# What free software is essential to keep a computer healthy and fast? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 5, 2003, 8:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-free-software-is-essential-to-keep-a-computer-healthy-and-fast/211524 "2003-11-05T08:40:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tross](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/97f17d/32.png) [@Tross](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tross)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2003, 8:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-free-software-is-essential-to-keep-a-computer-healthy-and-fast/211524/1 "2003-11-05T08:40:52Z")
I have found AVG Anti-Virus System and Lavasoft Ad-aware to be great free programs. Do you agree? What other free programs are there to keep computers running fast and clean? What free programs do you recommend, why, and what do they do? TIA, Tross ---
**Author:** ![Reepicheep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@Reepicheep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reepicheep)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2003, 9:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-free-software-is-essential-to-keep-a-computer-healthy-and-fast/211524/2 "2003-11-05T09:00:54Z")
[ZoneAlarm!](http://www.zonelabs.com) ---
**Author:** ![Harmonix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Harmonix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonix)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2003, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-free-software-is-essential-to-keep-a-computer-healthy-and-fast/211524/3 "2003-11-05T11:34:18Z")
I use pop up stopper, but that aint free. Still you can find plenty of free ones, and I think they’re essential to usage of your computer. ---
**Author:** ![II\_Gyan\_II](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bbe5ce/32.png) [@II\_Gyan\_II](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/II_Gyan_II)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2003, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-free-software-is-essential-to-keep-a-computer-healthy-and-fast/211524/4 "2003-11-05T11:43:47Z")
Check out [WebGrid](http://webgrid.co.uk) for a comprehensive listing of Windows freeware. Just browse around, you will find programs that will be useful. ---
**Author:** ![lauramarlane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a5b964/32.png) [@lauramarlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lauramarlane)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2003, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-free-software-is-essential-to-keep-a-computer-healthy-and-fast/211524/5 "2003-11-05T12:01:26Z")
I use Google’s tool bar and it provides a free popup stopper that works really well. I also use [Spybot](http://spybot.eon.net.au/) . I used to use Adaware, but I found that Spybot seems to catch more things. ---
**Author:** ![Monkey\_Lore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Monkey\_Lore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monkey_Lore)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2003, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-free-software-is-essential-to-keep-a-computer-healthy-and-fast/211524/6 "2003-11-05T12:27:43Z")
I’ll second Spybot. For blocking popups (and other things like flash) I use [Proxomitron](http://www.proxomitron.info/) [Cacheman](http://www.outertech.com/index.php?_charisma_page=product&id=2) claims to “improve the performance of your computer by optimizing the disk cache, memory and a number of other settings.” There are also some nice little utility programs at [Sysinternals](http://systeminternals.com), specifically PageDefrag and Contig. ---
**Author:** ![DougC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@DougC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DougC)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2003, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-free-software-is-essential-to-keep-a-computer-healthy-and-fast/211524/7 "2003-11-05T12:52:23Z")
- - - Repeated, but anyway: - Zonealarm, nice to have even on dialup because it tells you when specific programs are trying to get network access, - Adaware to destroy annoying cookies, - Spybot Search and Destroy if you (or someone else in the home) is one to install junk software, and - Netscape browser, blocks popups and lacks typical IE security vulnerabilities. Lately Mozilla isn’t working right for me, Javascript is crashing it. - Eraser, to get rid of files permanently. … and probably other stuff too, that I can’t remember right now. - But really if you are using WinXP, the most important thing is to find someplace that tells you how to disable/cover all the vulnerabilities it comes with built-in. ~ ---
**Author:** ![Scarf-Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Scarf-Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarf-Ace)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2003, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-free-software-is-essential-to-keep-a-computer-healthy-and-fast/211524/8 "2003-11-05T13:02:43Z")
I find Linux pretty good. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2003, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-free-software-is-essential-to-keep-a-computer-healthy-and-fast/211524/9 "2003-11-05T14:59:30Z")
Defrag, Scandisk & registery defraggers. It of course, depends on the computer. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2003, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-free-software-is-essential-to-keep-a-computer-healthy-and-fast/211524/10 "2003-11-05T15:03:51Z")
