Free antivirus software recommendation

[John]

I would like to install a new free antivirus software with my Windows XP
SP2 and Microsoft Defender and can't decide between AVG, Avira Antivir or
Avast.
Could anyone assist with a recommendation please.

 

[solidsnake204]

I would like to install a new free antivirus software with my Windows XP
SP2 and Microsoft Defender and can't decide between AVG, Avira Antivir or
Avast.
Could anyone assist with a recommendation please.

I use AVG and thats great, not as good as a paid anti-virus but is very good
for a free anti-virus.

 

[Big Al]

I would like to install a new free antivirus software with my Windows XP
SP2 and Microsoft Defender and can't decide between AVG, Avira Antivir or
Avast.
Could anyone assist with a recommendation please.

This question could start a war.
What car do you like? Its the same thing. They all move you from
point a to b but some do it better and some have better collision
protection (virus) etc. Some feel better. Some even look better, now
aint that a reason for picking one. And I'm talking about cars and av
software both. So yes, try them out. NOD32 is another one I hear
about. They all pretty much work, and along with being a good boy and
not sticking your nose it sites you shouldn't and don't open those
attachments, any suggestion you get is going to work.

I use Avast by the way. I used AVG7 for a while, and it stopped a few
attacks. I never got one! I'm sorta test driving Avast now to see how
it works. But its kinda hard to test unless you know of a place to get
a virus attack.

Good luck.

 

[Big Al]

I got pissed at all the required restarts it wanted me to do when it
updated (almost daily).

Avast or AVG7 did the restarts?

 

[Big Al]

Avast. Kept it for about two weeks then went back to AVG7 or 7.5. Am
now using AVG 8.0 and am happy with it. Does WAY more than before,
including that it has a resident malware shield.

See, now that's probably like these SP3 problems we read about. I
loaded AVG ver 8, as 7.5 kept telling me there was a new version and I
thought.....heck I like new stuff why not. I'd had 7.5 for years. I'm
a glutton for punishment. So I put it in. Boy did it find threats,
and I thought it slowed the PC down. Old programs that were good were
now threats. I even told my buddies about it and one other had the same
story. So we both dropped it and moved back to 7.5.
Now I'm on avast with no apparent reboots like you had. I get a little
popup and voice saying it has updated the definitions. I gotta look at
the settings and turn that off. It always pops up at the wrong spot in
my tv show. I miss why Mike wanted to kill Bob or something.

So just like SP3, Mixed results. Odd how things do that. And I just
reloaded this machine May 1, so its clean and I've not had the time to
muck it up with junk yet.

Good hearing your history though, gives me some encouragement to maybe
try 8.0 again. I used 7.5 for years and have it on all 3 PC's, so its
not like I hate it. It catches stuff and does its thing. Oh well,
one more mystery of life to try and solve.

As George Burns said: Goodnight Gracie! I've been up all night and its
6am and the insomnia has finally worn off. This lounge chair is
starting to feel good.

 

[Mark]

Strange, I never had that problem with Avast.

Mark

 

[FredW]

I would like to install a new free antivirus software with my Windows XP
SP2 and Microsoft Defender and can't decide between AVG, Avira Antivir or
Avast.
Could anyone assist with a recommendation please.

Avira Antivir:
http://www.av-comparatives.org/seiten/ergebnisse/summary2007.pdf

can be found here:
http://www.free-av.com/antivirus/allinonen.html
http://www.majorgeeks.com/AntiVir_Personal_Edition_8_d955.html

 

[Gerry]

PD43

Is your AVG 8.0 free or paid for? I am believing you cannot get a free
version of AVG 8.0 or a free version of AVG 7.5 for that matter now. The
AVG 7.5 Free is still supported but if you can still get it the download
link is very well hidden. I am still using AVG 7.5 Free but the nagging
pop up for updating to AVG 8 appears on every boot.



~~~~


Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Bob I]

They are free to use, I think the correct question to ask folks would be
"Is there any reason you would NOT use one of these?"

 

[Daave]

I am believing you cannot get a free version of AVG 8.0 or a free
version of AVG 7.5 for that matter now.

There is a free version of 8.0 (I'm using it, but I don't like the false
positives):

http://free.grisoft.com/ww.download?prd=afe

 

[Saucer Man]

I tried AVG and Antivir. Now I am using Avast and never looked backed.
Avast never asks me to restart UNLESS it is a full program update.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

I would like to install a new free antivirus software with my Windows XP
SP2 and Microsoft Defender and can't decide between AVG, Avira Antivir or
Avast.
Could anyone assist with a recommendation please.

At this point, it's almost purely a matter of personal preference. Try
them all (one at a time, of course!) to see which _you_ like best.

I've used both AVG (on WinXP) and AVAST! (on Vista, mostly because it
was available first), and was perfectly satisfied with each of them.
Some people have said that AVAST!'s interface isn't "user-friendly"
enough for them, but I had no trouble using it. Haven't tried the Avira
product.

For a recent comparison of anti-virus products:

Retrospective / ProActive Test
http://www.av-comparatives.org/


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:


http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/555375

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. ~Bertrand Russell

The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has
killed a great many philosophers.
~ Denis Diderot

 

[Bruce Chambers]

I got pissed at all the required restarts it wanted me to do when it
updated (almost daily).

That is not typical behavior for AVAST!. Normally, the restarts are
required only when the program itself gets an update, not for the
frequent (yes, almost daily) virus definition updates. There may have
been something wrong with your particular installation, as I've not even
heard anyone else mention this phenomenon.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:


http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/555375

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. ~Bertrand Russell

The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has
killed a great many philosophers.
~ Denis Diderot

 

[Gerry]

Thanks Daave. They do hide these things away.

--
Regards.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Gerry]

PD43

Thanks for the link. It was well hidden.

--
Regards.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Gerry]

Saucer Man

Avast stops System Restore from working if you need to go back to an
earlier restore point. The Self Defense function does not work in safe
mode. There is also a programme setting whereby this function can be
disabled.

--



Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Gerry]

Bruce

One problem with Avast.

Avast stops System Restore from working if you need to go back to an
earlier restore point. The Self Defense function does not work in safe
mode. There is also a programme setting whereby this function can be
disabled. I have read Avast are working on this.


--
Regards.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Alias]

Bruce

One problem with Avast.

Avast stops System Restore from working if you need to go back to an
earlier restore point.

Not on my machine, it doesn't.

Alias

 

[Gerry]

Alias

It what respect? You can restore to an earlier time in normal mode
without disabling the Self Defense function?

Do you have version 4.8.1169? This is the latest version.
http://forum.avast.com/index.php?action=search2

There are later betas being tested.


--



Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[someone]

The paid AVG 8 does its updating silently, in the background, and you don't
even know it is updating unless you check on the processes.