Dependable Free Anti-Virus Programs

[rickyjo]

I 2nd Avira. It has the highest detection percentage in the industry in many studies I have read and is quite lightweight. Avast is a good one also, the pre-boot removal method is superior to most AV programs I have used. AVG would be OK but the free version is crippled and a bit resource heavy (I'm not sure if the intentional crippling is still in effect in version 9).

Incidentally, the only program worse than Norton is Mcafee! They do cause problems, they are not worth the poor computer performance they cause. I get many people who cannot connect to the internet because of these two programs. In the most recent study I read Norton had a 96% detection and Mcafee had a 94% while AVG had a 96%, avast was a bit better, and Avira was at 99% if I'm not mistaken. I'll try to find this study, I think it was PCStats or somebody.

A few words on spybot, I find it is a bit obsolete. Superantispyware seems to do a better job, work faster, and complete more often; however, spybot can edit your HOSTS file which is great! Everybody should edit their HOSTS file! Also spybot also runs in safemode which is really important. And for the love of all holy things, do not install tea-timer. If you are advanced enough to know how to use it you are advanced enough not to need it.

[dark_dan]

A few words on spybot, I find it is a bit obsolete.

I agree. In it's day it was great, but a few years ago adaware would find things it would leave behind. Malwarebytes finds things that adaware leaves behind. It really does take two to get everything nowadays.

[rickyjo]

Oh yeah, definitely. I have spybot on my PC, I have malware bytes, and superantispyware. None of them are allowed to start on their own at any level including auto updates to avoid slowing down the PC. I only use them when I have an issue (don't emulate my bad practices! I reload my PC often so I don't care as much as I should). When I used anti-virus it was Avira. It was the only free one I could find that ran OK on my windows 98 333mhz PC of long ago when I was in high school. I don't think it could run that light anymore ...

[PeteDude]

Right now, I'm getting by with the freeware ClamWin, but eventually I'll need something a bit more potent. ClamWin doesn't really do much more than check files you've downloaded.

[Ruddigore]

Nothing well-known is really going to do much. Viruses are written to circumnavigate the most famous virus removal problems. A friend of mine said he'd rather get a virus than have to run a resource-consuming antivirus program. I'm inclined to agree with him. But if you're particularly susceptible to viruses from the 90s, antivirus software may just be the ticket.

[dark_dan]

Nothing well-known is really going to do much. Viruses are written to circumnavigate the most famous virus removal problems. A friend of mine said he'd rather get a virus than have to run a resource-consuming antivirus program. I'm inclined to agree with him. But if you're particularly susceptible to viruses from the 90s, antivirus software may just be the ticket.

That's why it's an arms race. Daily updates for definitions and heuristics to catch new stuff.

I don't like restoring and backing up. I just now upgraded my main computer to WinXP since I've been running the same Win2K install for 6 years. So it all depends on what you'd rather have.

A good antivirus software and spyware remover combined with not clicking any link my mom emails me, keeps my computer running tip top. That to me is better than worrying about backing up and restoring and possibly losing something important.

I can't imagine a virus or trojan wiping my harddrive as I finish a 9 page paper for school but before I back up my computer.

Not to mention, if you back up often enough you will back up a virus that just hasn't gone off yet and done anything malicious.

[P00057870]

Bump.

Any new information available on this subject?

Thanks,

Judy

[Ruddigore]

Any new information available on this subject?

Indeed there is. Since last posting, I have begun using a Firefox add-on that blocks all Javascript. Such an extension provides better protection than anything else I can think of: NoScript - JavaScript/Java/Flash blocker for a safer Firefox experience! - what is it? - InformAction

It may make some pages look funny without enabling scripts, but you can always allow sites (like IC) that you trust.

[skyfall123]

I've always used the Symantic Corporate version, but a few months back I bought a new laptop the week that Windows 7 was released, and the only product available at the time was Microsoft Security Essentials http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/ I've been very pleased with this free product. I had a friend with an infected computer who downloaded and installed Microsoft Security Essentials and it effectively restored his computer. I normally wouldn't have even tried this product, but am very glad that I did.

[Maniac Craniac]

Another vote for Avira.

I did several months of research before I settled on it- in every single published study, and every single test run I gave it, it consistently was either the first or second strongest in detecting and destroying threats. WAY stronger than McAfee, Norton, AVG, etc. and very easy to use.