How to juggle several protection programs and use Windows Defender

flycaster · 04 Oct 2017

I have Malwarebytes, CCleaner, Adwcleaner, CryptoPrevent, and Windows Firewall active on my portable PC (with Windows 10, fully updated.) Recently had Free Avast, but it was using too much CPU, so I deleted it. I'd like to use Windows Defender as my AV, but it won't turn on as it says I've got another AV working. So, this leads me to several questions:

1. Should try to get Avast to work at a lower CPU and forget about WD?

2. If I were to use WD how can it be made active while keeping the other four noted above...if possible?

3. Aside from my thoughts in 1 and 2, I'm open to any suggestions on how to juggle these programs so that I maintain reasonable security/protection.

Thanks.

dalchina · 04 Oct 2017

Cryptoprevent and Ccleaner don't have adverse effects. My experience of Avast is the opposite - unintrusive bar ad pop-ups.

deleted it

?? or uninstalled it as you should?
Malwareytes- free or paid? Free shouldn't have an adverse effect as no real-time protection. (The trial period of 14 days might apply though).

Turn On or Off Windows Defender Real-time Protection in Windows 10 Security System Tutorials

If you search the Tutorial section you will find a number of tutorials on turning on/off different aspects of Defender.
Windows 10 Tutorial Index Tutorials

Helmut · 04 Oct 2017

CCleaner is nothing to do with security, and ADWCleaner and Malwarebytes free are on demand scanners, no protection.

You obviously have not uninstalled Avast correctly and Windows Defender thinks it is still running. Use the Avast uninstall Utility/Tool.
If necessary install Avast again, and uninstall it.

1. Avast is configurable, you don't have to use all modules. When I used to use it 2 troublesome modules were not installed.

2. As I said those others are separate or a different function, along with Windows Firewall, I don't know about CryoPrevent.

3. The main security problem is the user(s), not the installed security applications.

MeAndMyComputer · 04 Oct 2017

I have 2 Windows 10 desktops and 1 laptop. On each one of them I have used Malwarebytes 14-day free trial and then followed by Malwarebytes Free, CCleaner Free & Adwcleaner : none of them run at starting up the computer. I use them manually during the last week of the month as part of my monthly maintenance plan.
Windows Firewall and WD are my only active products and they run without any problems.
--- When CCleaner had their recent (5.33 I think it was version) issue, it would have a affected one of my desktops, but WD caught it immediately and I was able to have it removed immediately.

I have not used CryptoPrevent or AVAST Free so I don't know the effect when using those programs. However, If I remember correctly, AVAST Free does run from startup so maybe there could be an issue there.