Advanced Plus Security Gandalf_The_Grey's laptop config for 2020

[shmu26]

Nice setup, indeed! How about Driver Easy, is it any good? Im using Driver Booster/Snappy Driver Installer Origin.
According to your hw spec, you are using 850 Evo m.2. About a week ago Samsung released v3.3 nvme m.2 drivers. Im using two years old Lenovo Legion desktop 'puter with OEM Samsung m2 nvme 256gb. So for testing purposes, i "forced" to install the new v3.3 driver. Then i ran crystal disk mark and noticed roughly +7 % read/write speed boost. Well, even +7% is not much, but not bad either.

Do regular SATA-attached SSDs need updates?

 

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

I noticed that you use PatchMyPC and SUMo, do you find that one of them finds enough updates that the other one misses to make it worthwhile to use both? Currently I'm only using PatchMyPC, I used to use both but I wasn't too sure what KCSoftwares (SUMo's makers) do with the information SUMo gathers from our devices.

I use the free version of Suma because you can add a folder with some portable apps and you will be noticed of updates for them.
That's the plus of Suma. PatchMyPC can updates apps itself (for free), that's the plus of PatchMyPC.
Some screenshots:

 

[stefanos]

@stefanos and @The Cog in the Machine No issues here with boot time and delays of the web browser.

For me, the boot time is always the same with Windows Defender, Kaspersky Security Cloud Free, and Ziggo safe Online:
View attachment 235704
Maybe disabling banking protection is the cause that I notice no delays in web browsing.

And of course, every system is different...

The problem to my system is I have a delay in all applications. But not in browser. And have some freezes on the laptop. I have noticed that in some systems it is very good, and in some like mine not. For this reason, everyone should find what suits him and works well in his system. That's why when I try something I say that in my system this product is good or not. I never blame any product. Only the Panta Protection

The problem to my system is I have a delay in all applications. But not in browser. And have some freezes on the laptop. I have noticed that in some systems it is very good, and in some like mine not. For this reason, everyone should find what suits him and works well in his system. That's why when I try something I say that in my system this product is good or not. I never blame any product. Only the Panta Protection

with WINDOWS DEFENDER i have very fast boot

 

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

Nice setup, indeed! How about Driver Easy, is it any good? Im using Driver Booster/Snappy Driver Installer Origin.
According to your hw spec, you are using 850 Evo m.2. About a week ago Samsung released v3.3 nvme m.2 drivers. Im using two years old Lenovo Legion desktop 'puter with OEM Samsung m2 nvme 256gb. So for testing purposes, i "forced" to install the new v3.3 driver. Then i ran crystal disk mark and noticed roughly +7 % read/write speed boost. Well, even +7% is not much, but not bad either.
EDIT: Forgot to say, for OEM nvme m2, Windows uses its own "Microsoft surface..." drivers. Force it to use samsung nvme m2, and speeds goes up to like 15%. Which is quite funny i think.

Thanks, but my SSD is not a nvme one, so I won't need or benefit from those drivers.
Driver Easy is (paid) a very nice driver updater.
More info here: Update - Driver Easy

 

[sepik]

Do regular SATA-attached SSDs need updates?

Samsung released their "Magician" software v6.1 while ago. This v3.3 driver is for their nvme m2 drives only. But it works really good for their OEM nvme m2 drives too. If you use or have a friends that use samsung oem nvme m2 drive(s), just install latest v3.3. According to Crystal DiskMark, for example SeqQ32T1 speeds were about 2.900/mbs and now with forced v3.3 it went to 3.100mb/s. 4KibQ1T write speed was about 96mbit/s, now its 128mbit/s. Not bad, eh?

 

[Stopspying]

I use the free version of Suma because you can add a folder with some portable apps and you will be noticed of updates for them.
That's the plus of Suma. PatchMyPC can updates apps itself (for free), that's the plus of PatchMyPC.
Some screenshots:
View attachment 235913View attachment 235914

Thanks for the reply. I had a SUMo license and then removed it when that ran out, I'll probably get the free version and see what it finds needs updating which PatchMyPC has missed after you've shown us this. I've kept an eye on software that regularly has updates that I noticed PatchMyPC didn't pick up on, but there's likely to be somethings I've missed. Thanks again.

 

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

Further cleanup of my config.
Uninstalled VoodooShield (nice but not really needed).
Replaced uBlock Origin with AdGuard because I get less ad block warnings with AdGuard now and it just works.
Can change repeatedly, I just like them both
Removed Certificate Info and Netcraft because they are not available in the Microsoft Store and not really needed.

The biggest change is going with the recommended settings of Hard_Configurator 5.0.0.1 beta again.
So far printing and scanning with my HP OfficeJet Pro 9015 is working great.

I had only 1 block in the logs for C:\Users\Gandalf\AppData\Local\Temp\7zS6ECF\FileExtractor.exe
This extracts a fresh copy of HP Print and Scan Doctor when you want to solve any issues.
I whitelisted that file by hash.
@Andy Ful Is that the right way?

