Antivirus recommendation

[JS]

Not using NIS, I'm using Norton AntiVirus 2007 (the retail shrink rap in box
version).

JS

 

[Bert Kinney]

I have seen this before, and is one of the reasons I have lost confidence in CR.

Regards,
Bert Kinney MS-MVP Shell/User
http://bertk.mvps.org
Member: http://dts-l.org

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

I have seen this before, and is one of the reasons I have lost confidence in CR.

I think CR's reviews are accurate and very useful in many areas. I
trust them when it comes to things like appliances and cars, for
example, but not for some other things. Among the things I don't trust
them for are computers and computer-related products.

 

[Leythos]

Not using NIS, I'm using Norton AntiVirus 2007 (the retail shrink rap in box
version).

I've not installed 2007 since 2004, 2005, 2006 were real dogs - maybe
they learned from their reduced sales. I bought a site license for 10
installs of 2006 and returned it because of serious performance issues
on a beefy windows 2000 network, same experience with 2005/2006 on many
client computers. Symantec Corp 9/10 has been painless, very low
resource use if you delete the AUTO-SCAN that it generates for each user
that logs into the computer.

--

Leythos
- Igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum.
- Calling an illegal alien an "undocumented worker" is like calling a
drug dealer an "unlicensed pharmacist"
(e-mail address removed) (remove 999 for proper email address)

 

[JS]

I have Auto Protect is enabled in NAV 2007 and in fact I also have a similar
function enabled in CounterSpy, I originally though they would conflict with
each other but so far there have been no problems or slowdowns of
consequence.

JS

 

[Guest]

We use AVG for networks, and find it good.

HST, these days advertising parasites and other Trojans are more of a
problem than viruses. Main security points are thus to:

Get a NAT router. Never use USB modems.

Get a more-secure browser, and take steps to prevent or discourage the use
of Internet Explorer. This is by far the most important precaution.

Never accept offfers from webpages to install 'plugins' or the like.
Instead, if you need an update, download it by typing the supplier's address
manually. That way you know you're not being spoofed into installing a Trojan.

Get a product such as Lavasoft Ad-aware, and perform regular scans for
parasites.

 

[Bert Kinney]

I think CR's reviews are accurate and very useful in many areas. I
trust them when it comes to things like appliances and cars, for
example, but not for some other things. Among the things I don't trust
them for are computers and computer-related products.

You're right Ken. It's not all bad.

Regards,
Bert Kinney MS-MVP Shell/User
http://bertk.mvps.org
Member: http://dts-l.org

 

[anu]

Hi

I need recommendation for an Antivirus for win xp. In the past I have
avoided Norton Internet Security as it seems to take too much system
resources and slows the pc down. I have always used Norton Antivirus, while
for firewall I use win xp built-in firewall and router firewall. For spy
ware I use Windows Defender. My question is can I move to the Norton
Antivirus 350 without putting too much strain on resources or is plain
Norton Antivirus still better for reasons I have described above?

Many Thanks

Regards

Why don't you try Kaspersky Antivirus and Security suite which is not
as heavy as Norton and has better features

Anu

 

[Netta]

John, Where do I go to check to see if microsoft is providing a virus
protection for me with windows updates

 

[C]

John, Where do I go to check to see if microsoft is providing a virus
protection for me with windows updates

You don't. Go to microsoft.com and search for Security Essentials.
Windows Updates does NOT provide you with virus protection. It seems
that you don't have *any* protection at the moment.

C

 

[dan]

try this: http://www.avast.com

John, Where do I go to check to see if microsoft is providing a virus
protection for me with windows updates

 

[Bruce Hagen]

John, Where do I go to check to see if microsoft is providing a virus
protection for me with windows updates

Microsoft Security Essentials:
http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/default.aspx

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

John, Where do I go to check to see if microsoft is providing a virus
protection for me with windows updates

Microsoft does *not* provide virus protection for you. You need to
install anti-virus software, from Microsoft (Microsoft Security
Essentials) or from some other vendor.

 

[Tim Meddick]

Although Microsoft does not provide any resident Anti-Virus protection for Windows
(any version) it does provide a resident protection program against malware and
another to scan against malicious software.

These are named "Windows Defender" and "Malicious Software Removal Tool" (MRT.exe),
respectively.

