - but the probability is so low that you would do well to just put it out of your mind. (If you worry about every possible eventuality, you'll pop a vein!)

Corrupted typically means damaged. It is not the same as infected. A partition can be corrupted, infected or both. In the case of a recovery partition, it is much more likely to be corrupted because of some malfunction as opposed to infected.

In that case, dependent upon the damage, you would need the installation media. Sometimes you can run some utilities and they will fix the problem.

A lot of this stuff there is no simple, direct, straight-forward answer. IT is fly-by-the-seat of your pants sometimes, other times it is very basic.

On the other hand, your Restore Points can become infected. That happens when your system is infected, and Windows recovery environment backs up the infection to a Restore Point.

It is always best practice to have a DVD or USB recovery\re-installation media... just-in-case.

 

[ofbeautyandrage]

I also have a misunderstanding about restoring your computer, is it better to create the recovery media by the manufacturers software or do you use the option that's integrated into Windows itself? I've heard both sides, and I've heard that you shouldn't use Windows you should use the software by Dell or whoever. And once you reinstall it will keep bugging you to create recovery media, do you have to create new media every time you reformat?

I like how Windows 8.1 has an entirely new way of refreshing your PC.

 

[hjlbx]

I also have a misunderstanding about restoring your computer, is it better to create the recovery media by the manufacturers software or do you use the option that's integrated into Windows itself? I've heard both sides, and I've heard that you shouldn't use Windows you should use the software by Dell or whoever. And once you reinstall it will keep bugging you to create recovery media, do you have to create new media every time you reformat?

I like how Windows 8.1 has an entirely new way of refreshing your PC.

I do not use the OEM recovery media creator - because it installs crapware along with the OS.

I've never even bothered with the built-in Windows recovery - since it too will restore crapware from the OEM recovery partition.

I always use a Microsoft Media Creation Tool or ISO.

 

[ofbeautyandrage]

What's your background? I want to know how you got so smart so I can do it lol. I wish I knew all of this stuff or at least had someone at hand to teach me.