Wednesday, March 9, 2016

Wrong, Every Step She Took Wrong


Original text of email I got from a long ago customer:
Recently our Microsoft Essentials "little house"  has been erratic in its stability.  We have done full scans and quick scans with it staying green for a short period of time changing to orange and then eventually to red.

I googled this question and received an answer that Microsoft is not updating this since last year - so the definitions are not really up to date.  Is this true?
It was suggested that I get AVG Anti Virus which is Free.  I did do this and it  appears to be doing the job with the green circles, etc. 

On that same page there is a area where I can check to "fix performance".  It is a PC Analyzer - After doing this, the report was: many errors in various areas and they said it could be fixed for fee/one time and/or I could get a program for 1 year.  I would not need one for one year but I would like take advantage of the free analyzing of this performance.  Do you think I should do this and is AVG a good solution if indeed Microsoft has stopped updating?

... [I] realize we will have to update to windows 10 when they force us to do so.  If we do not do this will they charge us?
 And here is the original text of my reply, please judge for yourself:
Thanks for asking. If you remember I do not express myself politically correct so please brace yourself for some rough truths:
  • The "little house" you refer to represents Microsoft Security Essentials which was your anti virus program until you installed AVG.
  • ANY anomaly with your anti virus should have rang a LOUD alarm bell.
  • If it has not updated since last year your computer potentially was not protected against common viruses.
  • AVG is a program that I urge my customers to stay away from!
  • It installs really crappy programs, that is how AVG (the company) makes money nowadays.
  • PC Analyzer IMHO is known malware.
  • I bet you that almost ALL the errors that you get shown are false messages meant to scare you into installing even more useless programs.
  • Keep going with these silly suggestions and soon your computer will likely not be usable any longer.
  • No, DO NOT take "advantage" of the "free" solution that you mention, it will make it only worse.
I believe I still could fix the situation and hopefully repair your computer. I guarantee that the free solution will not work to your satisfaction. 
The question about "they" ( I assume you mean Microsoft?) charging you only Microsoft can answer and they, MS, has been asked the same thing thousands of times; so far MS has only replied with marketing blah-blah; we just do not know. My personal suspicion is yes, no later than January 2020 when in MS's view Windows 7 comes to the end of it's supported lifetime.
In case my replies offended you I apologize, that was and is not my intention at all.
For my readers here: No further comment from my side; please come to your own conclusion and PLEASE, don't make similar or the same mistakes.

Stay safe.
 

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