Free software to keep computer "clean"?

[lustindarkness]

I use Malwarebytes and Glary Utilities in conjunction with McAfee. I just got a new laptop for the girls and was wondering, since I have not been keeping up with the times that much, is there anything else out there I should be using?

I need to take the time to check every laptop at home, scan, clean, update...

[Liep]

CCleaner is useful

[viper37]

I use Malwarebytes and Glary Utilities in conjunction with McAfee. I just got a new laptop for the girls and was wondering, since I have not been keeping up with the times that much, is there anything else out there I should be using?

I need to take the time to check every laptop at home, scan, clean, update...

#1 Follow Liep's advice.
#2 Ditch McAfee.  Either buy Kaspersky, Eset Smart Security or use a free software like AVG or Avast if you can tolerate the ads.

[lustindarkness]

Will look into CCleaner.

Why get rid of McAfee when I have it for free paid for by the Navy?

[Grey Fox]

Its bad?

[lustindarkness]

OK, so why not just add AVG? Why get rid of it?

[lustindarkness]

Oh, I was forgetting, it also includes the best buy geek squad software, webroot is it? That I have no idea about.

[Grey Fox]

It's also a resource hog.

Your computer can only handle so many real time scanning softwares at once.

[DontSayBanana]

OK, so why not just add AVG? Why get rid of it?

2 antiviruses at the same time is bad; they frequently stop each other from doing what they're supposed to do.  Also, have you run a manual scan lately?  That stuff will slaughter your system performance.

As to why to ditch McAfee, free crap is still crap.  It's notoriously bad (in some situations, worse than Norton) and been surviving on name recognition alone for years now.

[Norgy]

Do you really need all that software to have protection these days? Probably not.
Ask yourself these questions;
Do I download torrents from questionable sources? If yes, Malwarebytes Anti-Malware is a good idea. So's a software firewall.
Do I frequent porn sites? If yes, well, see above.
Do I tend to open files sent from strangers who declare undying love by email? If yes, get off the computer. Now.
Am I a computer illiterate? If yes, install tons of bloatware, call helpdesks, complain about boot speeds, be on MySpace.
Are my Internet habits the equivalent of going bareback through Bangkok's prostitutes? If yes, throw computer out of window.


If your answer is no, however, you'll probably do fine with just Windows Defender.

[Alcibiades]

I used to use CCleaner but it fucked up my registry.   

[Norgy]

I used to use CCleaner but it fucked up my registry.   

The option of backing up the registry first just seemed like too much hassle, yes?
Been there, done that.

[DontSayBanana]

If the new laptop is Vista or later, I wouldn't recommend CCleaner.  Starting with Vista, MS changed the way the registry works and moved user edits to a ghost hive that only works on a per-user basis.  If CCleaner's edits are showing up as user edits, they won't change any real system problems, and if they're system edits, the potential for screwing up your system is astronomical.

Also, from 8 on up, it's almost unnecessary, because it's much harder for programs to write to subkeys outside of HKLM>Software>[their own key].  If you're just looking to keep junk from running, I recommend WinPatrol, which does a better job of managing startup programs and services.

[Norgy]

I used some crapware called PC Cleaner or PC Medic or whatever. It removed some bloatware and fixed my registry, but became a nuisance in itself.

[Darth Wagtaros]

Mcafee is a virus in itself sometimes. 

Careful with ccleaner.  You can delete your cookies and bookmarks.  But it is a good program.