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This is why I'm glad Windows is not my main OS

gctwnl

gctwnl

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jan 4, 2005
219
139
The Netherlands
When using Windows it is smart to run a good virus scanner. From my work, we get free use of McAfee on our home PCs. I had installed McAfee on my Windows environment on my Mac.

McAfee warned me about not being able to update. Tried to fix it with their 'virtual assistant' but that did not help Tried to set up a chat session for support. IE crashed because of plugin trouble. Called the help desk. Had to wait for 20 minutes. Then had a call center agent on the line trying to help me (these people don't understand computers, they just run a script).

The call center agent told me I had to install 'the latest versions of Java and Flash' on my Windows environment. I told her that I had neither installed on my system but she persisted. These were necessary components for McAfee. Sorry, Flash and Java necessary components for a security solution? That is funny, really.

She did not believe me that I had been running McAfee for two years without Flash and Java and just sent me an email telling me to install them (or get stuffed). She shut down her phone but left the line open. After 15 minutes or so I hung up.

I spoke to a supervisor later and she talked to the high tech guys who confirmed that McAfee requires flash/java to be installed. Are you kidding me? The most often exploited inroads into a computer system are required components for a security system to protect it?

I have now removed McAfee entirely (and installed another virus scanner), but really, not having this kind of a nightmare every day (only once in a while when I fire up the old Windows) really makes me happy I'm not a regular Windows user.
 
M

MyNameIsDave

macrumors member
May 28, 2012
37
0
Blighty
When I use Windows, I find that McAfee always slows it down too much, so I tend to use Microsoft Security Essentials instead.

MSE definitely doesn't use Flash/Java. McAfee possibly does for some of its user interfaces or to make it cross platform.
 
maflynn

maflynn

macrumors Haswell
May 3, 2009
73,478
43,405
No offense but we OSX users have to deal with snotty support folks from applications. Personally I hate McAfee and there are better (free) products for virus scanning on your windows.

If they say that flash and java are needed, why do you not believe them. I have had to install a number of Oracle server products and for a while both java and flash were needed for them. Luckily Oracle has moved away from flash but java is still needed.
 
V

vistadude

macrumors 65816
Jan 3, 2010
1,423
1
Sorry but using McAfee on windows is like trying to buy an iMac G3 and run photoshop CS6 on it. It's way behind the times, microsoft has been offering a way better alternative for windows for years now, free for personal use, and with corporate licensing.

Even the corporate edition of mcafee slows down windows 7 by more than 50%. My company has a site license of mcafee corporate edition but my department bought it's own license of microsoft forefront security, which is pretty much the same as microsoft security essentials. It's way better and hardly consumes any resources.

gctwnl said:
When using Windows it is smart to run a good virus scanner. From my work, we get free use of McAfee on our home PCs. I had installed McAfee on my Windows environment on my Mac.

McAfee warned me about not being able to update. Tried to fix it with their 'virtual assistant' but that did not help Tried to set up a chat session for support. IE crashed because of plugin trouble. Called the help desk. Had to wait for 20 minutes. Then had a call center agent on the line trying to help me (these people don't understand computers, they just run a script).

The call center agent told me I had to install 'the latest versions of Java and Flash' on my Windows environment. I told her that I had neither installed on my system but she persisted. These were necessary components for McAfee. Sorry, Flash and Java necessary components for a security solution? That is funny, really.

She did not believe me that I had been running McAfee for two years without Flash and Java and just sent me an email telling me to install them (or get stuffed). She shut down her phone but left the line open. After 15 minutes or so I hung up.

I spoke to a supervisor later and she talked to the high tech guys who confirmed that McAfee requires flash/java to be installed. Are you kidding me? The most often exploited inroads into a computer system are required components for a security system to protect it?

I have now removed McAfee entirely (and installed another virus scanner), but really, not having this kind of a nightmare every day (only once in a while when I fire up the old Windows) really makes me happy I'm not a regular Windows user.
Click to expand...
 
A Hebrew

A Hebrew

macrumors 6502a
Jan 7, 2012
846
2
Minnesota
You are wrong saying that you need to have a virus scanning/protection software on your computer. I have had 3 Windows based desktops in the past 9 years and none of them have ever got a virus and I only use the free Norton that they offer for a short time. After that, nothing at all.
 
