Best Web Browser for Windows7 PC...

[Old No7]

A few years back, based on positive feedback from this forum, and with some urging from my son, I updated our old PC from Internet Explorer to using Mozilla Firefox as a web browser and most of the older problems/issues we'd been having with IE were resolved.

This past summer, we got a new Win7 PC that came loaded with Internet Explorer and we started using that, but after a few months and some issues started to show up, I changed back to running Firefox again...

But now -- Firefox doesn't seem as robust as the "old Firefox" we had before...

Now I'm seeing popups -- even with those "blocked". And quite often, I'll click on a link on a page I'm on, and the system will open a new tab with blurbs about "critical software updates needed" or outright selling stuff I don't want and have no interest in at all.

I used to think Firefox did a really good job of insulating me from all that cr*p on the web, but now it doesn't seem as effective as the old days...

What are folks running on Windows7 PCs these days that is any better?

(FYI, my McAffee Internet Security scans aren't picking up any malware, so if it's not on my PC, I wonder if Firefox itself has been infiltrated/compromised, or maybe the websites I was on are the problem?)

Edited to add...
Maybe it's not my web browser, but while McAfee might be OK against virus, maybe it needs something else like Spyware Blaster or Spybot to help keep the spyware/adware under control?

Thanks for any help or ideas you can offer!!!

Old No7

[jeepnik]

Just IE. I do use Firefox for one brand of control equipment. But that's only because a recent update of IE isn't compatible. I don't think any of the popular browsers are better than the others.

[M. M. Wright]

We have those issues here too and I am running Firefox in a Vista machine. Most of the time I can trace the problem to something that followed one of the children (3 of them, 5, 9 and 13) home from a website they have been to. Sometimes I have to uninstall a program or kill the add-on that sticks to Firefox. I'm not very knowledgeable on this stuff and it really stresses me to have to deal with it. Good Luck!

[BrentD]

I find it very very hard to beat Chrome. YMMV...

[Pete44ru]

.

I also was working around those issues, until I uninstalled my Explorer & Mozilla Firefox browsers last weekend, and installed Vosteran Explorer, which has a format similar to Mozilla Firefox.


.

[wecsoger]

You're right, F.F. is getting a little dodgy in its old age.

First off, with my main desktop Win7 box, I refused to download flash. Not having that removes a metric tonne of irritating trash.

Are you running extensions? I'm also running ADBlock, which is awesome for removing more trash.

Added to that is Ghostery and HTTPS-everywhere, these two for security and I'm not having too many problems.

[crs]

IE and Chrome on Windows Vista and on 7 (yes I have multiple computers and use both).
Each for things for which they are best suited.

[Griff]

...have to uninstall a program or kill the add-on...!

That's the most likely culprit! Usually an add-on, if not a full-blown program that came with some new, slicker'n snot on a Louisiana swamp software that someone downloaded! In IE, go to "TOOLS", and open "Manage Add-ons". Make sure you're seein' "All Add-ons", and delete any that you don't think you need. I usually leave any that correspond to the brand name of the computer and known programs.

Next, open your "Control Panel" and open "Programs & Features"... and go thru that list to remove any programs you, again, don't recognize. Don't go whole hog here... there will be some that are needed, but you don't recognize... but...look to the "publisher"... that'll give you a clue as to its real worth...

I only recommend two internet protection programs... Norton 360 and Trend Micro. McAfee has a huge following, but only because it's bundled into the purchase of the computer... If they have to "give" the program way, it probably ain't the best out there! I put Norton on my new W8.1 laptop and removed McAfee totally. Been real happy. On my older two laptops running Windows 7 Ultimate, and my wife's desktop I run Trend Micro.

You can go to Trend Micro's website and download a scrubber for free that will remove any adware or malware from your machine. Even if you don't subscribe, you'll be surprised at how well it works... it my take a while... but it's worth it!

[williamranks]

I couldn't find Vosteran Explorer in any search but I did find this:

http://www.2-spyware.com/remove-vostera ... irect.html

Is it the same thing? I'm always looking for a new browser.