Advice.

[Anonymous]

In my windows task bar there is an application running called svcHOST.exe, I am unsure if this a legitimate file, can someone please advice me as what to do. And, besides spyware ect are there any other prgrams on the net that can help prevent infiltration from foreign users?

Also is there a program that can evaluate your system performance as I am unsure of how well my PC is running of late?, for example is there software that can tell you say: your computer is running at 60% performance, which would be bad obviously as the remaning 40% is un-used. Any help would be appreciated.

[Anonymous]

svchost is a windows file which loads the various windows services. When you say its in your task bar, I presume you mean its in “task manager – running process” when you hit ctrl+alt+del?
It shouldn’t appear in your taskbar as far as I know. If it is, you may want to check into it further.

are there any other prgrams on the net that can help prevent infiltration from foreign users?[/quote:bd348a5b9d]

You can download a free version of ZoneAlarm which is a good firewall and will block unwanted intrusions.

[Anonymous]

Using the Microsoft AntiSpyware program
might help, it will list all running processes
and explain what they are.

Also alternatives such as ‘ad aware’
from http://www.lavasoft.de/ is quite good.

Other useful tools are

Startup Monitor and
Startup Control Panel

from http://www.mlin.net/

And Firefox

from http://www.spreadfirefox.com/

is useful :)

[Anonymous]

i use Spybot – Search & Destroy

edit: btw firefoxs is 10x better than i.e.

[Anonymous]

SpyBot is very good alright, it will search out any spyware on your computer and kill the little beggars.

[Anonymous]

Actually I’ve been very unimpressed by spybot. My new laptop got infected with the elite toolbar adware which, among other things, keeps starting up IE to go to http://www.loadingwebpage.com and run activeX controls.

Spybot keeps finding these, but refuses to remove them, or the few it does remove, just re-appear next time I run a scan.

Personally, I’d go with microsoft’s new adware tool, although I’ve heard rumours that the heuristics in it identify IE as the source of most spyware and can try and un-install it!

[Anonymous]

If you install Spybot and AdAware you should be covered, if one has a problem with removing spyware, chances are the other will do it.

[Anonymous]

Yeah there the exact two programs i use. I always do a scan with both of them to make sure every last bugger is found. Another good one is System Cleaner. Its handy for deleting cache files and tonnes of other stuff where spyware and trojans are usually found.

[Anonymous]

Also fun, the Alexa toolbar from amazon is a search toolbar that submits the sites you visit to it’s search engine. Sadly, in IE this also includes any usernames and passwords you submit to get to those sites. It’s not spyware, but I’d recommend avoiding it like the plague too.

Dave

[Anonymous]

Thanks for all the replies, have most of the programs. My main question was answered about the svcHOST.exe file, thx Noopti.

[Anonymous]

Alexa toolbar, funny was just talking about that in another forum recently

alexa have an interest top 100,000 sites thing, and i posted links to graphic complaring are traffic to the other main Dreamcast sites (in under a year it seems that we are the biggest now :D )

e.g. of chart here

yeah and alexa is not the most accurate since it gathers site traffic from people using the alexa toolbar. From the site ..

“Alexa computes traffic rankings by analyzing the Web usage of millions of Alexa Toolbar users. The information is sorted, sifted, anonymized, counted, and computed, until, finally, we get the traffic rankings shown in the Alexa service. The process is relatively complex, but if you have a need to know, please read on.”

most people that get it without wanting it consider the alexa toolbar spyware[/quote:dedf25d045]

personall i stay away from all toolbars, i don’t trush anyone/thing that not from soundforge (except firefox)

ok thats the end of my rant…promise

[Anonymous]

anonymized[/quote:a1ef555efc]

Its not even a real word for Christs sake!! ;)

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