Ultimate Virus Scanning Desktop

[myPCTechs]

I'm putting together a desktop machine with Windows XP and loaded with the best low-cost or free virus and spyware scanners I can find. I've done quite a bit of research into virus software detection rates, scan speeds, reviews, etc. of the various software. The goal of the machine is on demand scanning - IE pop in drives from infected systems and scan them with 3-4 tools simultaneously.

I wanted to run my list by you and ask you the question - if you could load ONE computer with all of the best anti-virus, spyware, rootkit tools that you use, what tools would you put on there? Here's the list I have so far:

MalwareBytes
SuperAntiSpyware
Spybot Search & Destroy
HijackThis
Microsoft Security Essentials
Avast
AVG
Kaspersky
Avira
Viper Rescue

 

[MobileTechie]

Does HJT work offline like that then?

 

[badkinsdesigns]

Just found it on another post but tried it a couple nights ago and loved it. Hitman Pro, not free but only 20 bucks. You need to have an internet connection though, its library is in the cloud.

 

[PC Ops]

My 2 cents: Threatfire. You should add that to your doctor-rig Or give it a try at least.

Good luck.

 

[ajc196]

For on-demand scanning of slaved/hot-swapped drives, I use a combo of MSE and SAS.

--MSE has amazing detection rates, and has gotten nasty things that the likes of Avast, Dr. Web, AVG, etc. easily missed. Last one I can think of specifcally was win32:Bamital.

--SAS has much better targeted scanning than its brothers in spirit, MBAM and SbyBot. It's good at grabbing Vundo, rogues, and others that don't have AV signatures.

--MBAM is good at detecting behaviors and things loaded into the running memory, so it's typically a waste of an on-demand scan when you're slaving/hot-swapping the drive and scanning it.

 

[othersteve]

For me, it's all manual removal via remote registry editing after loading the hives. Then, the rest of the removal is a cinch.

I also have been working very passively on a Remote Driver Inspector tool to spot modified and otherwise suspicious system files rather quickly from offline. It's still not ready for release however

I am planning on providing it for some of my colleagues on here if I get it to a stable and dependable point however. It's the least I can do to try and help the community

 

[PcTek9]

Hitman Pro is definitely Awesome. Thumbs up badkinsdesigns.
You can tell people about innovative technology that reduces scanning from hours to minutes, but until they try something using cloud technology like hitmanpro... They'll just keep missing the boat.
Thumbs up for a super fast scanner that is just amazing!

IF YOU HAVE NOT TRIED IT, TRY IT. +1 for badkins reputation.

 

[ZenTree]

For me, it's all manual removal via remote registry editing after loading the hives. Then, the rest of the removal is a cinch.

I also have been working very passively on a Remote Driver Inspector tool to spot modified and otherwise suspicious system files rather quickly from offline. It's still not ready for release however

I'd second the offline comment, I still use scans to clear up any left overs if needs be (or If I'm about to leave and just throw up on the bench) but it's very satisfying to clean a system in sub 5 minutes.

Re the remote driver tool - sounds very impressive if you can get it working. kudos

 

[Cambridge PC Support]

I no longer use HJT, because I use OTL .

never heard of that one, anyone else use/recommend OTL?

 

[Martyn]

Just found it on another post but tried it a couple nights ago and loved it. Hitman Pro, not free but only 20 bucks. You need to have an internet connection though, its library is in the cloud.

That's per pc not a tech licence isn't it?

 

[othersteve]

OTL is amazing, and I use it on every PC I clean.

I have years of experience with it however, so it does take some getting used to (it's quite dangerous if you are not used to it). These days I can parse logs in my sleep!

Its documentation is now public knowledge as of earlier this year if you are interested.

 

[Cambridge PC Support]

These days I can parse logs in my sleep!

poor Mrs OtherSteve

 

[othersteve]

poor Mrs OtherSteve

Oh yeah, the wife is on me 24/7 about how nerdy I am. I even run a videogame podcast out of my basement! :O

 

[Martyn]

Oh yeah, the wife is on me 24/7 about how nerdy I am. I even run a videogame podcast out of my basement! :O

lol but they don't complain at the rewards do they? All those years I have spent studying, learning, progressing, being nerdy is part of the territory.

 

[othersteve]

lol but they don't complain at the rewards do they? All those years I have spent studying, learning, progressing, being nerdy is part of the territory.

Haha! Got that right. Though honestly, as much experience as I have, my IT work is still very much hobby-level. I work for a family company doing management/finance full-time, with IT as a side gig. I'd love to grow it into something much, much larger, but it's sure tough to find good prospects with all the low-priced half-techs around these days.

So yeah, not rich yet, just very ambitious. ;-) Maybe a local company would take me on if I ever needed a good position in IT someplace.

 

[MobileTechie]

hitman pro does not appear to allow you to point it at a drive to scan it.

 

[badkinsdesigns]

That's per pc not a tech licence isn't it?

It took awhile to reply because I wanted to be sure. 20 Dollars is a single user license. Surf Right offers "Incident Licenses" where you have a license that is valid on one computer for 3 days. The smallest amount that these are available is 25 which costs 141.25 USD.

You are able to use the scanner to test for viruses/adware for free before deciding you need to use the Incident License. From what I can see this isn't on their website and you actually need to contact them for the information.

 

[MobileTechie]

For this particular situation it doesn't really matter because Hitman doesn't scan drives on demand. It only scans the system on which it is installed. I have a paid version of it on my workstation but I cannot tell it to scan a drive, only files or individual folders.

Same goes with some of the other tools mentioned in the thread. They are good tools but no use in a scanning station.

 

[badkinsdesigns]

You can run it from a usb key, uninstalled, to scan a particular computer (as long as it can get internet access).

 

[MobileTechie]

Yeah I know you can run it on their system but the OP was about a scanning workstation not about AV tools in general.

I rate Hitman as a portable tool. It will find infections and rootkits other scanners like MBAM etc don't find.