rjbull: my first 2 software articles were related to antivirus solutions that will work for 9x. Both
background scanning and layering it with
on demand/per file scanning, using 2 different scanners that are still supporting 9x...and are free.
Then topping that off with a
more secure browser (one that will offer you security patches if they are needed, even if you are running 9x).
Firewalls were something I was going to get into, as well as antispyware solutions.
For now, I suggest getting
Spybot and using the vaccination feature, then running a weekly scan with that (when you are not using the pc for something else). Don't use the background scanning on an old slow computer.
I also would suggest either the last free version of
Sygate,
Kerio,
Tiny, or
ZoneAlarm 4 (turn off the email scanning in it or it can clash with your antivirus' email scanning)
A real firewall doesn't need to download definitions from the company to do its job. That stuff is unrelated to the actual firewall, itself.
That stuff was added when they decided to make a combo product that does the job of a firewall...and anti-malware scanner.
If they are no longer going to give you anti-malware protection, you can use other products for that and use an older version that is a firewall only.
I don't really like most of the combo products available. Most of the time they take a good product that is good at one thing and add features that they are not so good at.
Would you rather have the best firewall and the best antivirus? or a great antivirus with a not so great firewall? or a great firewall with a not so great antivirus.
I would rather have the best of each...seperately.