Again, I don’t use Spybot to clean spyware as I don’t have any spyware to clean. I use it for the immunizations which are inserted into IE’s settings and the host file. That’s it. I don’t remember the last time I actually ran a scan on my PC using it. I use ComboFix for all of my virus removal on machines at work…followed up by CCleaner (+reg clean) to remove and remnants or old files related to removed software. That’s it. But the immunizations are a nice thing.
We use CCleaner here alot because it’s quick and easy and because of it’s registry capability. It’s a handy little tool. In fact, anything Piriform makes is handy…including Speccy and Recuva (saved my ass a few months ago BIG TIME).
20-30% fragmentation which is what I often see after a month or two of not defragging my system (or those at work), is a lot. If you ask me. But too each his own. Never had any adverse effects or drives dying prematurely so…to each his own.
Editing the host file is only beneficial if you know exactly what the game, program, etc. is trying to talk to (be it IP or web address). If you don’t, unless you setup a rule to block a particular .exe from going outbound, it will go outbound. Hence why I said Windows’ new Firewall wizard is a PITA for me. Much easier to just use Zonealarm for that. It’s not a resource hog as far as I can tell, so what’s the big deal? It’s just doing what Windows firewall does, but via 3rd party app.
If you’re relying on Zonealarm to protect you from intrusions, etc. and running it in that way…then yeah…might be a POS. I’m running it strictly to block certain programs from going outbound and it’s much easier/quicker to do so via ZA than through Windows’ CP. At least for me it is.
Too each his own I say…there is 1000 ways to do something in Windows. And THAT, ladies and gentlemen, is the beauty of Windows.