How can you Tell if a System is Infected with No Proactive defence

[Spud1200]

Just had a Curious thought and though a would Post this, thank Gyes for any Help..


How can you tell if a Computer System, say Windows based PC is Infected with Malwere if you have No Pro-Active Defence or Security Softwere? Windows 7 comes with Windows Defender but is their anyother way of telling other than Paid for Security.. After posting in the Tutorials section, recomending Paid for Security for the verry Novice's and Beginers.. Would you say, you could Download something like HijackThis, or a Free Security Suiet say for example Avast free or Rootkit Revealer..

Aswell as Common Sence, is their anyway of telling just by interacting with Windows alone?

 

[Yelsew82]

I normally just get used to how a particular computer I own runs on certain things. Normally what I do on the machines mostly. If I see something being abnormally slow or buggy I will investigate it further. However I always have some sort of protection at any rate.. >_>

Last virus I had kept accessing my HD, I noticed my HD running constantly so I clued in on that little gem and deleted it.

 

[Spud1200]

Yea thats what I used to do, I got that used to knowing how my computer Ran, from the moment I booted it up.. I could tell if it was running Slow, used to have it down to a T, when I had XP.. I've kinda lost my edge abit I think since Windows 7 and useing fully paid for Security. Rely on it to much for Securty Sweeps, and the Digital Signatures to Detect Malwere.

 

[Yelsew82]

I used to find it fun and amusing to find and delete malicious files on my computer.. Now I just rely on programs to much to do the work for me. XD However you should always know how you're computer runs. Not just for malicious files but if you can tell hardware is slowing down or running constantly but the system is clean then you can catch a hardware failure before it happens.

 

[KSoD]

I dont know why you think that only pay per use software is the only solution. AVG, Avast! and Microsoft Security Essentials are all free or have free versions. MSE is completely free for life and is what I use personally and recommend.

Not to mention Microsoft also has the Malicious Software Removal Tool which is free of charge as well and that scans the system. It also gets updated regularly. It uses a different type of scanning engine than MSE and will detect some malicious stuff that MSE might miss.

So there are free solutions out there to keep your system clean of infections.

 

[Spud1200]

Mabie its just the Way things are KSoD, with people wanting to pay for Security on their PC.. I once knew a Gye who Ran a Shop upon the Next Area from me.. And he used to allways get People wanting Paid for Security when they brought their PC for Malwere removal after not haveing any for years at a Time in some situations.. mabie they just feel more protected.. I agree it does take common sence on the Net but haveing at least some level of Protection helps..

 

[Slaymate]

The people that bring their computers to me for repair all leave with Microsoft Security Essentials installed. I'll un-install a payed for product in a heartbeat and they'll like it or act like they like it.

 

[KSoD]

Mabie its just the Way things are KSoD, with people wanting to pay for Security on their PC.. I once knew a Gye who Ran a Shop upon the Next Area from me.. And he used to allways get People wanting Paid for Security when they brought their PC for Malwere removal after not haveing any for years at a Time in some situations.. mabie they just feel more protected.. I agree it does take common sence on the Net but haveing at least some level of Protection helps..

Frankly that is the largest load of bull I have heard this week. Its the honest truth. I work for the largest retailer in the world, you know how many times I suggest to people about free protection software against using such things as Norton, McAfee, AVG, TrendMicro, Kaspersky or WebRoot that they are looking to purchase? At least 10 times a day. You know how many walk away buying such software after I tell them of the free alternatives? Maybe 1.

I dont even run a shop and I get tons of people asking me to fix their PC's from work. Not only co-workers but customers as well who want me to fix their broken PC's. Something that my company doesnt offer as a service. Every time I fix a PC, it leaves with MSE installed. Guess how many of those machines I have had to take a look at a second time after I got done with it? Try none.

Common sense does play a part, but these people are not technological literate. These people click everything they see and play stupid facebook games like they are going out of style. Yet I still dont have to fix their PC a second time cause I installed MSE and showed them how to do a simple scan once a week.

It is comments like yours that are truly the problem. Your on a tech based site, one that has a whole topic related to Anti-Virus and people's opinions on which is the best. A topic in which I know for a fact has MSE listed and talked about several times within this area alone and yet you still post about how there is only "Pay per use" software as a solution. You who is trying to help others but doesnt take the time to read any of the provided information to learn the facts for themselves? To me that is more troubling than people who think that they have to pay for protection.

I do get customers that want to pay for protection. There is a certain level of comfort. That is fine. That is their choice. But I inform them of this choice. Everyone I work with does.

 

[Spud1200]

Thats fair enuf, I was just Nocking it out their.. Wasnt sure if what a was saying was Rite.. But aye fair enuf, you know best..