That’s GNU/Linux to you! [/rms] ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2003, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-free-software-is-essential-to-keep-a-computer-healthy-and-fast/211524/11 "2003-11-05T18:23:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by DougC \* > > - But really if you are using WinXP, the most important thing is to find someplace that tells you how to disable/cover all the vulnerabilities it comes with built-in. Or just use an OS that doesn’t have vulnerabilities to begin with. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![bughunter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aeb1de/32.png) [@bughunter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bughunter)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2003, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-free-software-is-essential-to-keep-a-computer-healthy-and-fast/211524/12 "2003-11-05T19:33:17Z")
Yea, I was gonna say “Linux.” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2003, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-free-software-is-essential-to-keep-a-computer-healthy-and-fast/211524/13 "2003-11-05T21:16:03Z")
I put the following apps onto any PC I setup:[ul][li]Ad-aware[/li][li]SpyBot[/li][li]Winzip[/li][li]WinAmp (2.81, v3 blows!)[/li]EMS Free surfer (the best popup stopper & free!)[/ul] ---
**Author:** ![YourOldBuddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/bc79bd/32.png) [@YourOldBuddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YourOldBuddy)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2003, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-free-software-is-essential-to-keep-a-computer-healthy-and-fast/211524/14 "2003-11-05T22:54:42Z")
I second Hail Ants recommendations except I recommend WinAce for compression. WinZip blows. ZoneAlarm is nice and user friendly for Win2k users. The built in Firewall is good enough for XP. I like F-Prot for virus detection. It is a pretty slow scanner but very effective. I also like AVG and Panda. ---
**Author:** ![DreadCthulhu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/db5fbb/32.png) [@DreadCthulhu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DreadCthulhu)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2003, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-free-software-is-essential-to-keep-a-computer-healthy-and-fast/211524/15 "2003-11-06T00:09:27Z")
I reccomend using either Mozilla or Firebird as your browser. They have very good built in pop-up blocking, and the tabbed browsing is very handy. ---
**Author:** ![olefin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/d78d45/32.png) [@olefin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/olefin)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2003, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-free-software-is-essential-to-keep-a-computer-healthy-and-fast/211524/16 "2003-11-06T04:30:58Z")
W-XP Ad-Aware (free) ZoneAlarm (free), cable internet. IE-SPYAD (free) Another IE Popup Killer, (free)… and it WORKS! (note it only works on IE, I have tried many popup killers…all others were more trouble than the stupid popup! I also have a router for we have two computers. Norton 2002 on my new computer and AVG (free) on the older computer. I never do updates or any other computer so called PM’s. My new computer hasn’t froze in almost three years. Never had a virus that Norton didn’t catch. ---
**Author:** ![Apex\_Rogers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@Apex\_Rogers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apex_Rogers)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2003, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-free-software-is-essential-to-keep-a-computer-healthy-and-fast/211524/17 "2003-11-06T05:59:55Z")
_Never had a virus that Norton didn’t catch._ As far as you know 😃 ---
**Author:** ![cletus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f08c70/32.png) [@cletus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cletus)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2003, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-free-software-is-essential-to-keep-a-computer-healthy-and-fast/211524/18 "2003-11-06T06:28:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by DougC \* > \*\*But really if you are using WinXP, the most important thing is to find someplace that tells you how to disable/cover all the vulnerabilities it comes with built-in. > ~ \*\* [[http://grc.com/default.htm](http://grc.com/default.htm)]Gibson Research Site ---
**Author:** ![II\_Gyan\_II](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bbe5ce/32.png) [@II\_Gyan\_II](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/II_Gyan_II)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2003, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-free-software-is-essential-to-keep-a-computer-healthy-and-fast/211524/19 "2003-11-06T06:43:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Hail Ants \*\*\* > WinAmp (2.81, v3 blows!) > \*\* Try Winamp 5 (Beta 2) here. Best of both versions. Hasn’t crashed (yet) on my system. ---
**Author:** ![II\_Gyan\_II](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bbe5ce/32.png) [@II\_Gyan\_II](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/II_Gyan_II)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2003, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-free-software-is-essential-to-keep-a-computer-healthy-and-fast/211524/20 "2003-11-06T06:44:31Z")
Oops, forgot link 🙂 [Here](http://www.softrom.ro/7565.asp). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-free-software-is-essential-to-keep-a-computer-healthy-and-fast/211524.md?page=2)