Hangtooth's Config

[Hangtooth]

Added: Avira Free to test
Removed (turned off by windows - Defender)

 

[DracusNarcrym]

Reinstalled: WinPatrol because I missed it barking when something changed things... But more honestly because it's still the tool I am most comfortable with at quickly changing/tweaking startup processes and services.

Added: Zemana Antimalware Free as an on demand scanner.

WinPatrol is one of the really powerful classics. I use it too, and I love it.
No other startup/service manager can I trust, other than WinPatrol! (except, maybe, COMODO Killswitch)

I've never used any of Zemana's products. I heard they are really good, though, so it must be worth giving them a try!

 

[DracusNarcrym]

Uninstalled and being returned for a refund tomorrow: Webroot SecureAnywhere - too many false positives to bother trying any longer

Real-time protection now now W10 Defender + Malwarebytes Antimalware Pro paid lifetime.

Any suggestions for what av to try next? Eset hates my wife's hardware so sadly it's out. Webroot is also out of the running.

Is there a super duper primarly antivirus (instead of antimalware) solution I could run alongside MBAM Pro and MBAE Free that wouldn't be overkill? I really like MBAM Pro but it seems to be overkill with so many products now covering malware as well...

I am running COMODO Internet Security (using this configuration) alongside Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Premium. CIS provides the powerful HIPS and network firewall and Malwarebytes Anti-Malware complements the overall signature-based detection of the CIS + MbAM combination, plus it provides the extremely effective Malicious Website Protection feature.
In the future, I might consider removing the Antivirus component of CIS completely and only use MbAM for signature-based detection.
But either way, I believe this is a very solid combination.

 

[Kaffee4Eck]

Hi @DracusNarcrym,

did you feel any performance problems with Comodo IS?

I think it slows down my PC... Tested on my Laptop i7, 8GB DDR4 and SSD... xD

 

[DracusNarcrym]

Hi @DracusNarcrym,

did you feel any performance problems with Comodo IS?

I think it slows down my PC... Tested on my Laptop i7, 8GB DDR4 and SSD... xD

Not at all.
I'm running Windows 10 Pro x64 on a high-end overkill renderfarm-tier PC (I do a lot of visual FX, 3d modeling and rendering, and of course, gaming! ) and CIS feels very light.

 

[Hangtooth]

Added: Avira Antivirus Pro (beta)
Removed: Avira Antivirus Free

Liked Avira Free enough to try and uninstall the launcher that was bothering me, found out the beta lets you get rid of it.. joined beta and got 3 month beta license, good deal.

 

[Hangtooth]

WinPatrol is one of the really powerful classics. I use it too, and I love it.
No other startup/service manager can I trust, other than WinPatrol! (except, maybe, COMODO Killswitch)

I didn't list Winpatrol at first as it seemed out of favour and I have been running it so long sometimes I forget it's there until it barks. 2 lifetime licenses for all the Ruiware products, but sadly WinPrivacy and WinRansom (still in beta) seemed a bit iffy to me.

Similarly Spywareblaster - been using that forever as well but doesn't seem to be used by many people here.

 

[Hangtooth]

Forgot to add: Sysinternals Autoruns - been using it for the last month and it's pretty spiffy for cleaning up things like services and startup items that are still in the registry but no longer exist. I use it after Ccleaner has a go at the registry.

Also forgot to add GRC DNSBench to my tools listed. Doing so now.

 

[DracusNarcrym]

Forgot to add: Sysinternals Autoruns - been using it for the last month and it's pretty spiffy for cleaning up things like services and startup items that are still in the registry but no longer exist. I use it after Ccleaner has a go at the registry.

All Sysinternals products are extremely versatile, the ones that I've found most useful are Process Explorer, Autoruns, and Process Monitor.
Though recently, I have been using COMODO Killswitch and Autorun Analyzer (part of CCE/Killswitch) for the function of the first two Sysinternals applications (Process Explorer and Autoruns respectively) but Process Monitor still remains an invaluable tool in my toolkit!

 

[Hangtooth]

Though recently, I have been using COMODO Killswitch and Autorun Analyzer (part of CCE/Killswitch) for the function of the first two Sysinternals applications (Process Explorer and Autoruns respectively) but Process Monitor still remains an invaluable tool in my toolkit!

Damn, Comodo has really upped their game. This isn't all available in the free version, is it? I don't mind paying for AV/AM/AE, I just like to be sure it's worth it!

It looks like the 30 day trial model followed by purchase or dump?

 

[DracusNarcrym]

Damn, Comodo has really upped their game. This isn't all available in the free version, is it? I don't mind paying for AV/AM/AE, I just like to be sure it's worth it!

It looks like the 30 day trial model followed by purchase or dump?

