I'm in the middle of my annual system reformat, and fresh install. I am using Nortons anti-virus now and it really makes my old machine drag ass. Can anyone give me the skinny on the best free anti-virus program that works good and doesn't take up too many computer resources.

Thanks.

free.grisoft.com/doc/1

Quoted: free.grisoft.com/doc/1

AVG Anti-virus is the cat's ass.

spybots search and destroy.

Quoted: spybots search and destroy.

You know that isn't an antivirus app, right?

www.xoftspy.co.uk/

this is by far the best spyware prog ive found i believe it also does anti virus.  



found so much more that spybot  and adaware missed

Tag.

Quoted: ...i believe it also does anti virus.

I bet you and myitinaw have infected-as-hell systems.


ETA: Best free AV? AVG Free. No question about it.

i use avg antivirus... been quite happy so far! :)

Quoted: Quoted: ...i believe it also does anti virus.   I bet you and myitinaw have infected-as-hell systems. ETA: Best free AV? AVG Free. No question about it.

nope I dont

miss the first reply?

yes true, my bad...
But it is quite effective
against spyware, etc
On our computers anti-virus
and anti spyware programs
are most necessary. Both
equal in importance.

Quoted: Free anti virus software? Worth just about what you paid for it.... buy something reputable. ANdy

I disagree, I fucking HATE McAfee, it's annoying as hell, everything has to be done via the web, its crazy system intensive. Symantec is crap, it shuts down things randomly, and has 5 other things running at one time, and it blocks a lot of websites that you would normally want to go to.

I run AVG and Microsoft's anti spyware program, no issues whatsoever.

AVAST

Free and it works very well. It blew away Norton and McAfee in three tests for me personally and one test at work.

housecall.trendmicro.com

Quoted: Free anti virus software? Worth just about what you paid for it.... buy something reputable. ANdy

Not true at all, most antivirus programs use the same dat information anyway... what you pay for is the surrounding program, like Symantecs monstrosity of a memory hog.

AVG is pretty good, right now I'm using AntiVir & I've been happy with it. The problem with many of the retail programs is how intrusive they are, try uninstalling a Symantec product sometime & you'll see what I mean.

Quoted: Quoted: housecall.trendmicro.com +1 This one has saved my ass more than once! However it doesnt actually prevent anything, it just finds and deals with whats already there.

It is, however, an excellent 'backup' to what you have.

We use Sophos at work.  Sophos has to be the crappiest, most worthless Antivirus software out there.  Trendmicro's housecall is an excellent way of getting rid of what get's through.

I suggest anyone give it a try.

Mcafee virusscan downloaded, not purchased.

a must read for all internet users legit and non legit programs


scroll up to the top of the page

Quoted: Free anti virus software? Worth just about what you paid for it.... buy something reputable. ANdy

Bzzt. Sorry wrong answer.

I've used the two major comercial antivirus programs. The only thing they do that AVG doesn't is hog resources.

I had norton on three pc's, paying for subscriptions every year. Then, two years into it, they tell me they're no longer supporting the product I paid $40 bucks for and spent $10 or $15 keeping current.

Apparently keeping up subcription fees isn't enough for them, so they wanted to make me and countless other users buy a whole new program.

Instead I found AVG, and discovered an antivirus program doesn't have take up your resources while it's running. And it updates, free, every week.

With AVG, BHODemon, and Spybot S&D, there's no reason to pay some company for bloatware that often lags behind the curve in protection.

Avast! works well.

Quoted: housecall.trendmicro.com

+100

I run a scan from there every few weeks, good program.

My vote is for AVG as well.... McaFee or Norton will NEVER touch a PC I won.

Quoted: Free anti virus software? Worth just about what you paid for it.... buy something reputable. ANdy

With all due respect, bull.
I've worked on several machines that had Norton on them. Still the bugs got in.
Same with Mcfaee, although to a lesser extent.
I got tagged with one while using mcafee. After that I started researching and playing on the dark side of the net. On the uusenet the "groups" that were pro-virus were bitching about what virus scanners were catching their bugs. Thats where I learned about Kapersky and grisoft. I figured that what they whined about stopping their bugs was good enough for me. Also, if you post on the uusenet pretty soon e-mail's with virus's will begin to flood your e-mail.

AVG is a good one. (One of them that I use.)
Kapersky has one that seems to hold its own also.

The trick anymore is not to assume that any one program will catch and stop them all.
Panda's online scanner, not too bad, but has posted false positives for me before. I still use them though.
Get a good scanner and keep it up to date. Also, practice safe internet use. Also, use a backup scanner. (ie online)

I just finished up a machine that had 10 different bugs on it. Also a few of those bugs presented themselves many times. She had me install norton on her machine. I'm sure I'll see it again.

Anyway, my opinion on this issue:
1. Get and use a good firewall. My pick, zone alarm or zone alarm pro.
2. Virus software. Either AVG or Kapersky. AVG is free. Keep it upto date. My AVG checks for updates daily and also scans daily as well as real time.
3. Use a backup scanner. keep it off your system. (ie: online scanner)
4. Practice safe internet. Dont download atachments in e-mails. If you do, make sure that you can scan them before opening them. Set your e-mail program not to open them until you tell it to.

Edit. correction.

A Mac.

Quoted: My vote is for AVG as well.... McaFee or Norton will NEVER touch a PC I won.

Wow, you won a pc? How did you do it?

I have used AVG with no problems

Go to www.grc.com and find 'Shields UP' for a good primer on firewalls.
You can test your system and see if you are exposed to the internet via open ports.

.

Quoted: A Mac.

He wants an antivirus. We would he BUY a virus? MAC is a disease.

im using NOD32 - real sweet AV program

Quoted: AVAST Free and it works very well. It blew away Norton and McAfee in three tests for me personally and one test at work.

+1

AVAST!!

AVG and Avast both work very well.  They provide good protection while not dragging down system performance.  Norton and McAfee both suck donkey balls, especially WRT hogging system resources.

+1 for Avast, it's on all my PC's.

AVG