1 Microsoft Security Essentials: With the introduction of Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE), people can now use antivirus protection without paying in money and computer resources. MSE is free and replaces OneCare, a paid subscription from Microsoft. MicrosoftSecurityEssentials is fine in my experience. A drawback is that if you perform a System Restore, you'll have to update the virus database again. Another negative point is that MSE does not carry any firewall, unlike OneCare.
2 Comodo AntiVirus: Available at Comodo.com, you can find plenty of great freeware for Windows XP. The Comodo Antivirus is one of them. Others include Comodo Verification Engine, BoClean, Comodo System Cleaner ,Comodo SecureMail, and many more. Comodo Antivirus has a good reputation and I find it to work together with F-Secure. The only problem is again virus database updating. It takes too long to update the virus database the first time, and often breaks up at different points, compelling you to manually update the database to 100 percent.
3. Comodo Firewall: For those who do not wish to go for a total protection suite and wish to install some other AV such as MSE, A review of Comodo Firewall says it is excellecnt for protecting your computer from intruders. Though the Firewall is bundled in the Comodo Antivirus mentioned above, you can download Comodo Firewall separately. This version allows you to select if you wish to install both antivirus and firewall or simply the firewall. If you opt for MSE, you need a firewall. MSE is complimented by Comodo Firewall.
A problem you may face is that it will block your touchpad, especially if it is from Synaptics. The trick is to open Settings and add the touchpad process to trusted applications before it blocks it. If your touchpad is blocked, use ALT + TAB to navigate to the Comodo dialog, use arrow keys to navigate, and click Allow to add it to trusted applications.
4. WinPatrol: Also known as Scotty, this review of WinPatrol helps you manage different components of your computer: startup items, Internet Helpers, and more. The main aim of WinPatrol is to keep an eye on your computer settings and notify you of any changes made to the applications. You may decide to allow or deny the change based upon why and how the change was initiated. Besides monitoring your system for malware, the software also helps you with the configuration of startup items and Internet Explorer Extensions.
1 SmartDefrag: The default defragmenter with Windows XP is a frustrating product. SmartDefrag is recommended for not only defragmenting but optimized defragment of your HDD. Optimized defragmentation takes care that relevant data is placed in closer clusters to further improve file access. You can setup the Auto defrag mode in SmartDefrag so that whenever your computer is idle, the freeware for Windows XP starts optimized defragmentation.
2. IDrive for remote Backup: Though there are plenty of tools in the market that offer remote online backup of your data, I found IDrive to be the easiest. You get 2GB of free space (sufficient for a normal user) upon registration. IDrive contains features such as scheduled backup, backup as a change is detected, and more. The only disadvantage is that you have to use the default program – FTP is not available – meaning the process is somewhat slow.
3 CCleaner: Bright Hub recommends CCleaner to help you keep your HDD clean. It also has a built-in registry cleaner as well as utilities to customize startup items and to uninstall programs. Easy to use, CCleaner is trusted by millions of users worldwide; to cleanup their privacy traces as well.
4. Unlocker: A small program that helps you to remove files or folders that cannot be deleted directly. The Unlocker kills the processes that prevent an item from being deleted and helps you either delete or move the item.