Good Anti-Virus for XP that uses minimal system resources?

[S. Smith]

I am preparing to install a new hard drive in my system and
start with a fresh new install of XP Pro. I have been using
Norton Internet Security (Firewall, Anti-Virus) for the last year...
and while it works well, it is a big system resource hog. Are
there any decent anti-virus applications that don't chew up
resources as bad as Norton does?

Also, is the built-in firewall in XP as good as Norton firewall?
Are there better (and leaner) firewall apps out there too?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Will Denny]

Hi

The XP Firewall doesn't monitor outgoing access to the Internet. Therefore
you will need to install a 3rd party '2-way' Firewall, such as ZoneAlarm:

www.zonelabs.com

You can then disable the XP Firewall.

 

[Steve Nielsen]

I am preparing to install a new hard drive in my system and
start with a fresh new install of XP Pro. I have been using
Norton Internet Security (Firewall, Anti-Virus) for the last year...
and while it works well, it is a big system resource hog. Are
there any decent anti-virus applications that don't chew up
resources as bad as Norton does?

AVG Free is pretty good. I've been using it for several months at home
and it hasn't bogged anything down at all. I've also heard good reports
of McAfee.

Also, is the built-in firewall in XP as good as Norton firewall?
Are there better (and leaner) firewall apps out there too?

The XP firewall doesn't monitor outgoing traffic. Zone Alarm seems real
popular here, but I use Kerio PF and like it.

Steve

 

[E McCann]

Let me add my satisfaction with ZoneAlarm, as well as AVG Antivirus. They
work *very* well and are priced right (free.)

 

[Rock]

I am preparing to install a new hard drive in my system and
start with a fresh new install of XP Pro. I have been using
Norton Internet Security (Firewall, Anti-Virus) for the last year...
and while it works well, it is a big system resource hog. Are
there any decent anti-virus applications that don't chew up
resources as bad as Norton does?

Also, is the built-in firewall in XP as good as Norton firewall?
Are there better (and leaner) firewall apps out there too?

Thanks in advance.

Alternative firewalls are from Sygate, Zone Alarm and Kerio. They all
work well and each has free and paid versions.

Sygate Personal Firewall
http://smb.sygate.com/products/spf_standard.htm

Zone Alarm
http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/company/products/znalm/freeDownload.jsp?lid=staticcomp_za

Kerio Personal Firewall
http://www.kerio.com/kpf_download.html

 

[Bruce Chambers]

I am preparing to install a new hard drive in my system and
start with a fresh new install of XP Pro. I have been using
Norton Internet Security (Firewall, Anti-Virus) for the last year...
and while it works well, it is a big system resource hog. Are
there any decent anti-virus applications that don't chew up
resources as bad as Norton does?

Also, is the built-in firewall in XP as good as Norton firewall?
Are there better (and leaner) firewall apps out there too?

Thanks in advance.

You'll get nearly as many differing opinions as you will
responses.

I used, and recommended, Norton Antivirus and then Norton Internet
Security, for many years, on Win98, WinNT, Win2K, and WinXP, all
without any significant problems. I had used McAfee prior to that.
But it's been several years since I've been tempted to try McAfee
products. Their quality seemed to take a steep nose-dive after they
were acquired by Network Associates.

However, when my subscription to Symantec's updates for Norton
Internet Security 2002 came up for renewal (at a cost substantially
higher than the preceding year's subscription), I decided to try less
expensive solutions. I downloaded and installed the free version of
GriSoft's AVG (http://www.grisoft.com/us/us_dwnl_free.php ) and the
free version of Sygate's Personal Firewall
(http://smb.sygate.com/free/default.php ). Both have proven to be
easily installed, easy to use, and quite effective. Additionally, I
was pleasantly surprised to see a small but very noticeable
improvement in my PC's performance, once I'd replaced the Symantec
product.

--

Bruce Chambers

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[Guest]

If you are not on a tight budget, try purchasing a Netgear VPN router +
hardware firewall. It works pretty darn well at keeping things safe. It
will allow you to uninstall Norton.

-Mr. Camel

 

[Alex Nichol]

I am preparing to install a new hard drive in my system and
start with a fresh new install of XP Pro. I have been using
Norton Internet Security (Firewall, Anti-Virus) for the last year...
and while it works well, it is a big system resource hog. Are
there any decent anti-virus applications that don't chew up
resources as bad as Norton does?

Also, is the built-in firewall in XP as good as Norton firewall?

I suggest getting the current free offer of a one year trial of eZArmor
from www.my-etrust.com/microsoft

The AV in it is eTrust (which I use) - unobtrusive, effective, updated
several times a week, and the renewal this year for just that was $9.96.
The Firewall component is Zone Alarm's Together they make a very good
combination