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Must have windows programs?

dukebound85

dukebound85

macrumors Core
Original poster
Jul 17, 2005
19,218
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5045 feet above sea level
So I custom built a pc 4 years ago ( a quad core q6600, 8 gig ram, nice vc, etc) and had used it as a hackintosh forever. Let my parents have it for 3 years and they got a mini so now I have it again.

I don't really want to deal with hackintosh (unless it has been made super easy since) and have a license of 7 to put on it

With that said:
1) are viruses still a major concern with windows? if so, what preferably free anti-virus/malware should I get
2) any other useful free windows apps?
3) Can 7 read a mac formatted hdd? I have an external with all my media on it and not sure if 7 can do this

Thanks
 
I second Microsoft essentials as a free alternative to a pay program. Just be smart browsing the web. Also grab Ad Blocker plugin for whatever browser you use as it will help keep away adware.

Open Office is still great free office software suit alternative, although I use Google Docs almost exclusively now.

The rest really depends on what you plan to use the PC for.

As for reading the Mac HDD, in some instances yes, I'm not sure which format Win7 see's the HDDs, but I know with my machine bootcamped, I can see the Mac HDD. But I can't see my "mac edition" WD External drive for whatever reason.
 
dukebound85 said:
So I custom built a pc 4 years ago ( a quad core q6600, 8 gig ram, nice vc, etc) and had used it as a hackintosh forever. Let my parents have it for 3 years and they got a mini so now I have it again.

I don't really want to deal with hackintosh (unless it has been made super easy since) and have a license of 7 to put on it

With that said:
1) are viruses still a major concern with windows? if so, what preferably free anti-virus/malware should I get
Click to expand...

Yes. Its still a concern. Windows still has a ton of exploits although luckily Microsoft offers Microsoft Security Essentials which is actually really good and its free. Malware removal is part of my daily job (since we use Symantec where I work unfortunately) but I use MS Security essentials as part of my arsenal to remove the stuff Symantec can't, which is everything.

dukebound85 said:
2) any other useful free windows apps?
Click to expand...

OpenOffice is generally popular, but aside from that I can't suggest too much as I don't use Windows outside of work.

dukebound85 said:
3) Can 7 read a mac formatted hdd? I have an external with all my media on it and not sure if 7 can do this

Thanks
Click to expand...

7 can't by default, but there is a software that will do it and I can't for the life of me remember it. There may be a free option so I'll let someone chime in on this but just know one does exist.
 
1) You should not get viruses if you have 'common sense'. I have NEVER received a virus for my two HP desktops in the past 10 years and I only scan every month for viruses. I don't have an active software.
 
Yes, if you're careful, you can avoid viruses, but Windows is very susceptible to exploits, so if you have any data you don't want to lose, I highly suggest a good anti virus. ESET NOD32 is one of the better ones out there. MS security essentials is just OK, but not as effective as NOD32. Stay away from the shrink wrap store bought crap like Norton or McAfee - they are bloated and will slow down your system.
 
chrono1081 said:
7 can't by default, but there is a software that will do it and I can't for the life of me remember it. There may be a free option so I'll let someone chime in on this but just know one does exist.
Click to expand...

MacDrive by MediaFour can do it. Allows read and write. Used it for awhile and it was pretty stable.

HFSExplorer is a free alternative if you only need read capability. Hasn't been updated in awhile..that link is to their sourceforce page on how to get it to work with Win7.
 
For all the talk of exploits and such... I work as a computer tech as well, and I hardly ever see any viruses. I think I've cleaned 3 or 4 in the past two years, maybe closer to three years at this point. I know there are "exploits", but as someone else said, a little common sense goes a long way. That said, all but one of those I have cleaned have been Fake A/V (think MacDefender type stuff) that infected the profile, not the machine... really hard clean-up there. :rolleyes: The other was on an XP that the person still was running an account with Admin rights... It never would have happened on a Win 7 machine.

If you're dealing with viruses every day, it might be a safe bet that you need less money spent on A/V software and more on user training.

There are reasons not to like Windows, but Viruses are hardly a reasonable one anymore. Win 7 is pretty rock solid if you run MS Security Essentials and keep up-to-date with your definitions and Windows Updates...

Just a thought.
 
I have Windows 7, and although I don't spend nearly the amount of time in Windows as I do in the Mac side, there were several programs that I made sure to install, those being VLC Media Player, iTunes, Google Chrome, and Microsoft Security Essentials. I have the RealPlayer Downloader installed on there so I can download streaming video content, but that's the extent of the programs that I use within Windows.
 
ag3nt47 said:
I have Windows 7, and although I don't spend nearly the amount of time in Windows as I do in the Mac side, there were several programs that I made sure to install, those being VLC Media Player, iTunes, Google Chrome, and Microsoft Security Essentials. I have the RealPlayer Downloader installed on there so I can download streaming video content, but that's the extent of the programs that I use within Windows.
Click to expand...
I can not recall the last time I needed RealPlayer. What sites still use it?
 
I know it's not a piece of software, but when you install them, I recommend Ninite. It's a website that you go through and select what software you want, and it downloads and installs them all for you, instead of you having to hunt the different sites.
 
Windows security essentials is very nice. By default, it says it doesn't scan external usb drives during insertion although a friend of mine just inserted his external hard disk in my computer and security essentials easily picked up an autorun virus/malware.

As for free essentials, the only ones I would say are must haves are a pdf reader and pdf writer. I use PDF Xchange viewer and Cute PDF writer. Other than that, download a browser if you don't like internet explorer. Office is no longer an essential app in my opinion, unless you have kids in school. Open Office is decent, and MS office can be picked up for less than $100 these days.
 
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