All these products and functions are indeed available in the free version.
Killswitch and Autorun Analyzer are parts of COMODO Cleaning Essentials (CCE), which is also free, but can also be executed from within CAV, CFW or CIS, this way:
↓IMAGE 01↓ NOTE: If you are running Killswitch (or the Clean Endpoint option, which is also found in IMAGE 01 and launches COMODO Cleaning Essentials) for the first time you may be prompted with an alert to allow CAV/CFW/CIS to download Killswitch/CCE before you can run it.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

↓IMAGE 02↓ How to run Autorun Analyzer through COMODO Killswitch

 

[Hangtooth]

Thanks very much for the details on Comodo Free, Dracus! I just remember I still have 22 days left on a HitmanPro.alert trial license so threw it back on just now to see how it coexists with Avira. Avira + MBAE Free was very fast and responsive, just seeing if HMPA will be the same/better/worse in terms of system reponsiveness/web browsing etc. I have a very impatient wife who gets mad when webpages take more than a microsecond to load ~

Added: HitmanPro.Alert trial with 22 days left
Removed: Malwarebytes Anti-Exploit Free

Added: Sysinternal Process Explorer (thanks again, Dracus)

I'll likely try Comodo once this configuration has been tested! You are right though, there is a lot of overlap with Sysinternal tools. Maybe HMPA will run quietly and quickly and end my quest for a speedy/safe system =)

EDIT: Avira Pro and HitmanPro.Alert are coexisting wonderfully with no noticable drag or lag. Mmm, here's to hoping for HitmanPro Xmas sales!

 

[Hangtooth]

Removed: Spybot Anti-Beacon - Avira and Webroot both protect the hosts file by default, causing Spybot Anti-Beacon to throw a wobbly each time that aspect is re-enabled. I got tired of the conflict and like Avira.

 

[Hangtooth]

Just purchased a 3-license 1 year sub to Avira AV Pro for $18.17 US, I am pleased! I used www.downloadcrew.com who I have seen in the deals section here at MalwareTips, thanks for the pointer to a good cheap source yet again!

Now bring on the HitmanPro sale and macrium for a tiny price and I'll be set!

 

[Hangtooth]

Noticed a couple glitchy things that seem to have come over with the Win 10 upgrade adn decided to back up my docs and files and do a format/reinstall like the good ol' days. The new clean install is faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaast. Currently bogging it back down with installs.

Removed: Adguard and Adguard extensions in Firefox and Chrome. Much as I like the product, even the devs admit the currently in beta v6 has HUGE memory leaks. v5 caused the first BSOD on either machine while my wife was watching 'Chatty Man' and trying to visit 'the daily kitten' site in another browser window. Grats to her (and her OCD) on being my toughest tester of builds and protections ~

Added: uBlock Origin - always liked it, removed it to play with Adguard, and now it's back. I hesitate to say everything seems faster in the browsers. I like Adguard, but I begin to wonder if it's worth the resources. It's back in Chrome and Firefox, with my default being FF.

Avira AV Pro is still here. The clean install solved one problem I have been having with it which I am guessing was just something broken being brought over by the upgrade process instead of the clean install I usually do. This reminds me why I like clean installs! Still have another problem with it, that after the first restart it stops being able to update (says proxy error when no proxy is being run, it's a common problem for what seems like a long time with Avira free/pro AV with no end in sight. I can make the problem stop by turning off all self-protection options. Then it updates fine. It's the only known fix atm on the forums. Works fine with self-protection modules on on the wife's machine. Guess hardware error on Avira's part which effects me and not her. Hope they fix it.

Still running it with HitmanPro.Alert. Is HMPA stable/mature enough to buy now? Hoping they have an xmas deal and that it's time to buy it, and that Avira + HMPA isn't too much overlap which could lead to incompatibilities.

 

[Kaffee4Eck]

Noticed a couple glitchy things that seem to have come over with the Win 10 upgrade adn decided to back up my docs and files and do a format/reinstall like the good ol' days. The new clean install is faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaast. Currently bogging it back down with installs.

Removed: Adguard and Adguard extensions in Firefox and Chrome. Much as I like the product, even the devs admit the currently in beta v6 has HUGE memory leaks. v5 caused the first BSOD on either machine while my wife was watching 'Chatty Man' and trying to visit 'the daily kitten' site in another browser window. Grats to her (and her OCD) on being my toughest tester of builds and protections ~

Added: uBlock Origin - always liked it, removed it to play with Adguard, and now it's back. I hesitate to say everything seems faster in the browsers. I like Adguard, but I begin to wonder if it's worth the resources. It's back in Chrome and Firefox, with my default being FF.

Avira AV Pro is still here. The clean install solved one problem I have been having with it which I am guessing was just something broken being brought over by the upgrade process instead of the clean install I usually do. This reminds me why I like clean installs! Still have another problem with it, that after the first restart it stops being able to update (says proxy error when no proxy is being run, it's a common problem for what seems like a long time with Avira free/pro AV with no end in sight. I can make the problem stop by turning off all self-protection options. Then it updates fine. It's the only known fix atm on the forums. Works fine with self-protection modules on on the wife's machine. Guess hardware error on Avira's part which effects me and not her. Hope they fix it.

Still running it with HitmanPro.Alert. Is HMPA stable/mature enough to buy now? Hoping they have an xmas deal and that it's time to buy it, and that Avira + HMPA isn't too much overlap which could lead to incompatibilities.

