Is my ArmA 2 CO beginning to FAIL me ENTIRELY...?

[Kyle_K_ski]

Uninstalling, using CCleaner to scour the Registry, deleting everything remaining, and reinstalling, as time consuming as all of that was, the results have been TERRIFIC. I had ArmA 2 CO installed a year ago, and the difference in performance is incredible. My framerates with blur on were awful back then, but now, my framerates are MUCH smoother. And I'm still using the hardware I had back then.

So, unless this turns out to be a virus (and Norton came back negative on that), I'll consider this degradation of the game a good thing, in the long run.

Just to be safe though, I backed up the entire game on my external hard drive, without any mods being installed, and without me even starting it up. It's as pristine a backup as I can imagine. And with my firewire connection, far faster than reinstalling from the discs.

Thanks for the advice!

[Tankbuster]

I admire your choice of external HDD connection, and your choice of registry cleaner software, but I'm less keen on your choice of AV software. Norton is useless.

[Kyle_K_ski]

What other product would you suggest?

I used to use Kaspersky, till they released their disastrous 2010 wreckage. My computer's ability to function was just about totally wiped out by it.

Is there free software that's better?

Is there a purchaseable anti-virus program that you think is better?

[Orcinus]

What other product would you suggest?

I use Comodo Internet Security - Firewall, HIPS, AV. The firewall has consistently come top in all the tests by Matousec, beating all comers free or paid. It's free and very good.

I also use RUbotted (Trend Micro) - free, excellent; Malwarebytes AntiMalware (MBAM), again, free and excellent. Daily updates.

RUbotted like Comodo IS is set to run all the time. I run a full scan daily with MBAM on start-up, before connecting to the Internet, & another before closing down.

I have ERUNT set to run automatically on every boot, plus I always run it before any instal/uninstall. I back up all registries. In the event of problems, just restore. Also useful if you do pick up a nasty, restoring registries from before the infection will knock out most if not all trojans. ERDNT can be run from the recovery console or from Bart PE, Hiren's Boot CD, etc.

PS don't ever install two AV programs. They can mutually screw up each other, leaving you worse off than none at all (since you'll falsely believe you're protected).

[Kyle_K_ski]

Thanks Orcinus for your input.

There's no rules about derailing one's own thread, are there?

This has turned into something I never really thought about before. I'll wait till this weekend to make a decision on the advice that I'm getting now.

I've heard in the past that it's never good to have two anti-virus programs running at the same time. That you say the same thing makes that advice more reassuring.

What I appreciate the most about your list, Orcinus, is that you broke the required protections by type (so that there's no overlapping of potentially conflicting coverage), and you gave your top recommendation for each. Thank you for that.

I'm looking forward to see what others' thoughts are on this matter...

[Orcinus]

There's no rules about derailing one's own thread, are there?

Well, all posts are supposed to be on topic; although the mods treat a bit of digression tolerantly, it might be better to start a thread in Off Topic (however, never having searched BI forums on these issues, I have no idea whether this has never been discussed, or dealt with ad nauseam )

[[FRL]Myke]

There's no rules about derailing one's own thread, are there?

Not generally. Typically we look that the thread remains useful for other people having the same or a similar problem so they might find a solution. In this case, solution path can be found within the first eleven posts so no problem so far.

If the interest is given to elaborate more about AV solutions and the pro's and con's, it might make sense to split the thread and move this discussion into the Offtopic section. If you wish, drop me a PM and will do so.