Windows 10: I need protection, but I'm not working, what do I do?

I just went ballistic. After my 5th or 6th attempt to upgrade from Windows 8.1 to Windows 10, folks here have given me enough tips to keep me crashing every few minutes. However, I still have the free ISO sitting in my download file which I will ask the kind folks over in the Installation forum how to burn off.

In the meantime, this morning I woke up unable to access my computer. I JUST purchased and installed a new router a week ago today. That SSID wasn't even visible in my list. So I did like most would do and did a warm reboot. When the splash screen came on and I attempted to sign into windows, my password didn't work. I have an extremely unique, long (15 characters long) using Caps and stuff, so there's no chance anyone grabbed it. I don't download torrents anymore. Only think I added in the last few days was Open Office I downloaded straight from thier mirror.

Since I'm not working, I rely on Windows Defender virus protection and as well as Windows Firewall. Oh, and the new router, instead of using my wife's uncle's 13yr old b/g router with only WEP, I'm using WPA2-PSK (AES encryption) pretty much like everyone else is these days.

I don't get it! Again, I NEED this computer stable as hell as my wife and I are homeschooling our daughter. Not withstanding, I'm also looking to work from home telecommuting. I need this computer safe and stable! As soon as I make some $$$ I'll re-invest into better software and such. But for now, what can I get from Cnet downloads or directly from a company?

I know all about the saying, "You get what you pay for..." But I'm sure I can get some sort of protection above and beyond what's preinstalled in Windows 10? Please don't suggest any programs that will find what's wrong, but won't fix it unless I upgrade for $29.99. That's EXTREMELY aggravating!!!!!!

:)

 

it says i need an email program? were do i get it from?

it tells me there is an email program needed that i dont have. were do i get it from

 

do I need to get a virus protection and not count on defender

I did a full restore and then it gave me the windows defender. At the outset it worked BUT I continued to watch since the very second I was restored windows defender blocking an attack of someone trying to take over files.

THESE ARE NOT VIRUSES IM NOT SURE ANY OF THOSE TERMS EXIST. VIRUSES AND MALWARE THAT IS.

I've been a nosey PC owner and for over ten years I've been watching in deep computer management applications with people changing permissions globally on my PC.

They hack through many ways so m any many ways. It used to be through adobe downloads and updates.

Now it appears the environment is set up for hackers and mulitple users of YOUR VERY OWN PC THAT YOU PURCHASED FOR LARGE SUMS OF MONEY THAT YOU WORKED HARD TO GET SAY TAXES AT THE END OF THE YEAR TO BUY A PC THAT IS VULNERABLE FROM THE BEGINNING.

We have the store people who can hack you, computer techs, even software providers and the scariest I've seen are the Anti-Virus software companies who are there to save the day and take over your pc as well.

They use your pc for many things but the funniest thing I found was a company with a printer linked to my PC with docs in the Que ---I saw the name of the company and number.

I deleted it. However the more you do to remove them the nastier they get. I just spent the better part of an hour trying to just get to my desktop that I normally wouldn't have a password on.

I ended up having to do another full restore BUT THE PROB WAS THEY NOW HAD A WAY TO TAKE THAT PROCESS OVER THEY GET REALLY NASTY.

NOW THEY OWN ME AND MY PC AND I CANNOT EVEN WATCH A YOUTUBE VIDEO WHICH IS THE NEARLY ONLY THING I DO ONLINE.

i'VE BEEN FORCED TO SIGN INTO AN ACCOUNT WHICH THEY

FORCED ME TO CREATE WITH MICROSOFT IN ORDER TO COMPLETE

MY RESTORE. NOW THEY LOCK ME OUT ANYTIME THEY WANT AND

NOW THEY EVEN CONTROL THE MS ACCOUNT SO I CANNOT EVEN

GET THE RESET CODES ON MY PHONE OR ANYWHERE. THEY OWN

MY 12 YR OLD GMAIL ACCOUNT AND 12 YR OLD YOUTUBE

 

Free versions available that do a good job for me:
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware
AVG Anti-Virus
Both are available from MajorGeeks.Com - MajorGeeks, has always been a reliable source.

The built-in Windows Defender has been good for a lot of folks.

I've had a few difficulties with CNET and Download.com downloads adding PUPs.

 

Hi what is wrong with Windows Defender, I had McAfee and several other paid A V on my laptops. I have uninstalled them all and they all now have The Above installed, not only do I now save money but still get the same protection as I did with the paid ones.
Also if open office is giving you trouble then do a repair job on it
You can also get it straight from the source

 

Well, from the OP''s report Windows Defender did not do a very good job.

Install MBAM free it's a good accomplice where WD fails.

 

MBAM has to be PRO to get active protection.

 

The free version still work fantastic. Just run a threat scan once a week, and you're good. MBAM free and Windows Defender is the best free that lots of people using today.

 

If MBAM stands for Malwarebytes, I had it, it expired, won't let me reinstall. Grrrr! I should really learn how to clean keys in registry without screwing it up too badly. Managed to get Norton uninstalled using thier tool, but thier lost or stolen tool is still stuck on my laptop.

 

The current policy for MBAM Consumer/Home is ONE Trial per system per major program version.
Alas, there is no way to legally reinstall the Trial for the same program version on a given computer.
Any attempt to do so would constitute piracy.

MBAM Free, as @Porthos pointed out, does not provide protection. It is merely an on-demand, manual scanner to help remove malware that made it past your anti-virus onto the system. If you want the layered, real-time protection to help PREVENT infection, then you will need a paid, Premium license.

The cost works out to a few pennies a day. It is much cheaper than the cost of trying to recover from a serious episode of data loss, identity theft or other malware catastrophe. But each computer user must calculate the cost:benefit ratio that best suits that user's risk tolerance, computing habits, and budget.

Thanks,

 

For all software, but especially for security applications, it's probably advisable to download the software directly from the publisher's own site. That will help to ensure that it is the most current version and that it is not bundled with any sorts of unwanted freebies. (There have been instances where even Majorgeeks and bleeping and other credible sources have offered slightly outdated installers.)

Alas, the "Free" AVs are, in large measure, a marketing tool. For most of the "free", 3rd-party anti-virus products, there is usually a down-side. Most of them contain toolbars, upgrade popups/ads, reduced features and/or support, or other disadvantages. One needs to weigh the advantages of being "free" against some of these disadvantages.

MM

 

I get it, I maintain a computer for my mom and whenever there is even a tiny problem she "whines" about it.
As for AV, I would recommend Avast, but choose custom install, pick Minimal Protection, that is all you need.
Afterwards, there a few settings, you might need to change to make it less intrusive, like "Silent/gaming mode".

 

Just to eliminate something... have you already checked that the password the computer actually sees is the one you tried to type?
It could be a keyboard problem (eg. Shift key not working)
In case you didn't know how to do this, once you type in your password, but before pressing enter, there should be a symbol at the right hand side of the password box. (The symbol is part of a circle above a smaller circle- I think it's supposed to resemble be an eye.).
Click on that symbol before pressing enter to see what it thinks you typed - is it what you tried to type?

 

One pay-for which combines AV and AM is Emsisoft Anti-Malware. Trial period, full-power, 30 days. It can be configured for minimum or maximum intervention by end-user, you like minimum, so once the big first-time configuration is out of the way, other than a few alerts a week, other than a few tweaks a week, you're good to go.

 

Emsisoft provides good protections, but I find this software buggy, and because of that I switched to Windows Defender and Malwarebytes Anti Malware Pro. Let me tell you, this configuration show no bug at all, and running fine without any whitelist.