free anti-virus

[JIP]

Hi

I need to install some free antivirus on a Win98 machine - the ones that
seem to get referred to most of the time in this and other groups are AVG,
AVAST and AntiVir.

This is for someone who needs the simplest operation possible -
auto-updating.

So which of the above 3 (or other suggestions) will offer reasonable
performance with the least impact on resources, and require minuimum of
intervention by the user. And is there anything I should know about
peculiarities (of the software that is, not the user!!)

Thanks

 

[Virus Guy]

I need to install some free antivirus on a Win98 machine

If you can find an old CD with Norton Anti-Virus (NAV) 2001 or 2002
then that product will be able to update itself (in an automatic way)
to the most current virus def'n files available from Norton
(Symantec). Don't let the fact that the product *seems* to be locked
in time to 2001 or 2002 just because of it's name. NAV is also found
on Norton System Works CD's. Once you install it, it can update
itself for a year, at which point it will tell you that the free "live
Update" service has expired. To overcome this, simply un-install and
re-install the program and you will have another year of free update
service.

 

[Bill Freeman]

Recommend eTrust Anti-Virus, free one-year trial, full updates. Try
before you buy, unless they offer another trial!
http://www.my-etrust.com/microsoft/ eTrust uses fewer system resources
than most A-V and is also used by ZoneLab for their professional firewall.

Bill

 

[Me again]

Recommend eTrust Anti-Virus, free one-year trial, full updates. Try
before you buy, unless they offer another trial!
http://www.my-etrust.com/microsoft/ eTrust uses fewer system
resources than most A-V and is also used by ZoneLab for their
professional firewall.

Thanks mate - I tried AVAST and found it impossibly slow and awful
interface. Also tried Anti-Vir which was better but still slowed things a
touch. Just tried your recommendation and no noticeable impact on
performance, fast operation and nice interface. Maybe in a year's time the
user will either have a new computer or be able to afford the subscription.

Thanks for the reply

 

[Me again]

If you can find an old CD with Norton Anti-Virus (NAV) 2001 or 2002
then that product will be able to update itself (in an automatic way)
to the most current virus def'n files available from Norton
(Symantec). Don't let the fact that the product *seems* to be locked
in time to 2001 or 2002 just because of it's name. NAV is also found
on Norton System Works CD's. Once you install it, it can update
itself for a year, at which point it will tell you that the free "live
Update" service has expired. To overcome this, simply un-install and
re-install the program and you will have another year of free update
service.

Thanks for the reply - no access to such disks I'm afraid.

 

[MyVeryOwnSelf]

I need to install some free antivirus on a Win98 machine - the ones

that seem to get referred to most of the time in this and other groups
are AVG, AVAST and AntiVir.

This is for someone who needs the simplest operation possible -
auto-updating.

So which of the above 3 (or other suggestions) will offer reasonable
performance with the least impact on resources, and require minimum
of intervention by the user. ...

I had the same criteria, and was satisfied with AVG on Win98.

I switched to AVG after years of using McAfee. McAfee got too bloated,
obtrusive, and destabilizing.

 

[Robert Baer]

JIP wrote:




If you can find an old CD with Norton Anti-Virus (NAV) 2001 or 2002
then that product will be able to update itself (in an automatic way)
to the most current virus def'n files available from Norton
(Symantec). Don't let the fact that the product *seems* to be locked
in time to 2001 or 2002 just because of it's name. NAV is also found
on Norton System Works CD's. Once you install it, it can update
itself for a year, at which point it will tell you that the free "live
Update" service has expired. To overcome this, simply un-install and
re-install the program and you will have another year of free update
service.

You are correct concerning the re-install bit for NAV.
BUT.
NAV 2001 "live update" does not work and Symantec/Norton gave me a
lot of so-called help, none of which worked and a lot of it duplicates
of previous "help".
When i got tired of that BS, i gave them heck and they told me to go
and stick the SW where the sun does not shine.
So, as a result i had been using the on-line so-called "intelligent
updater", which does work.
But that damn file gets longer every week, and now it is too long to
use on dial-up, making NAV 2001 useless for me.

 

[Robert Baer]

Thanks for the reply - no access to such disks I'm afraid.

Hell, i will send you mine - as it is now useless to me.

 

[wmzdantz]

Would NAV 2000 work?

 

[Virus Guy]

Would NAV 2000 work?

Would be an interesting experiment. I believe NAV 2000 live-update
mechanism is similar to NAV 2001/2002, and I know that 2002 is still
working.

 

[Bill Freeman]

McAfee seems to have a lot of overhead. A-V software should
cooperate with other A-V software. "Must" free programs without equal are
Javacool's "SpywareGuard" http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareguard.html
& "SpywareBlaster" http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html They
solve many "script" problems that A-V and A-Spyware programs don't
completely address.

Bill

 

[Cornelius J Rat]

"MyVeryOwnSelf" wrote

I switched to AVG after years of using McAfee. McAfee got too bloated,
obtrusive, and destabilizing.

I was happy with AVG Free for a couple of years. Last week the update to
7.1.385 stopped my Windows 98 laptop from booting; the support forum
suggests that this is rare but when it happens Grisoft don't really have a
clue what to do, so I am trying Avira Anti-vir. It isn't as clear as AVG
Free what it is actually doing - I have yet to confirm whether it is
actually scanning email.