Windows Defender is included with Windows as standard from Vista and above.

For XP (SP2 or greater), you can download and install Windows Defender from Microsoft
Downloads :
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...E7-DA2B-4A6A-AFA4-F7F14E605A0D&displaylang=en

If you have Microsoft Update enabled, then the "Malicious Software Removal Tool" will
be automatically downloaded each month to your [system32] directory.

Just type MRT.exe into the "Run" box to start this application.

If you don't have Automatic Updated enabled (I recommend that you do, though) you can
obtain MRT.exe from :
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...E0-E72D-4F54-9AB3-75B8EB148356&displaylang=en

Also, you can go to the Windows Live website and perform a [free] Safety Scan for
viruses and other malicious code on your PC.

For the Windows Live Safety Scan, go to :
http://onecare.live.com/site/en-us/center/howsafe.htm

==

Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London.

 

[Doum]

Although Microsoft does not provide any resident Anti-Virus protection
for Windows (any version) it does provide a resident protection
program against malware and another to scan against malicious
software.

I just double-clicked on the MS Security Essentials on my taskbar to check
what you say and on the Home tab it says "Real-time protection : Enabled"
(my Win and MSE are in French so it's a translation), to me that looks like
"resident Anti-Virus protection".

Am I wrong?

 

[Tim Meddick]

I do apologise - MSE final release was on 29 September 2009 and although I was aware
of M$'s plans to launch a [free] resident AV protection program I am woefully behind
the times and didn't know it had already been released.

For anyone else reading this who wanted true resident Anti-Virus protection free from
Microsoft, you can download Microsoft Security Essentials from :

http://download.microsoft.com/downl...F6DC28BD8/mssefullinstall-x86fre-en-us-xp.exe

==

Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London.

 

[Julz]

Hi John
I have solutions for you: Go microsoft website, download M windows
essentials and get yourself avg anti-virus which very lite then, you will
tell me, enjoy. Bingo

 

[Smirnoff]

Do NOT run MSE and AVG together.

All other "real time" AV and anti-malware programmes should be removed
before installing MSE.

See:

http://social.answers.microsoft.com...t/thread/407bf6da-c05d-4546-8788-0aa4c25a1f91

 

[Tim Meddick]

And what do you think of MSSE?

I have been using AVG for some years now, and find, although I believe it to be VERY
secure (no complaints about that!) I do find from time to time that it hogs
resources, always at the most unfortunate of times.

I am considering going over to MSSE - IF I can read some good about it first.

Generally, I do like Microsoft software, as I believe that software written by them
works better with it's own OS (i.e. Windows) than anyone else's...

==

Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London.

 

[Smirnoff]

Hello, fellow Peckhamite,

I'm very impressed with MSE.

Initially, I found it using large amounts of CPU, even after I had
uninstalled AVG, Windows Defender etc., using Add/Remove.

Over the course of time, I have tried different (freebie) AVs as well and
subsequently uninstalled them.

As you probably know, uninstalling via Add/Remove (or using the programme's
uninstall facility) does not necessarily remove all registry/folder
references and MSE can still clash with these. You MUST use the complete
uninstall tools listed here:

http://social.answers.microsoft.com...t/thread/407bf6da-c05d-4546-8788-0aa4c25a1f91

Don't forget, you may have tried other AVs and forgotten about them.

The programme:

After the initial scan which can take a few minutes, MSE settles down and
runs in "real time" mode in the background. I find it very unobtrusive and
my high CPU usage has stopped after I used the uninstall tools.

MSE automatically updates itself at least once a day (in my case about ten
minutes after boot up). If it scans a file it is not sure of, it will call
up the latest definition file at ANY time.

There is also a manual update option but (because of the above), I find it
unnecessary to use this and let MSE "do its own thing". Programme updates
will be offered via MS Update.

As you say, this is written for MS. Also, MS probably has a bigger database
of potential nasties than anyone else and other AV programmes access this.

There is a default scheduled (quick) scan set weekly for Sunday, 02.00. All
I did was change this to 08.00.

Don't have any other "real time" anti-malware programmes running. I use
Superantispyware and Malwarebytes to run an occasional quick scan but as
they are the FREE versions, they do not have "real time" protection.

Give it a go.