Stooby Mcdoobie

Stooby Mcdoobie

macrumors 6502a
Jun 26, 2012
834
45
A Hebrew said:
You are wrong saying that you need to have a virus scanning/protection software on your computer. I have had 3 Windows based desktops in the past 9 years and none of them have ever got a virus and I only use the free Norton that they offer for a short time. After that, nothing at all.
Click to expand...

It's not smart to run Windows without some sort of protection (no matter how safe you try to be) - especially since there are good, free anti-malware apps available.
 
A Hebrew

A Hebrew

macrumors 6502a
Jan 7, 2012
846
2
Minnesota
Stooby Mcdoobie said:
It's not smart to run Windows without some sort of protection (no matter how safe you try to be) - especially since there are good, free anti-malware apps available.
Click to expand...

I disagree. If you keep nothing personal such as bank information on your computer you are perfectly fine.
 
thejadedmonkey

thejadedmonkey

macrumors G3
May 28, 2005
9,181
3,332
Pennsylvania
Stooby Mcdoobie said:
It's not smart to run Windows without some sort of protection (no matter how safe you try to be) - especially since there are good, free anti-malware apps available.
Click to expand...

Smart? Maybe not. But definitely do-able. I know back in the late 90's, I used to run my PC without any virus scanner at all, and once a week I would do one of those trend micro "at home" scans, where they would install an active X control and do a scan from the browser window. I was always clean.

Of course a few weeks ago, my dad's secretary got a nasty virus from that java exploit that was going around. I guess my point is, even if you practice 100% safe-browsing, if you have java or flash installed it doesn't mean ****.
 
Stooby Mcdoobie

Stooby Mcdoobie

macrumors 6502a
Jun 26, 2012
834
45
A Hebrew said:
I disagree. If you keep nothing personal such as bank information on your computer you are perfectly fine.
Click to expand...

If you have nothing important on the machine, I suppose so. But you'd still face the inconvenience of wiping the drive and/or reinstalling the OS, were anything to happen.

thejadedmonkey said:
Smart? Maybe not. But definitely do-able. I know back in the late 90's, I used to run my PC without any virus scanner at all, and once a week I would do one of those trend micro "at home" scans, where they would install an active X control and do a scan from the browser window. I was always clean.
Click to expand...

Well, there is a lot more Windows malware today than 15 years ago. :p

Of course a few weeks ago, my dad's secretary got a nasty virus from that java exploit that was going around. I guess my point is, even if you practice 100% safe-browsing, if you have java or flash installed it doesn't mean ****.
Click to expand...

That's why I just don't think it's worth the risk. Will anything bad happen if you practice safe browsing and computing in general? Probably not. Why take the risk, though? Avast and MSE are free and aren't resource hogs like some of the big names (*cough* Norton *cough*).
 
Last edited:
A Hebrew

A Hebrew

macrumors 6502a
Jan 7, 2012
846
2
Minnesota
Stooby Mcdoobie said:
If you have nothing important on the machine, I suppose so. But you'd still face the inconvenience of wiping the drive and/or reinstalling the OS, were anything to happen.



Well, there is a lot more Windows malware today than 15 years ago. :p



That's why I just don't think it's worth the risk. Will anything bad happen if you practice safe browsing and computing in general? Probably not. Why take the risk, though? Avast and MSE are free and aren't resource hogs like some of the big names (*cough* Norton *cough*).
Click to expand...
Windows is much more advanced than it was 15 years ago. It's built in security measures should be good enough for almost everyone that doesn't download files that give you free money.
 
Quad5Ny

Quad5Ny

macrumors 6502a
Sep 13, 2009
984
22
New York, USA
I personally feel you don't need a active Virus Scanner and like to manage my trusted programs manually. To do this; don't install random shit, download only from trusted sources and scan untrusted downloads with VirusTotal. If I have a large installer, it gets installed on a Virtual Machine with MSE running before loading it on Real hardware. I also always disable System Restore & Windows Defender. =P

Now I know not everyone agrees with not running a Virus Scanner, if so Microsoft Security Essentials is a very good choice.

