Step 3: Install Anti-virus Software

Treat your anti-virus program as a parachute. It's better to never need to rely on it, but... Your own vigilance can be more reliable than any anti-virus program. Firewalls and antispyware are much more important than antivirus these days.

basic track

Most likely your computer came with Norton or McAfee Anti-virus already installed. For this basic track, if the one you have is less than a couple of years old, I'd leave well enough alone, skip the first three steps here, and follow the last three.

Steps

  1. VIPRE, by Sunbelt Software, is my personal antivirus choice. It's fast, accurate, easy on system resources, and inexpensive to boot. And their support people are all located in Tampa Bay, Florida. ;-) [review] VIPRE combines antivirus and antispyware protection. Avast! is a good free anti-virus program. There are several other good antivirus programs to pick from.
  2. Mucho Importante: uninstall any old antivirus program(s), including security "suites" before upgrading or replacing with a new one. [remove Norton] [remove McAfee] Don't say I didn't warn you. ;-)
  3. Install your new anti-virus program. Follow the instructions carefully. If you become dazed and confused, stop the install, and get some help.
  4. Make sure that enable the option to update signatures (reference files) automatically. Then go online and either wait for them to update, or initiate a manual update.
  5. Test your virus protection online. If you find a problem, fix it or get some help.
  6. Finish by running a thorough scan of your system using your anti-virus program. The real time protection of your anti-virus may not have caught some new virus or worm that wasn't in the signatures yet. It's good to do a full scan once a month or so.

strong and robust tracks

Follow all six steps of the "basic track". You need both an effective antivirus program and an effective antimalware program. VIPRE will give you both. And their support people are all located in Tampa Bay, Florida. ;-)