No Anti-Virus or Anti-Spyware program is 100% effective.
Every day, new viruses and spyware-malware files are released and intentionally spread through the internet.
As long as the internet remains free and unregulated, EVERYBODY is exposed and there is no getting around it.
The better Anti-Virus and Anti-Spyware programs update their definition files ASAP .. usually every day or two.
The result is a never-ending cat and mouse game of the two factions trying to stay ahead of each other.

If your Anti-Virus or Anti-Spyware program is NOT constantly updated, you are unprotected. This is a
common mistake many users make. Another misunderstanding is that the only GOOD programs cost money.
Not true. Several companies offer excellent FREE programs complete with free updates. In fact, several of the
most well known non-free 'AV' and 'AS' programs are consistently rated very low in performance.

A complete system scan for viruses and spyware can take quite a while, and often it takes running the
scan several times to get all the 'bad guys'. But what is NOT commonly known is that viruses and spyware can
'control' the scan as long as Windows is running. This means that Windows can be fooled into actually protecting the
malicious files and limiting the Anti-Virus or Anti-Spyware program you are using.
So the problem never really goes away.

In that case, Windows must be disabled. This is done by removing the hard drive and
attaching it as a 'slave' drive to a second computer which conducts the scanning process.
PC PLACE to the rescue!

After the nasty stuff is gone, it's time to remove all the leftover remnants of unused programs and
clean out and optimize Windows' Registry.

Check out my 'FREE TIPS AND TWEAKS' page for links to recommended free programs.