Hi EL, I'll give it a try tomorrow morning when I first log on. I have Secunia installed and, as you say, its a handy bit of kit.
This might sound ridiculous but I get the feeling that moving the mouse after clicking the sign-on panels, speeds up the process.

ExecL - Log-on whizzed through this morning without disabling tool bars. All very strange.

could it have been a security update or other update making it lag?

Maybe but unlikely, BB, as updates usually download on closure at the end of the day.

Samsung Ativ Q tablet runs both Windows 8 and Android

Samsung has unveiled a tablet that can switch between the Windows 8 and Android operating systems.

The Ativ Q has a 13.3in (33.8cm) screen that sits over a keyboard that can be folded out for typing or set to act as a stand. In addition it has a stylus.

Oh dear skinny! Does that mean that your new PC is already out of date?

Harry - it was out of date the second I ordered it - still very good though - 20 seconds from turning it on to 10+ windows opening and the dulcet sounds of radio 4!

Re my logon problems. I think I have identified the problem: McAfee Site Advisor. I 've disabled this add-on and all now seems well.

After many years of using the free version of AVG and ZoneAlarm i thought i would give Avast and Comodo a try for the 1st time and the initial signs are looking rather good.

Does anyone else use this combination and if so do you suggest keeping it or go back to the old AVG and ZoneAlarm combination.

MB I used to use the same combination as you that of AVG and ZoneAlarm freebie editions, I have an ex Currys Engineer who sorts out problems on my networks.

Last time he visited about 6 weeks ago for a quarterly check up he changed me over to MICROSOFT ESSENTIALS and reckons this is now superior to AVG and ZoneAlarm.

Had no problems at all since he installed it.

Just go to google and do search, and download from microsoft site.

Might be what you are wanting he certainly says hes instaling it for all his customers.

I use Security Essentials and Comodo and find that combination works very well. I also do regular full scans with Malwarebytes.

MB, I've been using Microsoft Security Essentials on my trading machine along with Malwarebytes (freebie version!). I also use Norton DNS that blocks known malware sites. Been on this setup for over two years and never had a problem.

As posted previously - since upgrading to W8, and on advice from a security expert, I only use Defender.

Review of Microsoft Essentials...

http://www.pcpro.co.uk/reviews/software/379954/microsoft-security-essentials

@optomistic,glad i have decided to stay using Comodo and Avast,have to admit the computer is running very well since i upgraded from ZoneAlarm and AVG,that Security Essentials seems to be missing the mark security wise.

Thanks for your suggestion its been a great help.

Mega

I did a clean up of all my browsers this weekend using the inbuilt scanners in free Avast and the improvement in performance is huge - mainly because of removing the add-ons that my daughter inadvertently managed to collect whilst using my PC.

The interface in Avast is very clear and I really like it. Considered MS security essentials, but I'm very happy with what I've got.

I'm not sure if its been asked before, but has anyone experience of avast mobile?

Yes, I have. I downloaded it quite a while ago to my Motorola Defy (Android) and I found it slowed everything down so much that I had to uninstall it. But have recently tried again and it seems to do the trick now without any appreciable drain on resources. I assume it is due to the bug fixes and updates which now make it user friendly. The only thing which I won't allow it to do is to install a firewall as it requires root access and I am not prepared to go that route.

Thanks Harry - I've just downloaded it.

When you go into the properties, you can set various parameters, but activating the firewall will prompt a 'Root access permission' request and unless you are very familiar with the programming of your mobile phone software, I would advise against it. Most other settings are reasonably easy to set.