@Hangtooth
I cant notice any memory leak with Adguard 6 here. How many filters you set up?

µBlock Origin is nice yes.

Avira Pro is a great product. I dont like their Free version because it just get 2 times a day a update

HitmanPro.Alert dont really seems to be so good I really just dont like it. If your systemconfiguration like HMPA than buy it if you like it.

 

[Hangtooth]

All these products and functions are indeed available in the free version.
Killswitch and Autorun Analyzer are parts of COMODO Cleaning Essentials (CCE), which is also free...

I finally got around to playing with CCE last night and thought 'OMG a working 64 bit version of sysinternal autoruns and process explorer (I only found out a few days ago they are 32 bit so don't work perfectly with Windows 10 - oops. Nothing a macrium reflect image didn't fix.)

The CCE looks great... but there seems to be concern that there is no Windows 10 version, and what there is available seems to be 2+ years old and made for Windows 8.

Has it still been safe to use for you with Win 10?

There's seems to be debate whether the standalone version is the same as the built-in version of CCE and folks say neither works with Win 10 properly: CCE standalone [merged topic] - News / Announcements / Feedback - CCE | Page 3

I'd be irritated if I have to install the whole Comodo package to get CCE working right, but I'll give it a try if it has CCE updated over the standalone at the link - I just can't tell. I was hoping you might know as you are more familiar with the product!

 

[Hangtooth]

Added: Glasswire Free

Mmmm, shiny. It's kind of zen watching the traffic graphs, and the first time connection alerts are great. Aside from that it seems to be quite the little resource hog but enjoyable and informative.

Removed: Avira Antivirus Pro beta - lost a working beta key in the clean install and couldn't be bothered replacing it as I bought a 3 user license cheap.
Added: Avira Antivirus Pro

Added: SUMO free lite (for software updates) and Driver Talent (for driver updates)

Wow, Driver Talent is great! No wrong drivers recommended yet and great interface/features. Windows Drivers Update, download, Backup, Restore, Install, Uninstall, Repair | OSToto

Make sure you grab your free lifetime license by Dec 31 as it goes paid after that

Added: privaZer

Running it on the most forgiving default (or under) settings to test it out. One run done and nothing blew up yet.

 

[AtlBo]

Hey, Hangtooth. How does MBAE free perform for you? I use it on one W7 Pro 64 PC, and it hasn't ever blocked anything but the test file I used to test it. I was using it before I added NoScript to Firefox, which is awesome. Not very configurable to speak of in that it just blocks everything out of the box, and it's difficult for me to know what to allow. But it does have anti-scripting/redirect scripting, so it's a keeper for me.

NoScript has me really questioning the usefulness of MBAE free on the PCs here. BTW, NS has blocked several drive bys on this and another PC I have here. I love that the updating on NoScript is so seamless and integrated into Firefox...also detailed. Every single bug fix is detailed with the updates...

Got a question about Glasswire, also. I use 360 TS and downloaded GW through it. It's not a firewall per se in that the free edition doesn't allow for blocking processes or programs from connecting. However, I really appreciate the fact that I can see everything that has ever connected program and process-wise in the Firewall and Usage tabs. Then the first run log is really helpful too. There you can see the exact IP being used and the process or program together. How do you feel about GW on a business machine in use for just information sake? There seems to be alot of useful data presented by the program, and I have found it fairly useful...

 

[Hangtooth]

Re: Glasswire - yes the information it puts out is really good. I think the paid version has better logging, as well. I like how even the free works and it's calmed down a lot since all the first. From the reviews I have read you are right, folks say it is not a firewall per se but more a graphical representation of what's going on with the windows firewall and access to the windows firewall functions through the glasswire UI. The info it gives is really nice but I haven't actually tried to block or exclude anything. I am just using it for info purposes only, but the paid business versions seem to offer a little more control. Not as much as a true firewall, or so the reviewers say. I like it a lot as n info tool, as you can probably tell.

Noscript I tried once but didn't really work out for me as my wife wants to visit a lot of streaming TV sites and it locks them all down, hehe. Am just using ublock origin to try and control some of the shenanigans while still letting her actually connect. If it wasn't for those sites, I'd use it =)

MBAE sat happily in the tray for years and literally never alerted me to anything. Hard to say whether it was doing its job or not that way. Am trying the 30 day free tiral of thier direct competitor, hitmanpro.alert and at least I can see more what it's doing and how. MBAE free seems a bit of a black box. Stuff goes in, some magical process happens, and it comes back out the other side or doesn't.. but I have never seen it not come out. HMPA really explains what it's doing, what it's defending against, and the malware scanner included for the price is a real steal. I plan to buy a couple copies unless I see it's going to burst into flames in the hands of Sophos who just bought them out. HMPA and MBAE are more for peace of mind I guess than anything else. I only ever got a few hardware related false positives with HMPA under win 7 that vanished when I moved to win 10. love their scanner though and the real time is really comprehensive, compared to what MBAE seems to be offering.

Hopefully someone with more technical expertise can chime in on these products =)