Once more - what's the best antivirus program now?

Mud · Mar 12, 2010

I need a new antivirus protection. We've been using McAfee (yes I know) because it came free from my ISP. Seems to work OK except for bogging things down when scanning. The ISP is switching to free Norton and I don't hate myself enough to use free Norton, or to pay for McAfee. I've tried AVG and it seems OK too, and I've seen it recommended here. It's much faster at scanning, but shuts the computer down completely while doing it, I can work around that. I have 9 computers to protect, I can get 10 seats of AVG for $150 for a year. I've had Trend Micro recommended, but it looks much more expensive and I wonder if it's really any better than AVG. Is AVG still OK? What are you guys all using?

sa100 · Mar 12, 2010

Mud,

For several years now, I have been using Avast! antivirus and have no problems or complaints. It's free for home use, but charges for commercial applications (I'm not sure how much). I had been getting limited, free antivirus from a previous ISP. When I switched ISP's, I had to find another source for anti virus protection.

About that time, I found myself in a waiting room, and, not surprisingly, waiting. I found a copy of Consumer's Reports with a headline that blared, "BEST ANTIVIRUS S/W! Aha! At that time, Avast! was rated a close second-best, behind some little-known and very expensive s/w. Since Avast! was free, and I am cheap, we were a natural fit.

Since then, I have had no reason to regret choosing Avast!. When I added a second computer, I did a little online research and at that time (about 2 years ago) Avast! was still very well regarded, so I installed it on the second machine, too.

I'm sure that others with greater expertise in this area will chime in with a more technical analysis of what constitutes a good antivirus program, and make specific recommendations. I look forward to reading them. I doubt I'll switch, though.

Gary E · Mar 12, 2010

I have had AVG for years... so many that I cant count that high,,, but,, NOW they want me to upgrade and since I'm a cheapskate I want the free install... and maybe also because I cant figger out how to do that, I am considering somethng else.... I've heard Avast is good, and since you say it allows 2 installs at home, that sounds even better than AGV which limits you to one free install at home... and that's if someone can walk me through how to do it...

So...what else might be good ...FREEE and allow 2 pc install at home?

The Energy Rebel · Mar 12, 2010

A)

Buy a Mac.

WILLEO6709 · Mar 12, 2010

ESET NOD32....best I have run

gregormarwick · Mar 12, 2010

AVG is still the best free av by a good margin IMO. Better than norton and mcafee by orders of magnitude.

Nod32 is as good as AVG in terms of detection rates and is slightly faster supposedly. It's not free, but not expensive.

Mud said:
...shuts the computer down completely while doing it...

AVG has zero noticable impact on mine when it's scanning. Maybe the problem lies elsewhere?

Gregor

Conrad Hoffman · Mar 12, 2010

I used AVG for years, but they seemed to have a lot of problems with their most recent upgrade. I switched to Avast, but the database updates are huge, too big for my dial-up at home. It's also very poor at reporting status of what it's doing during scanning and such. I was underwhelmed. I'll be going back to AVG shortly, as I'm sure they'll solve whatever problems crept into the last release and the user interface is much better.

Conrad

mc_n_g · Mar 12, 2010

I never use just one software. One cannot do it all. Baseline I use Norton but it is a hog and is a little too controlling at times.
MalwareBytes is one I use a supplement.
SpyWare Blaster is another.

Gary E · Mar 12, 2010

gregormarwick said:
AVG is still the best free av by a good margin IMO. Better than norton and mcafee by orders of magnitude.

Nod32 is as good as AVG in terms of detection rates and is slightly faster supposedly. It's not free, but not expensive.

AVG has zero noticable impact on mine when it's scanning. Maybe the problem lies elsewhere?

Gregor

AVG. when doing the FULL SCAN... damn near disables the pc for anything else... BUT, you dont need to do that every day or even every time you start the pc... There is a setting that allows you to chose WHAT TIME and WHAT DAY or Days you schedule the scan...

Does Avast allow the selection of when to do a full scan?

