I've decided to put together a topic that encompasses free virus scanners to free registry cleaners. If you see anything missing let me know. +Rep appreciated as always . Free Virus Scanners: ----------------------- AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition [Download] AVG Free Edition is the well-known antivirus protection tool. AVG Free is available free of charge to home users for the life of the product. Rapid virus database updates are available for the lifetime of the product, thereby providing the high level of detection. Highlights include automatic update functionality, the AVG Resident Shield, which provides real-time protection as files are opened and programs are run, free Virus Database Updates for the lifetime of the product, and AVG Virus Vault for safe handling of infected files. avast! 4 Home Edition Download [Download] Avast Home Edition is a free, complete ICSA certified antivirus software for home noncommercial use. Avast Home Edition includes the following components: On Demand Scanner--with skinnable simple interface--just select what do you want to scan in which way and press the �Play� button; On Access Scanner--special providers to protect the most of available e-mail clients; Instant Messaging--ICQ, Miranda; Network traffic--intrusion detection--lightweight firewall; P2P protection for Kazza, BitTorrent; Web shield--monitors and filter all HTTPtraffic; NNTP Scanner--scans all Usenet Newsgroup traffic and all operations with files on PC; Boot Time Scanner--scans disks in the same way and in the same time as Windows CHKDSK does. True incremental updates are small and fast. Nod32 [Download] Surprisingly I found this anti-virus one of the best of the lot. It it really fast, uses new advanced heurirtic techniques; and uses minimal resources. it seems to be (i think) the only anti-virus which has got 100% AV bulletin, thruout. Free Adware, Spyware removers: ---------------------------------------- Ad-Aware SE Personal Edition [Download] With the ability to scan your RAM, registry, hard drives, and external storage devices for known data-mining, advertising, and tracking components, Ad-aware SE easily can clean your system, allowing you to maintain a higher degree of privacy while you surf the Web. Spybot - Search & Destroy [Download] Spybot - Search & Destroy can detect and remove a multitude of adware files and modules from your computer. Spybot also can clean program and Web-usage tracks from your system, which is especially useful if you share your computer. Modules chosen for removal can be sent directly to the included file shredder, ensuring complete elimination from your system. For advanced users, it allows you to fix Registry inconsistencies related to adware and to malicious program installations. The handy online-update feature ensures that Spybot always has the most current and complete listings of adware, dialers, and other uninvited system residents. Microsoft Windows AntiSpyware beta [Download] Windows AntiSpyware (beta) is a security technology that helps protect Windows users from spyware and other potentially unwanted software. Known spyware on your PC can be detected and removed. This helps reduce negative effects caused by spyware, including slow PC performance, annoying pop-up ads, unwanted changes to Internet settings, and unauthorized use of your private information. Continuous protection improves Internet browsing safety by blocking more than 50 ways spyware can enter your PC. Free Firewalls: -------------------- ZoneAlarm [Download] ZoneAlarm is designed to protect your DSL- or cable-connected PC from hackers. This program includes four interlocking security services: a firewall, an application control, an Internet lock, and Zones. The firewall controls the door to your computer and allows only traffic you understand and initiate. The application control allows you to decide which applications can and cannot use the Internet. The Internet lock blocks Internet traffic while your computer is unattended or while you're not using the Internet, and it can be activated automatically with your computer's screensaver or after a set period of inactivity. Zones monitor all activity on your computer and alert you when a new application attempts to access the Internet. Sygate Personal Firewall [Download] (says $39.95 but its free for personal use) Sygate Personal Firewall provides security in a user-friendly interface, protecting your PC from hackers, Trojan horses, and DOS attacks. New features include deep-packet inspection, anti-application-hijacking, a log dampener, and enhanced logging. Sygate Personal Firewall is the first free PC firewall to offer protection from malicious code intrusions, keeping the information on your PC safe and private. Version 5.6 may include unspecified updates, enhancements, or bug fixes. Free Registry Cleaners: ------------------------------ CCleaner [Download] CCleaner (Crap Cleaner) is a system-optimization tool. It removes unused and temporary files from your system, allowing it to run faster and more efficiently, and giving you more hard-disk space. The application cleans traces left by Windows, Internet Explorer, and third-party applications. TweakNow RegCleaner [Download] The Registry is the heart and soul of any Windows system. It contains information that controls how your system appears and how it behaves. When you install an application, new Registry entries will be created. These entries automatically will be deleted when you uninstall the application. Unfortunately, this process does not always work. Sometimes, some applications fail to remove their own Registry entries. These entries become obsolete. This will significantly increase the Registry size and slow down your computer, because Windows will need more time to load, search, and read data from the Registry. To keep your computer at top performance, it is recommended you periodically clean your Windows Registry. Misc. Utilities -------------------- Tweak UI [Download] The Windows shell-development team did some extra programming and put together a set of tools called Power Toys. If you're a power user, go ahead and try them out, but be forewarned that Power Toys aren't supported by Microsoft because they're not part of Windows. This group of "toys" lets you adjust your Windows user interface, including menu speed, window animation, and Microsoft Internet Explorer. CWShredder [Download] This tool will find and destroy all traces of the CoolWebSearch (CWS) hijacker on your system. This includes: · Redirections to CoolWebSearch related pages · Redirections when mistyping URLs · Redirections when visiting Google · Enormous IE slowdowns when typing · IE start page/search page changing on reboot · Sites in the IE Trusted Zone you didn't add · Popups in Google and Yahoo when searching · Errors at startup mentioning WIN.INI or IEDLL.EXE · Unable to change or see certain items in IE Options · Unable to access IE Options at all Cacheman [Download] Cacheman is a utility designed to improve the performance of your computer by optimizing the disk cache, memory, and a number of other settings. Cacheman is able to prevent frequent paging to the hard disk, resulting in improved performance, system-reaction time, and stability. Wizards and predefined profiles make it suitable for novices, yet it also is powerful and versatile enough for the more experienced user. Cacheman also corrects generic problems on systems with more than 512MB of RAM. What can you do with Cacheman? You can optimize the disk, name-and-path, CD-ROM, and icon caches. Periodically you can recover memory. Watch and monitor several important system values such as overview page, history graph, and logging. Tweak several system settings to improve performance. Use the tray icon for monitoring. Create system configuration reports.
Maul, I wrote something up earlier stating basically the same thing... oh well... In anti-viruses, you forgot to include Nod32. and a direct link to sygate's free edition is at: http://smb.sygate.com/products/spf_standard.htm
