BleepingComputer.com: How to resolve conflicting reports from different virus checkers

Hi,

I looked through past posts and didn't see this addressed, so if it is, please just send me a link.

Is there a systematic way to find out who is right if you scan your system with one product (call it A) which tells you you have a trojan, a keylogger, and several vulnerabilities, but doesn't offer any more advice other than "do something to fix this". Then, I uninstalled "A" via control panel and downloaded free AVG which didn't find anything, because I remember reading here not to have multiple antivirus/security programs at the same time.

So, how should I go about determining which is correct? Do I have a clean system, or am I infested with all the above stuff I mentioned? I probably need a third opinion, but from whom? Is there a rational step by step procedure or product to help me? I am not made of money, although I will buy something after a free trial if I am happy with it (which is how I ended up with "A" on my computer to start with).

And I am getting my other computer back tomorrow after a hard drive crash, so want to install something reliable to keep it clean, but . . . My judgment isn't the best in the world, I guess. I've been just floundering and have probably been making things worse.

Thanks in advance for any advice on how to figure this out.

aelfgifa

You would stand a better chance of help if you said which programs you are talking about. A program (call it A) telling you that your PC is infected could in fact be a rogue program itself. So best you name these programs.

You can always get a second opinion on any file that is detected as a threat:

Go to Jotti's virusscan or VirusTotal. In the "File to upload & scan" box, browse to the location of the suspicious file(s) and submit (upload) it for scanning/analysis.

bluesjunior,

I apologize; I called the first program "A" because I didn't want to look like I was trying to say bad things about something when it could have been just my own mistake. I do not click on popup links telling me I'm supposedly infected.

The first program was KIS 2010 - the 30 day trial of the fully functional version. As I said, it wasn't helpful, so I uninstalled it after 2 days and tried AVG instead, which found nothing wrong.

I'll try the other programs suggested by Quietman.

Worst case, I guess I can use that machine only for offline use, such as running my Wacom drawing tablet, but that is a pain in the neck.

Does this help?

aelfgifa