Is there any decent Antivirus/firewall software available as free downloads?

99% of all internet problems can be attributed to the wrong set of Web browser and Email clients in coordination of the

AV/ Spyware / Firewall software.

Get the following, all are free for a safe surfing experience, with proven track records and do not take up

system resources like Norton or McAffee.

install in SAFE mode with networking ( hit F-8 at boot time ), run them all in SAFE mode

with networking as you'll need it for the updates all the programs below will need.

Turn off RESTORE and the RECYLE BIN temporarily as virii can regenerate / reinfect even if you delete

them with both services on. After all the scanning and cleaning after a 2nd reboot and one last

scan do you turn both of them back on.

ANTI VIRAL

AVG (free) http://free.grisoft.com/

FIREWALL

ZoneAlarm http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/co...

WEB BROWSER - http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox

EMAIL use thunderbird. It has a good built in spam filter and learns when you teach it. http://www.mozilla.org/products/thunderb...

SPYWARE

http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaw...

http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index...

Once you set it all up create 3 email accounts..

a hotmail or yahoo account for web ''verification'', this account you will not care if it get spammed

a sub account ( from the master account )to your ISP that you use for logons, this is the one you use for personal