Trend Micro PC-cillin came along with my Dell laptop...well, after a while it has stopped updating and is asking for a 1 year subscription...at $86 a pop!

With the plethoria of free anti-virus software out there, is there any real benefit to purchasing a subscription to their service, or would one be better served with one of the plethoria of free programs that exist on the market...AVG, Avira, Threatfire...would I be better of getting rid of PC-cillin in favor of one of these (or another as suggested by the forum)?

Russ F

This is what I usually tell people after the cleaning process. Especially Kaspersky is great

• Make your Internet Explorer more secure - This can be done by following these simple instructions:
  
  • From within Internet Explorer click on the Tools menu and then click on Options.
  • Click once on the Security tab
  • Click once on the Internet icon so it becomes highlighted.
  • Click once on the Custom Level button.
    
    • Change the Download signed ActiveX controls to Prompt
    • Change the Download unsigned ActiveX controls to Disable
    • Change the Initialise and script ActiveX controls not marked as safe to Disable
    • Change the Installation of desktop items to Prompt
    • Change the Launching programs and files in an IFRAME to Prompt
    • Change the Navigate sub-frames across different domains to Prompt
    • When all these settings have been made, click on the OK button.
    • If it prompts you as to whether or not you want to save the settings, press the Yes button.
  • Next press the Apply button and then the OK to exit the Internet Properties page.
  
  
• Use an Anti Virus Software - It is very important that your computer has an anti-virus software running on your machine. This alone can save you a lot of trouble with malware in the future. Here are some Anti Virus products which are free for personal use and most used:
  Avast
  Avira AntiVir
  
  Here are some really good paid programs which you can buy online or in a shop nearby:
  ESET NOD32
  Kaspersky Anti-Virus or Kaspersky Internet Security with Firewall included
  
• Update your Anti Virus Software - It is imperitive that you update your Anti virus software at least once a week (Even more if you wish). If you do not update your anti virus software then it will not be able to catch any of the new variants that may come out.
  
• Use a Firewall - Using a Firewall on your computer can be very important. Without a firewall your computer is susceptible to being hacked and taken over. There are some different situations you can be in where a third-party firewall may or may not be a good addition to your system:
  
  • If you are not using Windows XP or Vista, but an older version I recommend you to use a firewall.
  • If you are using Windows XP or Vista, but are on dial-up I recommend you to use a firewall.
  • If you are using Windows XP or Vista and are using broadband, but are not experienced in using firewalls and getting the choice to allow or disallow things I recommend you to use Windows Firewall.
  • If you are using Windows XP or Vista, are using broadband and experienced, I recommend you to disable Windows Firewall (as it is not perfect) and get a third-party firewall.
  
  
  Here are some firewalls which are free for personal use and most used:
  Kerio Personal Firewall (Free version after 30 days)
  Online Armor Free
  
  Or you could buy their paid version online or in a shop nearby:
  Kerio Personal Firewall (Continue paid version after 30 days)
  Online Armor
  
• Visit Microsoft's Update Site Frequently - It is important that you visit http://update.microsoft.com/ regularly. This will ensure your computer has always the latest security updates available installed on your computer. If there are new updates to install, install them immediately, reboot your computer, and revisit the site until there are no more critical updates.
  
• Install SpywareBlaster - SpywareBlaster will add a large list of programs and sites into your Internet Explorer settings that will protect you from running and downloading known malicious programs. You can download it here:
  SpywareBlaster
  
• Install WinPatrol - As a robust security monitor, WinPatrol will alert you to hijackings, malware attacks and critical changes made to your computer without your permission. WinPatrol takes snapshot of your critical system resources and alerts you to any changes that may occur without your knowledge. You can download it from this website:
  WinPatrol
  The developer is a well-known man in the MalWare Removal business. If you really like WinPatrol think about upgrading to the PLUS version. It will give you additional features and you will only have to pay once, for your whole malware-free life.
  
• Install MVPS HOSTS - This custom hosts file effectively blocks a wide range of unwanted ads, banners, 3rd party Cookies, 3rd party page counters, web bugs, and many hijackers.
  For information on how to download and install, please read this tutorial here:
  WinHelp2002
  Note: Be sure to follow the instructions to disable the DNS Client service before installing a custom hosts file.
  
• Use an alternative Internet Browser - Many of the exploits are directed to users of Internet Explorer. Try using a different browser instead:
  Firefox << Most used, I use this one myself.
  Opera
  
• Bookmark general cleanup link - It could be that your computer is becoming slower and slower. This is not always the cause of malware. Most of the times it's malware when you're computer is suddenly getting slow or doing strange. When the slowdown increases slowly, check (so now bookmark) this link for tips & tricks:
  What to do if your Computer's running slowly
  
• Update all these programs regularly - Make sure you update all the programs I have listed regularly. Without regular updates you WILL NOT be protected when new malicious programs are released.

Hope that helps.

Like tallin said this link also says the same and sometimes more, so good to read:
http://forums.whatthetech.com/Computer_Tip...413#entry533413