Is your PC/DAW connected to the Net, running antivirus software?

[Tubthumper]

General question for the Pro Tools users on PC:

Is your PC/DAW connected to the Internet, and do you have antivirus software loaded and running in the background while using Pro Tools?

The reason I ask is, I've never had my PC connected to the Net. This makes software updates, installs, iLok activity, etc a complete pain.

Struggling to recall why I've done it this way. Perhaps older versions of Pro Tools were finicky when it came to background services like antivirus software.

Thanks in advance.

[Shan]

Originally Posted by Tubthumper

Is your PC/DAW connected to the Internet, and do you have antivirus software loaded and running in the background while using Pro Tools?

No and no on my main workstation. My secondary systems are all online but I don't bother with antivirus software. My most successful solution for any system problem has always been restoring a disk image.

In the distant past, part of system optimization for good PT performance was to disable the network at the BIOS level. This is where it all started back in the day, but it's an old optimization step that no longer needs to be done these days.

Shane

[albee1952]

My PT rig is connected SOMETIMES(I have a USB wifi adapter that I simply plug/unplug when I want). Having said that, I rarely actually go online with it, other than to update or download plugins. I am also OCD when it comes to backups and have 4 system drives that I rotate, in addition to a pair of big USB drives for drive images. About every 6 months, I download and run Avast, SpyBot and Malwarebytes. As soon as they show no issues, I uninstall them

[bcwiz]

None of my rigs are on the internet. Removable Sata drives for backup and transfer.
System drives cloned. Plugs and such updated with thumb drive. Hard wire from a router/hardware firewall if needed(usually on first install). Run standalone AV software once in awhile. I know exactly what is running on my rigs and they are 'mean and lean'.
Real time antivirus software is very invasive and can cause all kinds of trouble.
I see it on other people's rigs, crashing, slow boot, inexplicable errors, installation problems. No thanks.

[DJ Hellfire]

I always have mine connected to the net. Never ran anti-virus either, even when I was running PC. I just never went to any suspect sites. Most I went to was yahoo email, the forums, youtube, dropbox and other known safe sites. Never did any torrenting or other questionable surfing or downloading. Never had an issue! Like anything, just have to be smart about it!

[Tubthumper]

I'm just about to "crossgrade" from LE 8 to 10. 10 requires SP1 on my Win 7 64 machine. I installed an early version of Win 7 when I built the PC 2 or 3 years back - not only has SP1 never been installed, it's never had any updates applied.

Couldn't download/install SP1 as it requires a couple of Windows Update files to be installed beforehand.

Decided to bite the bullet - downloaded/installed Microsoft's free antivirus s/w (Security Essentials), ran Windows Update (over and over), then SP1 was ready to be installed.

All loaded and ready for PT10 install, but the antivirus is still loaded and it's icon appears in the tray. Reckon I'll uninstall it before I run Pro Tools.

[Tubthumper]

So, antivirus s/w is unnecessary if visiting reputable sites?? I'm super cautious because I have a stack of delicate s/w loaded.

[justus1900]

Yes and No. I have my main machine connected to the internet but I don't surf on it I only use the internet for download updates and really I don't do that I download to my laptop and transfer the downloads/updates thru the Network. I would never download any Anti virus into my main machine real BIG/HUGE NO No...

[Terry Wetzel]

albee1952. I too have a plug in usb/wifi which I only use if I want to go on internet. I don't know if my method for downloading updates, etc. is permissible but when and if I do I use my laptop which has virus protection where I burn the download to a CD and then load the download into my PC. Is this method safe? Thanks.

[EGS]

My ProTools rig is connected, but I rarely go online with it. I use another computer for internet. Here's my plan (so far so good):
1. common sense: no suspect sites/watch out for emails you do not recognize/beware of anything "free"
2. Acronis backup
3. Piriform CCleaner (registry and cleaner)
4. SuperAntiSpyware
I use the free version of SuperAntiSpyware, which offers no automatic functions. Manually get updates to spyware definitions and manually run the full scan. Works great/non-invasive.