Windows viruses and malware

[hobie]

I was getting hacked and it seemed every other site I went to was popping up with virus warnings. My hardrives were getting locked up or destroyed and my internet was being slowed down to beyond unusable or blocked or unable to connect. So I kept replacing my systems, but it just kept happening. And then I found a reason for the problems and a solution or I should say solutions...

Before I get deeper into it, what has been everyone's experience with these types of issues?

[hobie]

i combined running a antivirus to clean out the viruses (Avast), and a malware software (Malwarebytes)) to stop even non-viruses and was even running Norton Antivirus to compare and see what was coming up, as Norton seems to be the most effective, at least in comparisons. But lets see what everyone has..

[Asia Joe]

I switched to Linux Mint years ago. My background is computers. I have recommended this to many people. They think it's a crazy idea. People don't like to change.  Okay fine. Then live with your windows problems. But sooner or later, you are going to be using Linix. It's the number one OS in the world. Over 90% of all internet servers are Linux. All routers, cable modems, and most cell phones (Except Apple) are Linux. Google Chromebook's are Linux. Android is Linux.

Microsoft is working on their own version of Linus. All those data centers they are building are Linux. 

 

[hobie]

On 7/3/2026 at 2:34 PM, Asia Joe said:

I switched to Linux Mint years ago. My background is computers. I have recommended this to many people. They think it's a crazy idea. People don't like to change.  Okay fine. Then live with your windows problems. But sooner or later, you are going to be using Linix. It's the number one OS in the world. Over 90% of all internet servers are Linux. All routers, cable modems, and most cell phones (Except Apple) are Linux. Google Chromebook's are Linux. Android is Linux.

Microsoft is working on their own version of Linus. All those data centers they are building are Linux. 

 

Yes, my guys tended to do that, but then you have a hard time with getting support for any issues. It works but its like changing from Samsung Android phone to Apple IPhone IOS, takes a while to learn the ropes.

[Asia Joe]

Just a note from a new Linux user on social media, Reddit. 

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First-time Linux user here.

I was a Microsoft user for about 25 years, then switched to a Mac for work.

A couple of days ago, more or less out of nowhere, I decided I wanted to give Linux a try. I remembered I still had an old Windows laptop lying around, about 8–10 years old. I used it regularly until around 2020 and was always annoyed by how slow it was. It really struggled with Windows, it took minutes just to load a browser or open Word. Gaming was never really an option on it anyway, I bought it for office work during my studies.

I booted it up and it still turned on, still slow as hell, but it worked. So I grabbed my Mac, flashed a USB drive with Linux Mint, and installed it on the laptop. I didn't care that all the data was gone, I hadn't needed it in the last six years, and I wasn't going to need it now.

The installation process was flawless. My printer set itself up automatically, and pretty much everything I needed was already preinstalled. What surprised me even more was how incredibly easy the transition was. I expected there to be a much steeper learning curve, vaguely hearing about "the terminal" and all, but using Linux mint is basically the same as Windows (please dont hurt me)

And I don't even know what to say. It might sound kind of weird and a bit ridiculous, but I'm a huge fan of my old laptop now. It kind of gives me these rebellious, "take the power back" vibes.

I haven't used my Mac in days, just this old dinosaur of a computer. It runs great with linux and is really fast, at least in the limits of its possibilites. I'm browsing with Brave, writing stuff in LibreOffice, planning things in Obsidian, and installing all kinds of open-source software that kind of does the same jobs as apps I have to pay for on my Mac (even the "app store" works great). Not everything is perfect, but that's kind of part of the charm. I don't know... I somehow became an instant fan.

Next I might try to install some old games from the early 2000s I still have lying around on CD.

Anyway, that's it. Nothing more to see here. Just wanted to share that I think Linux, and especially Linux Mint, absolutely rules.

[hobie]

22 minutes ago, Asia Joe said:

Just a note from a new Linux user on social media, Reddit. 

------------------------------------------------------

First-time Linux user here.

I was a Microsoft user for about 25 years, then switched to a Mac for work.

A couple of days ago, more or less out of nowhere, I decided I wanted to give Linux a try. I remembered I still had an old Windows laptop lying around, about 8–10 years old. I used it regularly until around 2020 and was always annoyed by how slow it was. It really struggled with Windows, it took minutes just to load a browser or open Word. Gaming was never really an option on it anyway, I bought it for office work during my studies.

I booted it up and it still turned on, still slow as hell, but it worked. So I grabbed my Mac, flashed a USB drive with Linux Mint, and installed it on the laptop. I didn't care that all the data was gone, I hadn't needed it in the last six years, and I wasn't going to need it now.

The installation process was flawless. My printer set itself up automatically, and pretty much everything I needed was already preinstalled. What surprised me even more was how incredibly easy the transition was. I expected there to be a much steeper learning curve, vaguely hearing about "the terminal" and all, but using Linux mint is basically the same as Windows (please dont hurt me)

And I don't even know what to say. It might sound kind of weird and a bit ridiculous, but I'm a huge fan of my old laptop now. It kind of gives me these rebellious, "take the power back" vibes.

I haven't used my Mac in days, just this old dinosaur of a computer. It runs great with linux and is really fast, at least in the limits of its possibilites. I'm browsing with Brave, writing stuff in LibreOffice, planning things in Obsidian, and installing all kinds of open-source software that kind of does the same jobs as apps I have to pay for on my Mac (even the "app store" works great). Not everything is perfect, but that's kind of part of the charm. I don't know... I somehow became an instant fan.

Next I might try to install some old games from the early 2000s I still have lying around on CD.

Anyway, that's it. Nothing more to see here. Just wanted to share that I think Linux, and especially Linux Mint, absolutely rules.

Well, may need to look for some of my old laptops to say nothing of the many desktops I have stacked up..