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How do I keep a Mac clean and safe?

Hello.

I have a friend who has problems with pop-ups and Drive Cleaner and shit like that. She wants my help but fortunely she has a Mac and I have never used a Mac in my whole life so.. What kind of programs can you use to clean a Mac from spyware and such? Is there any program like ad-aware available for Mac?

Thank you.

Replies

  • Rick Stirling
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    Rick Stirling polycounter lvl 18
    No. You don't really need it.

    Nearly all spyware is written for the PC, so it won't run on the mac. Unless she is dual booting in Windows, then the PC software will work anyway.
  • poopinmymouth
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    poopinmymouth polycounter lvl 19
    Maybe you should turn on your Mac's system wide reading comprehension check, Rick. He said there is currently spyware problems on this Mac.

    poop.gif
  • Jesse Moody
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    Jesse Moody polycounter lvl 17
    Either way Macs suck donkey dick. I would rather hook my thumb with a fish hook then ever use a mac again.
  • Rick Stirling
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    Rick Stirling polycounter lvl 18
    [ QUOTE ]
    Maybe you should turn on your Mac's system wide reading comprehension check, Rick. He said there is currently spyware problems on this Mac.


    [/ QUOTE ]

    Constructive. Thanks for joining in.


    Corv, have a look around http://www.macosxspyware.com/ As for Drivecleaner, is that not PC only? I had read it as she had a PC, with spyware, now got a mac and wanted to install anti-spyware software.

  • Emil Mujanovic
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    Emil Mujanovic polycounter lvl 18
    Don't use a Mac, problem solved.
    But seriously, that was completely uninformative and lacked any sort of help.
    *skulks away in shame*

    -caseyjones
  • hawken
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    hawken polycounter lvl 19
    in soviet russia...

    anyway, click the apple on the top left of her machine and click "about this mac". post in here the version of Mac OS.
  • HonkyPunch
  • jgarland
    I'd really like to know how or what caused her to start experiencing the spyware/adware issues. In all my years of using a Mac, I've never encountered a virus. They're pretty sturdy pieces of hardware.
  • andym12
    Damnit, beaten to condom joke.
  • Carl Brannstrom
    Thank you for your answers.

    Hmm. Maybe I misunderstood her..

    She says that when she enter a site, she gets pop-ups with ads about drive cleaner but she says that she can't install it because she has a Mac.. And she also said that when she download films from internet she gets Ukrainian porn instead.

    I'm somewhat confused.. But thanks anyway.
  • Justin Meisse
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    Justin Meisse polycounter lvl 19
    yeah, unfortunately it's kind of hard for a noob to install viruses and spyware on a Mac, you can pick up MS Word and enjoy some macroviruses but if you want the latest malware you need a PC.
  • Michael Knubben
    ...
    So in short, she gets popups on websites, and downloading movies illegally sometimes gets her the wrong film?
    That doesn't sound much like a system-specific thing, you know. It's the internet.

    Also, what is it about macs that gets peoples panties in such a bunch?
    Particularly Jesse. I'll supply the fish-hook if you want, this i need to see.

    Also, corv: PLEASE tell her to stop blindly trusting popup ads. She may have a mac, but downloading something because a popup tells you to is a remarkably dangerous thing to do on any system.
  • ElysiumGX
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    ElysiumGX polycounter lvl 18
    unplug her Mac, give her a kitten and some string. problem solved.

    Jesse: provide reasoning so we may laugh at you.
  • JKMakowka
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    JKMakowka polycounter lvl 18
    Lol this entire thread is pure comedy!

    *Disclamer: Spoiler ahead*
    If this wasn't a textbook attemt to lure out the Mac fanboys, and try some trolling then I don't know what it was. I sure couldn't have done it better smile.gif
    *Disclamer: Spoiler end*
  • snemmy
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    snemmy polycounter lvl 18
    her system is fine. get her a pop up blocker and sit her down and have a talk about pop ups and how they are there to mislead her. and as for the films, teach her that you can rename files.

    :P :P :P
  • Rick Stirling
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    Rick Stirling polycounter lvl 18
    Ah, so she doesn't have spyware, she's just visiting dodgy sites.

    My system wide comprehension check appears to be intact.
  • Carl Brannstrom
    Ok then, I'll tell her to stop clicking on pop-ups and downloading porn from Ukraine.
  • hawken
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    hawken polycounter lvl 19
    actually they are popups designed for windows that want you to install drive cleaner or what not. I often get them even with popup blocking enabled, or they load in new windows, not sure how they get around it but same shit happeninjg on FF too.

    anyway, nothing to worry about. *.exe don't work on mac os
  • Tulkamir
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    Tulkamir polycounter lvl 18
    Sounds like a better diagnosis is in need on your friends problems. Ask her (or watch her) repeat the steps that cause the problem, then describe the problem better. Then hopefully someone can help. smile.gif (unless it was really just a pop-up blocker needed and her downloading naughty videos.)

    [ QUOTE ]
    Also, what is it about macs that gets peoples panties in such a bunch?

    [/ QUOTE ]

    Sorry to post off the topic, but I can answer this. People who use macs have often in my experience felt the full on need to act very snobby about it. They feel the need for everyone to know THEY use a mac, and are thus special. They then go on to describe how awesome macs are, usually by actually talking about how crappy PCs are rather than why the Macs are good. (Note: For more on this watch mac commercials)

    Now, personally I prefer PC, and though I am fine with other people using Macs, the snobby mac attitude has over the years made me bitter towards the company that makes them and often the people that use them. Thus, panties become bunched and silly arguments ensue. (This is of course a generalization, but it gets the gist across of why I and some others I've talked to on the subject feel this way).
  • HonkyPunch
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    HonkyPunch polycounter lvl 18
    Wait;
    Why are you complaining about getting Ukrainian pron?
    I mean
    Their from fucking
    UKRANE
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