Here are a few security tips:
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
P

printz

macrumors regular
Dec 23, 2012
218
0
How is disabling Autorun/Autoplay optional? It seems like a no-brainer to me to disable that thing, especially on thumb drives, where it really makes no sense. Too many worms spread that way, just because someone inserts it into the USB drive. You should disable it on CDs too, those can contains worms too, developed by big companies to introduce their DRM into your root.

Also OS X can get attacked too, it's probably some of the better practices (such as lack of autoplay feature) that keep some of the viruses at bay. Or maybe the Mac users knowing better to avoid risks, thanks to being a minority who know what they spend money on…
 
Quad5Ny

Quad5Ny

macrumors 6502a
Sep 13, 2009
984
22
New York, USA
Microsoft disabled the horrible Autorun thing your thinking about back in 2009 with a security update. Autoplay is a popup Window asking for your input. You are right though, the auto-whatever stuff is a bad idea because most people don't think and just click away.

As for the page I linked to in addition to having the autorun security update, it completely kills autoplay (disabling the popup window, double click and even the right click autoplay).

This is autoplay (autorun launches programs without asking):
autoplay.png
 
C

Ccrew

macrumors 68020
Feb 28, 2011
2,035
3
vistadude said:
microsoft has been offering a way better alternative for windows for years now, free for personal use, and with corporate licensing.
Click to expand...

A product that's consistently at the bottom of the barrel for protection too.

----------
Quad5Ny said:
Now I know not everyone agrees with not running a Virus Scanner, if so Microsoft Security Essentials is a very good choice.
Click to expand...

Doubt that.

http://www.informationweek.com/security/antivirus/microsoft-security-essentials-loses-av-c/240142986
 
Michael Goff

Michael Goff

Suspended
Jul 5, 2012
13,329
7,421
gctwnl said:
When using Windows it is smart to run a good virus scanner. From my work, we get free use of McAfee on our home PCs. I had installed McAfee on my Windows environment on my Mac.

McAfee warned me about not being able to update. Tried to fix it with their 'virtual assistant' but that did not help Tried to set up a chat session for support. IE crashed because of plugin trouble. Called the help desk. Had to wait for 20 minutes. Then had a call center agent on the line trying to help me (these people don't understand computers, they just run a script).

The call center agent told me I had to install 'the latest versions of Java and Flash' on my Windows environment. I told her that I had neither installed on my system but she persisted. These were necessary components for McAfee. Sorry, Flash and Java necessary components for a security solution? That is funny, really.

She did not believe me that I had been running McAfee for two years without Flash and Java and just sent me an email telling me to install them (or get stuffed). She shut down her phone but left the line open. After 15 minutes or so I hung up.

I spoke to a supervisor later and she talked to the high tech guys who confirmed that McAfee requires flash/java to be installed. Are you kidding me? The most often exploited inroads into a computer system are required components for a security system to protect it?

I have now removed McAfee entirely (and installed another virus scanner), but really, not having this kind of a nightmare every day (only once in a while when I fire up the old Windows) really makes me happy I'm not a regular Windows user.
Click to expand...

So you're glad you don't use Windows because McAfee sucks?
 
M

MJL

macrumors 6502a
Jun 25, 2011
845
1
A Hebrew said:
You are wrong saying that you need to have a virus scanning/protection software on your computer. I have had 3 Windows based desktops in the past 9 years and none of them have ever got a virus and I only use the free Norton that they offer for a short time. After that, nothing at all.
Click to expand...

After I got some virus in 1998 that none of the prevailing anti-whatever programs managed to get rid off I no longer bothered with that kind of software. Just keep the firewall up to date and use a NAT router and be sensible where you browse.

A year ago I "upgraded" to Microsoft Securities and I have never ever had any alarms or nasties entering my system. Overhead of securites is next to nothing, unlike Norton and McAfee.

Windows is my preferred business OS and in the weekends I use OS X.

As they say: horses for causes.
 
SpyderBite

SpyderBite

macrumors 65816
Oct 4, 2011
1,262
8
Xanadu
MyNameIsDave said:
When I use Windows, I find that McAfee always slows it down too much, so I tend to use Microsoft Security Essentials instead.
Click to expand...

This. MSE does well enough on my windows machines for the minimal amount of use they get. Suites like Norton & McAfee tend to noticeably slow down Windows from my experience as well.
 
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