Imho, the best idea is to have an anti-malware setup and a backup routine so that if all else fails you can go back to a safe image.
Currently I have Avast, WinDefender, WinFirewall, MBam, Spybot, SpywareBlaster, run the Fox sandboxed. Also do a daily auto Erunt backup and a fortnightly Reflect backup.
Running avast! on my old dell, works like a charm, having a better time with it than MSE, with its extreme memory use (50,000 on one process with full protection) vs. avast! (4600 on two processes with multiple shields running)
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If Avast doesn't work out the only other two freeware antivirus' I'd ever use myself would be Panda Cloud Antivirus Free (if you have an always on broadband connection), or Microsoft Security Essentials.
Avast appears to be working fine at present.
Andavari, I'm not exactly sure what you mean by "an always on broadband connection".
Lastly, is it necessary to uninstall the Avast installer? If it is what is the correct method here as the installer does not appear in add/remove programmes? One can delete it from the desktop but this probably just gets rid of the icon.
Hi Northerner. If Avast has been successfully installed in your system and is running, then you can delete the installer. I usually do this by dragging it to the trash bin. (The installer doesn't appear in add/remove programs.) One other thing to consider regarding security: Imaging or Cloning your system (as mentioned above by kroozer). Actually, I think this is perhaps one of the most important practices to protect the contents of your computer. If your pc ever gets severely infected (or if your hard drive crashes), you can avoid the big hassle of losing your files and/or having to start from scratch. Imaging/cloning makes a mirror copy of the entire contents of your hard drive, including the operating system. There are a number of threads on this forum about this topic. Lots of folks use Macrium Reflect, which is highly regarded; I've been using Clonezilla and have been testing Redo. Neither of those two install anything on your system.
Lastly, is it necessary to uninstall the Avast installer? If it is what is the correct method here as the installer does not appear in add/remove programmes? One can delete it from the desktop but this probably just gets rid of the icon.
Edit - Here's a link to one of several threads about imaging: http://forum.piriform.com/index.php?showtopic=25733&st=0
I'm pleased you posted that Chris as Imgur seem to have binned some of the hosted images.
I'll see if I can redo them.
I'm pleased you posted that Chris as Imgur seem to have binned some of the hosted images.
Someone posted a screenshot just the other day using Imgur and it wasn't available - as in immediately.
Hi Northerner. If Avast has been successfully installed in your system and is running, then you can delete the installer. I usually do this by dragging it to the trash bin. (The installer doesn't appear in add/remove programs.)
Hello cc1. A minor point, but I thought "dragging it to the trash bin" was effectively the same as right-clicking the installer icon and selecting "delete". This sends it to the trash bin and I assumed this process only got rid of the icon and not the installer itself.
Am I wrong here?
Hi Northerner. You're correct; right clicking the installer icon and selecting delete accomplishes the same purpose as dragging it to the trash bin.Hello cc1. A minor point, but I thought "dragging it to the trash bin" was effectively the same as right-clicking the installer icon and selecting "delete". This sends it to the trash bin and I assumed this process only got rid of the icon and not the installer itself.
Am I wrong here?
If I'm reading through this thread correctly, you downloaded and saved the installer directly to your desktop. So, the icon appearing on your desktop is not just a shortcut to a file (the installer) saved somewhere else on your system. Instead, the installer file itself is saved on your desktop and it is identified by the icon. You can verify this by right clicking on the icon and selecting Properties. If this is just a shortcut icon, then the size will be very small...like a couple of hundred bytes. But if it's the actual installer file, then the size will be larger. Also, at least on Windows XP, shortcut icons have a small arrow in the lower left-hand corner.So assuming this icon in not a shortcut to the installer file, but rather the installer file itself, deleting it will delete the installer file.
Also a shortcut on your desktop usually has a black arrow on it.
Hi Northerner. You're correct; right clicking the installer icon and selecting delete accomplishes the same purpose as dragging it to the trash bin.
If I'm reading through this thread correctly, you downloaded and saved the installer directly to your desktop. So, the icon appearing on your desktop is not just a shortcut to a file (the installer) saved somewhere else on your system. Instead, the installer file itself is saved on your desktop and it is identified by the icon. You can verify this by right clicking on the icon and selecting Properties. If this is just a shortcut icon, then the size will be very small...like a couple of hundred bytes. But if it's the actual installer file, then the size will be larger. Also, at least on Windows XP, shortcut icons have a small arrow in the lower left-hand corner.So assuming this icon in not a shortcut to the installer file, but rather the installer file itself, deleting it will delete the installer file.
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When I select properties "Size on disc" is given as 56.2MB and the location is given as C:\Documents and Settings\My name\Desk. So I assume deleting the icon will delete the installer file.
Also the icon does not appear to have the small arrow.
Whatever icon you "right click" on, you can choose Properties and then choose "Open File Location". The highlighted icon in that new open window will be the actual file. (Watch out you don't accidentally highlight another file when that window opens. Scoot your cursor to the screens' edge before it opens.)
Whatever icon you "right click" on, you can choose Properties and then choose "Open File Location". The highlighted icon in that new open window will be the actual file. (Watch out you don't accidentally highlight another file when that window opens. Scoot your cursor to the screens' edge before it opens.)
i know these are basic questions, but if I right click the Installer Icon and then click "Properties" I get the information I mentioned in my last post. If I right click the Installer Icon and then click "Open" the installer wants to download Avast again.
