Mystery Manor Adventure Forum

You should only use one Firewall. Using more than one could definitely slow things down. The XP Firewall is incoming only. I would turn off the Avast Firewall and try some surfing with the XP firewall only. Then try turning off the XP firewall and use the Avast Firewall only. See which one gives you better results.

OK will do just that and let you know.

Well - turned off MS Firewall and have zipped right into MM site with NO waiting! This post should also tell me something - then off to turn off Avast firewall and see how fast things go.

Testing Avast Firewall off with MS firewall on. Well again zipped right into MM and posting was no problem and fast!

So perhaps Faust had the right idea - now is one Firewall better than the other to use? MS or Avast.

Avast is an antivirus , although they have a firewall in their Internet Security program . Are you currently using XP ? if so , I would heartily recommend another firewall . Windows Firewall in XP is not all that great . It does not do anything about outbound program access , & not much more for inbound program access . I would recommend a third party firewall , such as Zone Alarm free , or maybe Online Armor . ZA is pretty simple to configure & monitor , usually only asking for program access once or twice , unless there's been a program update of some sort , then it will prompt again . ZA doesn't fare too well in Matousec testing , but I personally think his testing is quite flawed . A better test , is Shield's Up . As for Online Armor , it is a bit more advanced , & provides good protection as well . It's a bit more agressive , due to it's HIPS (Host intrusion Protection System) , so prompts may happen more often until the firewall learns your computer's programs .

As for a different antivirus , I would recommend Avira Antivir . It will play nice with both OA & ZA , & has very good detection . The only fly in the ointment , is a scheduled update may need to be set up to keep virus definitions updated . It's been a bit of a problem for a while now , not sure why . The schedule is easy enough to configure . Microsoft Security Essentials may be an option as well . I think Drac uses it . I used to use it , but dropped it in favor of avast a while back . At present , I'm using Comodo Internet Security .

As I said, the XP firewall is incoming only, so I would stick with the Avast antivirus and their firewall since that is what you are used to and like.

Faust, I have to disagree with recommending Avira Antivir. Now, granted I've only had experience with it twice, but in both cases it simply didn't do the job. It was installed on computers that were infected with several viruses and some trojans - don't remember for sure now. As it was the preferred anti-virus of the users, I tried mightily to use it to clean the computers. After numerous passes with Avira, I finally gave up and uninstalled it. I installed Avast on both of them, updated and ran full scans. Avast picked up everything but one trojan on one of them. I used Malwarebytes to get rid of that one. The first computer was about a year ago and the second one about 8 months ago, so unless they've improved their product since then, I can't recommend it.

Am agreeing with draclvr. Have had Avast for quite some time and that combined with Malwarebytes, CCleaner, Spybot, and Spyware Blaster seems to keep me in good shape. And besides not too long ago, I upgraded to the paid version of Avast so even if I wanted to need to ride out the contract.

So will use the Avast and turn off MS Firewall.

And a bit off the subject but it dawned on me draclvr, I upgraded my laptop to Win 7 from Vista so I got the idea could I use that disk to upgrade my desktop. Well soon scratched that thought because on the upgrade disc Dell has made it clear to be used ONLY on a Dell product. Geessshhh sure are snitzy and protective.

MS firewall should've been turned off in the first place , either through manual means , or by the presiding firewall . Using 2 firewall at the same time can be a recipe for disaster . Use whatever is comfortable to you , regardless of whatever anyone else says . Will leave you in Drac's capable hands . Later !!

Thanks so much for your help, Faust - what would I do without you! Please don't stray far....

BD, you can't use an upgrade, OEM or full version of any Windows operating system on more than one computer. Even if the upgrade disk wasn't branded to Dell, you still couldn't use it on another computer.

I sure have a lot to learn yet re version discs or maybe its remember if you have told me before. Really embarrassing to have someone stop me and say " yes, you told me before". But vagaries of aging I guess so muddling on.

And thanks Faust for your suggestions - all are a learning for me re the PC. If you had not brought up the idea of the Firewall would still be using two! So firmly turned off MS firewall and going with Avast's default one.

Have previously told draclvr that I feel like I have died and gone to PC heaven here on MM. So nice to be able to ask all kinds of PC issues and problems and get help with them. Before just muddled along until I got really in trouble and then had to call in an outside tech - very costly