I searched this website for info but only got bits and pieces. Here is my issue.
I recently reinstalled Windows XP SP2. I have been using Norton Antivirus and Firewall products forever, but now I want to dump them. Have already gotten rid of the antivirus and installed another antivirus program which seems to be working fine. Windows updater just downloaded and wanted to install IE 7 - I said no. Actually I had IE 7 before the XP reinstall - I liked it - and I would like to install it. I also want to install Comodo Firewall.
I read somewhere that there were issues with CFW and IE 7. And from this forum I kind of gather that there is a right way and the “other way” to do these installations. I still have Norton Personal Firewall, but that is going to be uninstalled.
Could someone please walk me (and maybe other people) through the correct way to do this for the best results, and the least potential for compatibility problems?
Hi Pandlouk, does your suggestion to not use registry cleaners also include “don’t use ccleaner?” Thanks. Reason for the question, I routinely use ccleaner without noticing any direct problems … but occasionally some mystery things happen. Just wondering if ccleaner could be the culprit. I use WinXP, Firefox, IE7, Opera, Outlook, OE, Comodo, NOD32, SpySweeper, Hosts Man and sometimes scan with SpyBot S&D and AdAware.
Yes it includes all the registry cleaners. The only things that are safe to delete with these programs are the sorcuts of removed files. Everything else should be manually reviewed by the user and be deleted only if he know that this key is obsolute.
Personally I prefer clean my registry manually through regedit.
The worst thing that can happen with a big registry file is that the pc loads 10 sec. later than the usual boot time. But the worst thing that can happen with a registry that is mising an important key is that you will not be able to enter in windows.
So yes, registry cleaners are dangerous apps especially when used by novice-intermediate users that accept the default setting of the cleaners and don’t check the keys that will be deleted.
I have been having small problems on my PC and initially thought it was a conflict between Avast and Comodo. I had been doing a search on these forums on Comodo FW / Antivirus Conflicts when i came across this post.
I also visit Bleeping Computer.com and a few weeks back downloaded, installed and ran Ccleaner. I only ran it one time. I now think after reading this post that Ccleaner has been the problem and not being very PC literate would like to know how to fix my registry if that is what is needed.
Last week I got a message that some files were missing and to do a Chkdsk scan to repair them. I did this and although my PC works ok there is still something wrong especially when rebooting my PC. Sometimes there are missing programs on my task bar and I have to reboot a couple of times for it to boot properly. Other times it boots up properly first time.
On my PC I have Comodo FW, Avast Antivirus, Spybot S&D, AdAware, AVG Antispyware, Spyware Blaster. I also have a program called Startup Monitor and wonder if this could cause a possible conflict with SpyBot Teatimer which does a similar thing.
Hi Russ,
I had problems a few years ago when I started getting rid of my Symantec products. When you finally unload your firewall . Make sure you have unloaded everything from the add/remove applet ( I remember 3 things to remove on the applet)
Go to step #2 and download and run the “Norton Removal Tool”. When it is done,I would reboot even if it does not ask you to. From what I can remember, it will remover registry entries and files the uninstaller was not smart enough to remove. Most firewalls such as Kerio, Sygate and Outpost would ask you to clean up left over entries of other firewalls to prevent conflicts and blue screens with their product. It might not be a issue with Comodo, but It is worth mentioning. ( I would ignore Step #3, of course.) Good Luck.
Dumping Symantec is like getting rid of cancer. Every time you say I think I got it all, you’ll find another file somewhere. A registry cleaner like Reg Supreme Pro will find them for you, but there will always be a file you find by accident. After 2 years, I found an active -X file from Symantec in my IE tools, just yesterday. (S)
