VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

mcm

Thought I would think out loud about this, since these are issues that affect everyone with a computer.

I read a really nice article on Biznik this morning about virus protection. They noted that their AV software of choice shifts - not constantly, but periodically. They emphatically do not favor Norton and McAfee and less emphatically disfavor AVG. For PCs they currently like a combination of Malwarebytes, which is free, and Avira which is $65 for a license for 3 computers. But the most important protection, they say, is file backup. Make sure everything is backed up, so that if you get something particularly awful you can always wipe your machine and start over (also some viruses, although rare, actually delete files from your computer). They didn't mention online backup systems, but they did recommend memory sticks and external hard drives over CDs and DVDs, which I found really interesting. I always worry about the future of data, since there are new ways of storing it all the time, and I don't know how permanent they are. The life of CDs and DVDs burned on a PC is relatively short, just 7 and 2 years, respectively. So if you backed up your precious family photos that way and think you're covered, think again.

After reading a recent post here on vo-bb about file backup I tried the free trial of Carbonite (online data storage). The initial backup (3 years of files) took 4 days, and it keeps current in a very unobtrusive way. It's easy to indicate files you don't want backed up. I currently have no local backup system for any files except audio. I record on one computer, and transfer the files to another one to send them to clients, so they're on two computers. But I do need to buy an external HD for the other files, especially photos since those are the ones I care about the most. I had a LaCie HD for a while, but it only functioned sporadically. Drove me nuts. Sent it back to the company twice and it always worked just fine for them. I'm going to be looking for a solid state portable USB external HD, no AC this time. They seem to have come a long way since I last looked. Any recommendations?

mcm · Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2010 7:41 am Post subject:

One more thing - my computer was already kind of slow, and has trouble multi-tasking, and this has been exacerbated by the addition of Carbonite. So I'm upgrading RAM too. Way past time to do that.

It's almost as good as getting a new wardrobe Smile

Lee Gordon · Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2010 9:45 am Post subject:

I bought a Western Digital 1TB USB drive on eBay for $90. It's main function is storage of all the recordings I've transferred from my TiVo to the computer. I was going to backup my main drive to it as well but then decided to go with Carbonite instead. I haven't tried restoring anything from Carbonite, but I am enjoying the newfound piece of mind.
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Jeffrey Kafer · Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2010 10:14 am Post subject:

For virus protection, Microsoft Security essentials is great. Very lean and unobtrusive. And free.
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todd ellis · Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2010 10:16 am Post subject:

+1 for MS security essentials. super-god and free!
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bobsouer · Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2010 10:35 am Post subject:

And another vote for MS Security Essentials.
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mcm · Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2010 1:01 pm Post subject:

You fellas with MS Security Essentials - is that your one and only "always on" AV program?

Lee, thank-you for the external HD suggestion.

bobsouer · Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2010 1:24 pm Post subject:

Mary,

Yes. At least for me.
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imaginator · Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2010 5:51 pm Post subject:

...a 2 year shelf life for a PC-burned DVD? really? then what's the point?
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SoundsGreat-Elaine Singer · Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2010 6:36 pm Post subject:

Interesting information, thanks Mary. Guess I'd better get busy backing up my files.
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anthonyVO · 14th Avenue Joined: 09 Aug 2005 Posts: 1470 Location: NYC

Bob likes MS Essentials because Todd said it was "super-god."

I've been using Norton Internet Security now for three years and am happy with it. I wish it was lighter though, because it's somewhat processor intensive during certain functions.

I use hard drives for backup, but have yet to set up an auto backup system. I have started moving just about everything to the cloud (primarily my Amazon S3 service.) But I am intrigued by Carbonite. 'Think I'll revisit.

Great link on the AV software review, Mary. Thanks!

chuckweis · Contributor IV Joined: 27 Feb 2008 Posts: 136

Used to run AVG for a few years and got a nasty virus while under its "protection." Soured on it, started to look into something new, and something that had a good rep for running quietly in the background while still being a potent defender. What I came across was Vipre Antivirus. Think I paid 40 some dollars for a year license on unlimited PC's, and so far I love it. It runs very unobtrusively in the background and gets really good reviews. I asked a guy who custom makes audio PC's for a living what he recommends, and he said he likes Vipre.....AND the aforementioned MS Security Essentials.