You've found the famous Dave's Garden website! Join this friendly global community that shares tips and ideas for home and gardens, along with seeds and plants!
Check out the DG homepage for a brief overview of what you'll find in this gardening mega-site.
Login
If you don't have an account yet, visit the registration page to sign up.
I'm trying to download the latest free version of Ad Aware by Lavasoft.
When I hit the download button it takes me to C/Net Download.com site which downloads all the Ad Aware programs as far as I can see.
In the middle of downloading an Internet Explorer Security box is popping up and telling me that the publisher could not be verified(name: aaw2007.exe)
It also says the file does not have a valid digital signature that verifies it's publisher.
I'm just wondering why this big download site doesn't have a valid signature.
Is this overkill by IE or is it not safe to use the site.
I can't see any other way to download AdAware so I'd sure appreciate any advice you can give me. TIA
Hi there,
My husband is a computer guru so I shared your post with him. Here is his reply. (Sorry if it gets too 'geeky'!)
There are much better and more reliable products than Ad-Aware.
Years ago, Ad-Aware was one of the best. Then they either bowed down to legal pressure or monetary compensation to “dumb down” their detection rates.
In other words, they removed several “bad things” from detection of their product.
Their integrity has been questionable ever since.
In an attempt to recreate your problem, we first notice that this aaw2007.exe is a 20MB install file?!?!?
What does the software eventually grow to once installed? Can we all say “bloatware”? Ad-Aware is NOT what it used to be!
We were not able to recreate what you encountered duing your download. Our download completed without any certificate message.
This was done on Microsoft Vista & Internet Explorer 7.
Generally certificate messages can be spawned as easily as typing “download.com” instead of http://www.download.com (or visa-versa, depending on what the certificate is set up as).
SpyBot Search & Destroy is a great replacement although it’s advanced features should be used only by seasoned computer users.
CCleaner is another excellent program. Small in size; ease of use.
SpywareBlaster & Super AntiSpyware round out the list of trustable, effective alternatives.
Many thanks to both you and DH for going to the trouble of trying to recreate my problem. And a special thanks for the good advice and the different alternate programs.
I went with the Super AntiSpyware. So far I like it very much as far as ease of use, the smaller size and it picked up 94 threats tonight so it's working. LOL
Thanks again . I appreciate all that you both did.
Terry
LoriLL and DH
I have a norton anti virus and will probably be expected to pay some money soon. Will ththis Super AntoSpyware replace Norton and is it free? Do I just go to their website to install it?
Thanks LoriLL
Why should we pay when we can get it free? Since your DH is our geek are these programs that you all use and reccomend? Why do I need anti-virus and spyware on a pc? There is just so much about a computer that I am in the dark about.
I used the FREE version of AVG for over 5 years and loved it. Initially, WindowsXP only liked the PAID version (which was very inexpensive) to allow it into it's securtiy routine. I don't know about Vista, as my ISP furnishes anti-spyware and anti-virus software now. And if their software doesn't do a good job, I'll go right back to AVG!
Also, my anti-virus software detected a bug in an older version of Ad-Aware on my other computer!
Here are some more thoughts from my DH regarding antivirus, spyware, etc.
"Our ISP offers McAfee Security Suite for free that you use on one of your laptops.
I run the corporate/enterprise version of McAfee on my work laptop as required by my corporate standards.
As for a #1 favorite antivirus/security suite product, there’s none better than Kaspersky (KAV = Kaspersky Antivirus; KIS = Kaspersky Internet Suite).
It is not free but well worth the money. It has one of the highest detection rates and they release automatic updates hourly compared to others that release updates only daily.
That’s a much smaller window of opportunity for anything bad getting on your pc.
They also provide quick excellent support when needed.
I’ve used it over the years on my (once) main pc.
Why pay when you can find free alternatives? That’s an individual preference and one that is argued all the time.
Sometimes, you see the difference (as above). Other times, you would be hard pressed to see any different.
Surprisingly, the free versions have maintained their share by offering excellent support (especially when compared to Symantec or McAfee).
Why have antivirus and antispyware protection? Viruses used to number 200 new variants/day. Today, that number has grown to 2,000 new variants/day.
What is more threatening, is your privacy and there are big companies with deep pockets willing to do whatever necessary to track your internet activities.
The other threat is that others can/will take command of your pc and use it to host file sharing or “own” it as part of an army of pc’s used to attack companies in denial of service attacks.
All of this can be done without your knowledge by merely being tricked into clicking a bad link or pop-up box that your “non-existent” antivirus program would have blocked.
The only symptom you may notice is that your pc has suddenly become snail-like slow and unusable.
