I have windows defender installed and run Emsisoft emergency kit from a flash drive a few times a week.
It is sort of awkward.
I could use MBAM with Defender and after the trial MBAM would do the same job as Emsisoft is doing now.
I think defender would provide real time protection and MBAM would provide on demand scanning.
Is there a better way to protect my PC without cost? Would you use the EEK in the flash drive or install MBAM free?
I use Defender and Malwarebytes Premium for real time protection; they don't interfere with each other. Some here would say Defender is really all you need.
Every couple of months, I run Emisoft---directly from the hard drive, not a USB stick. Mostly out of boredom and compulsiveness. I think it has occasionally found something the other two did not, but never anything significant.
I'm not sure how much Emisoft and Malwarebytes overlap.
Use whatever best relieves your anxiety--as many as necessary. Why worry, even if worrying is foolish? Unless you can turn off your worrying like a light switch. Some people can, most can't.
You could, but unlike when you could simply download the free malwarebytes that provided scan on dmeand only, you now have to download the trial version as you say.I could use MBAM with Defender and after the trial MBAM would do the same job as Emsisoft is doing now.
You DO NOT, or at least did not the last time I checked, have to wait for the trial to expire.
https://support.malwarebytes.com/hc/...for-Windows-v3
I do appreciate that is V3 and the current is V4, but I think it is still the same
That said I would not recommend it, I have read reports of it being rather obtrusive and more or less constantly asking you if you wish to upgrade to Premium.
Despite many people thinking that the free version (trial expired or trial deactivated) then has no effect whatsoever on the running of Windows, as Defender - Windows Security Centre then is fully active, I am not so sure of this.
I would recommend to you Malwarebytes AdwCleaner which most certainly is NOT installed on the system and oinly keeps its logs on the system
https://www.malwarebytes.com/adwcleaner/
I consider it ideal for using as a scan to support Defender, and it has found on many occasions, items that you would not want, but are not any real threat.
If you wish to consider it, I will supply setup info for the settings in AdwCleaner.
So in short I would rely on Defender, leave it to run on its own, and then once a month, do a full scan and if necessary and you are writing to another drive rather than the system drive, scan that on a custom scan - once a month or so.
Of course frequency depends on your browsing parameters and habits of safe downloading, or using such as free software from some hosting sites that often include adware etc.
OR INDEED - torrents and PUPS
If you wish to also stay with Emisoft that is OK.
To run EEK do you download it as portable or is sit installed in your pc?
I see you have premium. I guess the difference is you have MBAM for real time and with MBAM free I would have Defender as reaal time and MBAM as on demand.
I am interested in Emsisoft b/c using the flash drive is a pain.
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@Macboatmaster - so you advocate using Defender then occasionally using AdwCleaner portably?
Emsisoft | Emergency Kit: Free Portable Malware Scan and Removal
Emisoft says it is "portable" at the above link.
However-----when run for the first time, it DOES place files directly in C:\EEK
But nothing under C:\Program Files or C:\Program Files x86 that I can see.
I suppose it might occasionally be useful to have Emisoft on a flash drive, but I've never used it that way.
Just checked.......Emisoft has found 5 things in about 40 runs over 3 years. All of them pretty harmless---"potentially unwanted programs". I have no idea why MBAM or Defender apparently did not find them.
I settled on Defender occasionally and also full once a week.
Also I will run AdwCleaner portable occasionally. It just found an unwanted app installed by Epson which was only research participation.
I am glad I asked and thank you.
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>>I downloaded to desktop then 'send to flash drive' when I did it. I have since formatted that flash drive.
I am not a skin flint but have not spent a penny in 20 years or so and if infected use my Macrium recovery image-free too.
No I do not use it, I did some years ago, when it was a different product, but now it has become the more or less all encompassing protection - scan product it is now, I do not like itI see you have premium
However that is only my opinion
If you are going to use adwcleaner here is the guide
https://support.malwarebytes.com/hc/...wCleaner-guide
That is the online guide
I find this more comprehensive - however there are a few changes in how matters arte now presented on the GUI
https://www.malwarebytes.com/pdf/gui...User-Guide.pdf
in settings disbale or turn off ALL except Cloud based database
and turn ONM - ask for confirmationbefore reboot.
DO NOT RUN BASIC REPAIR - unless you know what you are doing, it resets too many aspects to no avail if all is OK
It places logs on C drive, do NOT delete them, as to do so will stop you restoring the items if you find it has quarantined something you need,.
YOU can of course delete the logs, when you are sure all is OK
I delete them only every 3 months or so, they take no space, so that is not an issue of any concern
I read the thread again and come up confused.
I have Defender and AdaWare portable along with Windows firewall behind my router.
Bottom line what would you recommend one use for protection?
I do not know what AdaWare you refer toI read the thread again and come up confused.
I have Defender and AdaWare portable along with Windows firewall behind my router.
My suggestion was to run Defender - now called windows security centre, as it encompasses Defender and other protection
as you will see in Settings - update and security - windows security as your main active protection
and use AdwCleaner as a second line to detect the more minor spyware/adware that defedner may miss - AdwCleaner is NOT active protection.
I spelled AdwCleaner wrong - sorry. I have the idea now. Thank you
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