Running Spyware programs

[FrankSG]

For my spyware programs, I use Ad-aware, PestPatrol, SpyBot and Windows defender. Usually I will run one and when it's finished I'll run another. I've alway just run one at a time. A few days ago, I wondered why not run all of them at the same time instead of one at a time. So I did that and it seemed to work OK. Does anyone know if it could cause any problems running them all at the same time as long as your machine has enough memory, etc. to handle it? Thanks, Frank

[PrntRhd]

I used to run multiple security programs in the belief that what one missed the other would pick up.
I don't do that anymore because it makes it several times as likely to introduce a "false positive" and quarantine something important, messing up the PC.
I use AV, SpywareBlaster as a prevention against installs, also NAT router with hardware firewall, Firefox with NoScript, and Spybot S&D immunizations.
(And on the other PC I installed Linux which helps stop infections there.)

I no longer use AdAware resident on the PC because Lavasoft sold the users' personal information to a third party (BlueHornet.com). That is not what I expect from a security company, so simply moved to an alternate.

[Budfred]

Since the programs are doing essentially the same thing at the same time, there is a very good chance that you will produce a conflict and result in corrupted files... I suggest only running one at a time if you want to run them...

That said, I rarely run scans, usually only when I suspect there is a problem... I rely on protective programs and careful surfing to avoid infections...

[FrankSG]

Thanks to both of you for your feed-back. I think I'll just run one at a time. Merry Christmas to everone!

[PrntRhd]

Merry Christmas to you and yours too, Frank. May you never get an infected PC again.
:)

Edit:
I did some checking, perhaps I was too hard on the Lavasoft people, they used a third party to send e-mail promotions for Lavasoft instead of keeping it in house. A degree better than selling the info. My apologies if I was over the top.