Antivirus software - which? EDIT - Fixed

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Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2008 9:34 am

I've had no problems with Norton products over the years but the latest version gets so far up my nose with it's constant non-configurable renew, out of date, subscription expiring nagging I can feel it's boots kicking on my chin.

As I'm too lazy to google until I find some sensible considered opinion among the chaff, I thought I'd cut to the chase and ask you lot.

My system is *gasp* Windows XP Home SP3... and I have no *GASP* intention of upgrading until such time as the built-in timeclock renders it either unsupported or inoperable.

-edited- to ask which have you found to be the best i.e. easy to use, effective and unobstrusive.

Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2008 9:40 am

Avast is good and free for non-commercial use, and available in a huge amount of languages (http://www.avast.com)

Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2008 9:44 am

AVG, excellent and you can get a free version

Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2008 10:11 am

Norton sucks and hangs around like a bad smell after the subscription expires.

I use AVG with no problems, together with Spybot - Search and Destroy. Both free.

Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2008 10:27 am

AVG is good and generally not intrusive, but you have to hunt around their website to find the free version.

As an aside, I found that performance on my computer improved 100% the moment I turned off MS Automatic Updates.

Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2008 11:10 am

AVG free and spybot. best stuff out there. we even use them on our computers here at work.

Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2008 11:24 am

I've been an IT tech for over ten years now, and normally I sing the praises of AVG. However since the v8.0 upgrade I've found some weird problems that trace back to AVG. Things like pdf documents not opening from an attachment (and not being able to save them to the hard drive), decreased system performance, Flash not registering properly - weird and disparate stuff.

Now I'm reluctantly turning away from AVG and towards NOD32. Stupid name, but good product and reasonable price/footprint.

My advice? Try AVG, if you start having problems, uninstall it and reinstall without the email scanner option. If problems persist, go elsewhere.

Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2008 11:46 am

@callum - the last I checked, AVG is no longer free. I use Avast on my desktop and laptop, and am very happy with it. I switched from Norton because as you mentioned, the renew nags are very annoying, and it is such a resource hog that it slowed both of my computers down to almost a crawl. Norton is gone, and so is the system lag and all of the other Symantec irritants.

Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2008 11:51 am

There is a new version of AVG Free recently released.

Trust me. I'm using it.
Smile

You can find it HERE

Baiting Guru Joined: 08 Jul 2004 Posts: 11857 Location: UK

@ Sheboppe, AVG is still free to use for personal use, the thing is, they don't seem to show the free version download very well on their site, it's hidden about 6 clicks deep, presumably so that people will opt for the paid for version instead, here is the page to download it for free:

http://free.avg.com

Same as BB, I recently installed it on 2 laptops.

Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2008 11:58 am

Breddan and SP, thanks for the info. That explains why I couldn't find it and thought that the pay-for version is the only one available. Very Happy

Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2008 12:02 pm

The AVG free 8.0 has worked perfectly for me, no complants.

Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2008 12:33 pm

I have Avast, following recommendations on Eater, it's free, unobtrusive, and quietly updates itself when new nasties are discovered.

Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2008 12:54 pm

Big fan of Avast here too.

Used to use AVG but reckon Avast is better.

Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2008 1:14 pm

Nod32 or Nod64 from ESET - leaves all other anti virus software standing. IMHO

Baiting Guru Joined: 31 Jan 2007 Posts: 12237

ClamWin is free and open source, but it is only a scanner and does not offer real time protection, another tool for the arsenal.

http://www.clamwin.com/

Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2008 2:06 pm

Avast!

419Eater Admin Joined: 30 Sep 2003 Posts: 7469

NOD32 without hesitation.

Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2008 4:26 pm

Looks like it is just the two of us Laughing

419Eater Admin Joined: 30 Sep 2003 Posts: 7469

Yeah, but we're right and the rest of the world is wrong Smile

Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2008 4:45 pm

^^^ Ah you just watch. The bloody Noddy32 website will get thousands of hits today due to the fact that you two have promoted it.

All the sheep will totter along there. Those of us who don't follow trends but set them instead will still believe Avast is Teh Win.

Not quite a Newb Joined: 14 Jul 2005 Posts: 41

I'd always used AVG and liked it; I did notice some of the same issues w/ 8.0 as mentioned above and will give Avast a look.

Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2008 5:24 pm

I have the best anti virus there is on my home lap top.... its not hooked up to the internet never has never will be.

Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2008 8:29 pm

Thanks for your input.

I was wondering about AVG but only because it was preinstalled on my fathers PC. I'll look into Avast (those legs always convince me) or NOD (because both He and Him have spoken).

Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2008 9:20 pm

I have not had problems yet with AVG 8.0, which I run with Ad-aware and Spybot, but I may go check Avast anyway. Very Happy

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