If I click "Properties" I do not see anything called "Open File Location". I assumed that the information I already received when I clicked "Properties" told me the installer file, itself, was saved on my desktop.
You are not clicking on an icon.
You are clicking on an object which has an associated icon.
The nature of the icon is what controls the "Properties".
I have drag-dropped onto my desktop both a duplicate FILE and a LINK to that file.
A right click on the LINK gives a context menu with 6 TABS and it is open at the SHORTCUT Tab
It shows the target is E:\Downloads\ImgToVHD.msi.
further down there are buttons.
"Open File Location" will display the contents of folder E:\Downloads\ and will highlight the file ImgToVHD.msi.
"Change Icon" launches a pop-up with lots of alternative icons to choose from out of
%SystemRoot%\system32\SHELL32.dll
This pop-up has a Browse button which allows choice of alternate icons.
There are 5 more TABS with more information.
When I right click on the FILE the context menu depends upon the file extension.
I see 7 TABS for this MSI file and it is open at the GENERAL Tab
This shows that the object is located at
C:\Users\Alan\Desktop
There is no facility to change the icon
A LINK or SHORTCUT provides the "Change Icon" button.
CCleaner64.exe provides 6 different Piriform icons to choose from
E:\Tools\Piriform\CCleaner64.exe
and you can browse elsewhere.
A desktop COPY of CCleaner.exe has a context menu the same as ImgToVHD.msi excepting there is no "SECURITY" Tab.
Even though CCleaner.exe has 6 icons embedded within it, there is no "Change Icon" capability.
Perhaps I could change the icon by not running the portable version and maybe doing a registry hack on the installed version ! ! !
I have no such experience and no intention of trying it.
You are not clicking on an icon.
You are clicking on an object which has an associated icon.
The nature of the icon is what controls the "Properties".
Hello Alan_B. I assume your post refers to my last post, but I think you have lost me!
All I wanted to know was whether there was any good reason for retaining the Avast installer on my computer, once I had downloaded Avast Anti Virus, and If there was no reason what was the simplest way of uninstalling it. I was not absolutely sure, but I thought the best method would be to send the installer desktop icon, and therefore the installer itself given that it was downloaded to my desktop, to the trash bin.
This is basically what cc1 said in an earlier post!.
Once you've installed a program (by running its installer), you can then delete the installer. Programs don't need the installer to still be in the system in order to work. Or you could keep it if you like. If you can easily re-download the installer from an online source (like at filehippo, etc.), it makes sense to just dump the used installer.
If you bought an installer then you'll probably want to keep the installer in a safe area of your PC (My Documents, etc.) and eventually burn it onto a DVD (along with any other valuable documents & stuff you don't want to lose).
Hello Alan_B. I assume your post refers to my last post, but I think you have lost me!
All I wanted to know was whether there was any good reason for retaining the Avast installer
...
This is basically what cc1 said in an earlier post!.
For what it's worth, I keep the last few installers that worked in folders created just for keeping them.
This is in case something crashes and I need to reinstall something (like the antivirus) before going online, or in case a newer version doesn't work as well as an older one. I keep them on a separate USB drive.
Once you've installed a program (by running its installer), you can then delete the installer. Programs don't need the installer to still be in the system in order to work. Or you could keep it if you like. If you can easily re-download the installer from an online source (like at filehippo, etc.), it makes sense to just dump the used installer.
That is clear enough and I can simply get rid if the installer, if I wish, by sending it to the trash bin.
And thanks to all those who responded with information including login123 whose last post I have just noticed.
Hello Alan_B. I assume your post refers to my last post, but I think you have lost me!
Sorry, I was trying to clarify your confusion as per
If I click "Properties" I do not see anything called "Open File Location".
I am happy for you to accept the advise above from Corona, to which I will add this extra information :-
If you look in the Control Panel at Add/Remove Programs and you see the application can not only be uninstalled but also "Changed" or "Repaired",
you will probably lose those extra options by removing the installer.
There is also a very high probability that even when the only option is to Uninstall, you may need the Uninstaller to remove the program.
If you try to "Upgrade" a program the new installer may utilise the old uninstaller to remove the old version first to ensure a "Clean Upgrade",
and if you do not have the old installer where it used to be a "Clean Upgrade" may fail and the new version may crash or have defects.
I utterly detest *.msi for the grief they have caused in this respect.
I much prefer Portable software and this is but one of many reasons.
Installed CCleaner is unlikely to require its old installer before you can upgrade,
but Security software is likely to give major pain.
If you look in the Control Panel at Add/Remove Programs and you see the application can not only be uninstalled but also "Changed" or "Repaired",
I may have kept this thread going too long, but the point I was trying to make, latterly, was that the Avast installer does not appear in Add/Remove programmes. What does appear is Avast Antivirus itself and I do not want to uninstall that.
If the Avast installer had appeared in Add/Remove I could have removed it from there if that was what I had wanted to do!
I use Avast and you don't need the Installer to do a clean upgrade, or to uninstall Avast if you ever need to do so.
Just delete it from your desktop Northerner, and if you ever need to remove Avast, they provide a dedicated removal tool, which you can find here ...
http://forum.pirifor...showtopic=23330
Avast remover is the first item in the first link.
In fact I've been following this thread with a smile on my face and I've lost count of the number of times I've thought .."Delete it. Just delete it. Please let him just delete it.!!!!"
Couldn't resist guys. Just read from round about post #27, and I think you'll be smiling as well.