 

[blackice]

Based on your post, I am now experimenting with Eset Nod32 default settings + VoodooShield autopilot + H_C recommended settings. So far, so good.

Can’t go wrong with this config.

 

[blackice]

Further cleanup of my config.
Uninstalled VoodooShield (nice but not really needed).
Replaced uBlock Origin with AdGuard because I get less ad block warnings with AdGuard now and it just works.
Can change repeatedly, I just like them both
Removed Certificate Info and Netcraft because they are not available in the Microsoft Store and not really needed.

The biggest change is going with the recommended settings of Hard_Configurator 5.0.0.1 beta again.
So far printing and scanning with my HP OfficeJet Pro 9015 is working great.

I had only 1 block in the logs for C:\Users\Gandalf\AppData\Local\Temp\7zS6ECF\FileExtractor.exe
This extracts a fresh copy of HP Print and Scan Doctor when you want to solve any issues.
I whitelisted that file by hash.
@Andy Ful Is that the right way?

Glad to hear this is working for you. My HP is very finicky, so it’s always good to find a setup that is secure and lets it just work.

 

[Andy Ful]

...
I had only 1 block in the logs for C:\Users\Gandalf\AppData\Local\Temp\7zS6ECF\FileExtractor.exe
This extracts a fresh copy of HP Print and Scan Doctor when you want to solve any issues.
I whitelisted that file by hash.
@Andy Ful Is that the right way?

Yes, the hash rule is the safest one. The folder:
...\AppData\Local\Temp\7zS6ECF\
is a 7-Zip temporary folder - the 4 letters and digits (6ECF) will change any time the file will be executed. So, whitelisting by path would require a special path rule with wildcards.

I noticed something strange anyway. The rule used by H_C to block the execution from 7-Zip temporary folder is:
...AppData\Local\Temp\7z?????????\
But, your blocked folder is another type, because it has only 4 changing letters and digits (instead of 8).
Could you look at H_C log, to confirm what rule blocked the FileExtractor.exe ?

 

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

Yes, the hash rule is the safest one. The folder:
...\AppData\Local\Temp\7zS6ECF\
is a 7-Zip temporary folder - the 4 letters and digits (6ECF) will change any time the file will be executed. So, whitelisting by path would require a special path rule with wildcards.

I noticed something strange anyway. The rule used by H_C to block the execution from 7-Zip temporary folder is:
...AppData\Local\Temp\7z?????????\
But, your blocked folder is another type, because it has only 4 changing letters and digits (instead of 8).
Could you look at H_C log, to confirm what rule blocked the FileExtractor.exe ?

Thanks Andy
This is the complete line in the log:
De beheerder heeft de toegang tot C:\Users\Gandalf\AppData\Local\Temp\7zS6ECF\FileExtractor.exe beperkt op locatie met de beleidsregel {1016bbe0-a716-428b-822e-3e544b6a3281} voor het pad C:\Users\*\AppData\Local\Temp\7z?????????\*.exe.

 

[Andy Ful]

Thanks Andy
This is the complete line in the log:
De beheerder heeft de toegang tot C:\Users\Gandalf\AppData\Local\Temp\7zS6ECF\FileExtractor.exe beperkt op locatie met de beleidsregel {1016bbe0-a716-428b-822e-3e544b6a3281} voor het pad C:\Users\*\AppData\Local\Temp\7z?????????\*.exe.

Thanks.

 

[Stopspying]

Replaced uBlock Origin with AdGuard because I get less ad block warnings with AdGuard now and it just works.

That is interesting, I get very few warnings from uBlockOrigin. I haven't tweaked it very much from the default settings as it seemed to work well at blocking what I wanted blocked with those. I browse a wide variety of sites so I know that I'm go to ones which want to load up tons of ads, but I never see any.

 

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

That is interesting, I get very few warnings from uBlockOrigin. I haven't tweaked it very much from the default settings as it seemed to work well at blocking what I wanted blocked with those. I browse a wide variety of sites so I know that I'm go to ones which want to load up tons of ads, but I never see any.

Next week it can be the other way around for some sites I'm visiting...
Now I use Edge Tracking Protection on Strict and AdGuard with optimized (now 63100 adblocking rules) filters.

 

[oldschool]

Next week it can be the other way around for some sites I'm visiting...
Now I use Edge Tracking Protection on Strict and AdGuard with optimized (now 63100 adblocking rules) filters.

What filters are you using?

 

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

What filters are you using?

I use the English, Privacy, Social, Annoyances, Dutch and German filters:

After last update now 63110 rules.

 

[oldschool]

After last update now 63110 rules.

Where do I find the total rule number? I'm not seeing it.

 

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

Where do I find the total rule number? I'm not seeing it.

Open AdGuard settings and go to the second line adblocking, it's on the right:

 

[oldschool]

Open AdGuard settings and go to the second line adblocking, it's on the right:

View attachment 236328

No wonder, it was right in front of me. That always happens to me! Thanks.

 

[Stopspying]

No wonder, it was right in front of me. That always happens to me! Thanks.

Its not just you this happens to!