Unsure of Virus Protection?

Question

So I have several virus protection programs.

-Windows Defender
-Ad - Aware
-Ad - Watch
-Norton
-Webroot Spy Sweeper
-PC Tools Spyware Doctor.
-PC Doc Pro

What I don't understand is that the first 6 programs tell me that there is nothing wrong with my computer but when I run PC Doc Pro it tells me that their is like 516 wrong with my computer.
Basically I want to know if PC Doc Pro just wants to suck your money (because you have to buy the program if you want to remove all the virus/junk) or is what their telling me true?

Or is their anything anyone would suggest doing? Taking it somewhere or whiping the hard drive?

Answer 1

It's not recommended to have so many anti-spyware programs installed at the same time. You should only use 2 or 3, but some known ones, that you are sure of. I would recommend keeping WIndows Defender and Ad-Aware and downloading also AVG Anti-Spyware.
Norton is antivirus software. It's not so good, but if you chose to use it, then it's ok.

Answer 2

Well you are comparing different things. PC Doc Pro is not an antivirus. It is a performance program which looks at your system and make recommendations which they claim will help your system. They look at registry entries for broken links and things of that nature. Even the best computers will have entries that are incorrect in the registry. These are caused by adding removing programs and daily usage which leaves entries that show incorrectly when the system is examined.

The ONLY ANTIVIRUS that I see you are running is NORTON. The rest are spy ware and adware tools. Personnaly I usually just run Windows defender and Spy Bot Search and Destroy since the Internet Suite that I run also includes a spyware adware program.

There are some free PC Registry cleaners that you can run and they also will report issues with your machine. It has nothing to do with viruses.

Hope that helps.

Answer 3

I would be very suspicious of PC Doc Pro. It isn't even listed by the Spyware Warrior site, which catelogues and rates antispyware products. I would delete the program, you seem to have enough antispyware applications as it is.

As a sidenote, only use one antivirus product. Running more than one can cause conflicts thus rendering each ineffective.
http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/nav.nsf/docid/2000031316555206

An antivirus is not the same as antispyware. Although they may overlap in some areas, they shouldn't conflict with each other.

Answer 4

first thing is norton is the only virus program you have listed
the others detect spyware

windows defender is bad (microsoft has admitted to that)
keep adaware
get spybot s&d
www.safer-networking.org
and get rid of the others

Answer 5

good spyware removers are spybot, avg antispyware and ad-aware my favourite is avg antispyware