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Free Antivirus programs

c2p

By c2p
in General Windows PC Help

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YoKenny1

YoKenny1

Posted
Posted

I like avast! but Avira is also good but it has an annoying Full Page advert when updating its definitions plus the free version users have lower priority of getting updates:

http://www.avast.com/eng/download-avast-home.html

It requires a free regisitration that is good for 1.5 years.

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YoKenny1

YoKenny1

Posted
Posted
What is about ClamAV ?

Source: http://www.clamwin.com/

Its OK on Win9X systems as it supports them but due to this statement I don't recommend it

Please note that ClamWin Free Antivirus does not include an on-access real-time scanner. You need to manually scan a file in order to detect a virus or spyware.
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YoKenny1

YoKenny1

Posted
Posted
@ YoKenny1

Please read this again:

ClamWin is a Free Antivirus program for Microsoft Windows 98/Me/2000/XP/2003 and Vista.

ClamWin Free Antivirus comes with an easy installer and open source code. You may download and use it absolutely free of charge. It features:

Source: http://www.clamwin.com/

MAM

I did!

Where do you think I found that it does not include an on-access real-time scanner?

avast! or Avira are both good free anti virus applications.

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noknojon

noknojon

Posted
Posted
I use AVG 8.5 free http://free.avg.com/ its the only one I have ever used so I cannot compare it.

I found AVG free was not detecting all things so I always needed to run SUPERantiSpyware as well - (Unless it has improved in the last 6 months) -

That was why I changed to Avira (as said earlier the update is a pest but you Minimise or turn off) -

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GT500

GT500

Posted
Posted

We usually recommend AntiVir from Avira, even over most paid solutions.

We NEVER recommend ClamAV/ClamWin/etc. It is designed for mail servers and such where the viruses are not actually running, and as far as I know it does not have any advanced methods of detecting or removing stubborn viruses/malware/etc. Another big issue is that it, being an open source project, only has a quick response time when a lot of people are working on the project. Since those people are all volunteers, the amount of time that they can spend on the project varies every day, there are many times that that is not the case.

Also, MAM, the posts you made referencing software to merge bootable anti-virus disks has been deleted because it is a violation of the license terms of every license agreement for every one of those anti-virus softwares. Please do not post anything that makes use of copyrighted material like that, yet does not have official permission from the copyright holders. :(

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chimpy

chimpy

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I found AVG free was not detecting all things so I always needed to run SUPERantiSpyware as well - (Unless it has improved in the last 6 months) -

That was why I changed to Avira (as said earlier the update is a pest but you Minimise or turn off) -

Nothing ever detects everything thats why its always advisable but have a few "on demand" scanners like SAS and MBAM to help out.

But saying that I tend not to go off the beaten track too much while surfing and I dont run a P2P so AVG 8.5 is probably ok for me.

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chimpy

chimpy

Posted
Posted

you are right about the drag on resources and also there is a conflict with Windows Firewall or Defender that shows sometimes the AVG is off when in fact it is on, And so you have too DL a patch from AVG to fix this which does not always work!

Heh I am really selling AVG to people here arent I :(

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catscomputer

catscomputer

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you are right about the drag on resources and also there is a conflict with Windows Firewall or Defender that shows sometimes the AVG is off when in fact it is on, And so you have too DL a patch from AVG to fix this which does not always work!

Heh I am really selling AVG to people here arent I :(

I use AVG free 8.5 too. I do have to agree with you and prairie dog that AVG is HUGELY resource-heavy, especially when it scans, no matter what scan speed priority you choose. It consumes 100% of CPU for some files even when it is set on automatic and absolutely no other applications are loaded. The same files scanned with MBAM, Ad-aware-AE and Windows Defender consume no more than 50%, ever (even when doing other stuff on the computer). It is also very slow. I've not had any problems with it apart from that though. Oh yeah I did - I quarantined some iTunes files not realising they were a FP and then the stupid virus vault wouldn't let me un-quarantine them.

I've had the Windows Security Centre report that AVG protection is switched off when I boot up too, not very often though. Personally I think that is because AVG takes an awful long time to load sometimes. Usually when it says that the AVG interface is showing all things working just fine, and I find rebooting fixes it every time. I haven't had to use the patch.

Based on what I've read since making an effort to become more knowledgeable in these matters, I've decided that I won't get AVG again in future. I'm going to go for either Avira, Avast, or ESET (with MBAM & SAS to compliment it). I think. MBAM definitely anyway! :(

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catscomputer

catscomputer

Posted
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avast!'s forum is very helpful and has many friendly people there:

http://forum.avast.com/index.php

Thank-you YoKenny :( I've heard others say the same the Avast! forum is good. I'm planning on changing several of my applications with my next computer, not just security programmes, but they are my main concern.

Hey I've just read your signature and I'm curious about something. You've got Avast! and MS Security Essentials listed - are you running two AV programmes, or is that you just happen to have tried both or recommend both? I ask because I thought running two AVs (even when only one is "real-time" as oppposed to an on-demand scanner) is a no no and can cause false negatives and stuff. How did you find MS Security Essentials? (if you don't mind me asking).

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catscomputer

catscomputer

Posted
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avast!'s forum is very helpful and has many friendly people there:

http://forum.avast.com/index.php

Thank-you YoKenny :( I've heard others say the same the Avast! forum is good. I'm planning on changing several of my applications with my next computer, not just security programmes, but they are my main concern.

Hey I've just read your signature and I'm curious about something. You've got Avast! and MS Security Essentials listed - are you running two AV programmes, or is that you just happen to have tried both or recommend both? I ask because I thought running two AVs (even when only one is "real-time" as oppposed to an on-demand scanner) is a no no and can cause false negatives and stuff. How did you find MS Security Essentials? (if you don't mind me asking).

EDIT - I appear to have posted this comment twice, sorry! Not sure how to delete one.

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