The real Leigh · Mar 12, 2010

Avast here

Was using AVG, but it's such a resource hog I replaced it with Avast!, which seems to work fine.

It's also wise to install Ad-Aware, MalwareBytes, Spybot Search & Destroy, etc.

Use Firefox (www.getfirefox.com) and install its various anti-spam addons.

- Leigh

Bobw · Mar 12, 2010

AVG USED to be great. It got to be a massive resource hog, and then missed quite a few things.

Went to Avast. I'm not totally sure, but it seems to scan everything slowly in the background, letting you do what you need to do. The only time I notice anything slow is for a minute or 2 when it updates it's database. It also picked up a lot of crap that AVG left behind, and its free. I like free.

Gary E · Mar 12, 2010

Bobw said:
AVG USED to be great. It got to be a massive resource hog, and then missed quite a few things.

Went to Avast. I'm not totally sure, but it seems to scan everything slowly in the background, letting you do what you need to do. The only time I notice anything slow is for a minute or 2 when it updates it's database. It also picked up a lot of crap that AVG left behind, and its free. I like free.

Can you SET the TIME and DAY you want it to scan??

HuFlungDung · Mar 12, 2010

I had trouble initially when installing AVG free ver9 but it seemed to settle down after the first two or three scans. I think it is better now that it does not scan the whole darn computer every time it scans.

Probably you'd need a dual core processor to have a little computing power left over to hobble along while it is scanning.

Gary: yes you can set the day of the week and the time. I think this is improved over previous versions of AVG where your choice seemed to be daily or not at all (in the free version).

Gary E · Mar 12, 2010

HuFlungDung said:
I had trouble initially when installing AVG free ver9 but it seemed to settle down after the first two or three scans. I think it is better now that it does not scan the whole darn computer every time it scans.

Probably you'd need a dual core processor to have a little computing power left over to hobble along while it is scanning.

Hu..

I have had Dual Core pc for ages... AVG does bog down the pc when doing a FULL SCAN.. BUT you can SET WHEN it is allowed to do that...

BUT AVG is making it very hard for me to upgade to the FREE version....and it limits yoou to ONE install at home... I NEED 2

Walter A · Mar 12, 2010

CA Anti-Virus Plus Anti-Spyware 2010
Used the above for years and was very pleased. No slowdown issues at all.

Recently switched to this - Antivirus Software - VIPRE Antivirus Download a Free Trial

Not free but everything is automatic and no slowdowns unless your scan mode is super detailed. In both cases I set them up for lights out scans.

I used most of the free ones for some time on other computers but they just needed too much time keeping them up to date.

Walter A.

kenh · Mar 12, 2010

PREVX, free.

The real Leigh · Mar 12, 2010

Bobw said:
Went to Avast. I'm not totally sure, but it seems to scan everything slowly in the background...

It's an "on-access" scanner, so it basically scans a file when you try to open it.

It may also run background scans.

- Leigh

RC99 · Mar 12, 2010

I use Eset Nod 32... I find it very good..

johnoder · Mar 12, 2010

Another solid vote for ESET. Tired of ponderous bloated crap that is serviced by folks in India incapable of handling a simple direct question? Want something that comes up for a brief period when you boot up, then goes away having updated itself?

John Oder

mf205i · Mar 12, 2010

I have been an avid Norton hater for many years. I was using Mcafee and as my computer got older, my computer became almost unusable with some folders taking 30+ seconds to open, every time. I was going to buy another computer, but my brother offered a left over Norton subscription he had from his business. Again, I hate Norton, but I had nothing to loose so I installed it. What a pleasant surprise, fast and not one problem in 1.3ish years. Try the Norton.

BTW Some financial institutions have Internet fraud protection insurance, but you agree to do your part. Free AV is not considered doing your part.
Mike

Once more - what's the best antivirus program now?

Diamond

Hot Rolled

Diamond

Hot Rolled

Diamond

Diamond

Diamond

Cast Iron

Diamond

Diamond

Diamond

Diamond

Diamond

Diamond

Titanium

kenh

Guest

Diamond

Diamond

Diamond

Cast Iron

Similar threads