What antivirus software do you use?

**Don** · **05-25-06, 12:33 PM**

I use Norton Because I have never had a problem with it. I tried other A.V. but always came back to norton.

**pierrebnh** · **05-25-06, 11:49 PM**

This made my day

Guess we'll be keeping an eye on this one...

**Don** · **05-25-06, 11:56 PM**

Not only that they figured out away to hack the software to. They make it so instead 1 yrs of service each time its 6 yrs. How they do it I don't know but I saw it on MSNBC.

**Danny** · **05-26-06, 12:37 AM**

I use Norton Anti-virus corporate edition and Zone alarm for the firewall

**Sonnie** · **05-26-06, 01:44 PM**

A good source to keep up with what AV software is doing is VB (Virus Bulletin). They test the various AV software on the various platforms and report regularly.

Still no guarantee that any of the software won't get cracked at some point in time.

**11-10-06, 08:56 PM**

I generally use Avast, both the 32 and 64bit versions but am currently trying out the free AOL Active Virus Shield which features Kaspersky AV engine which is rated to have the highest detection rates, so far I guess Avast did a good job for me as AVS found only one backdoor worm on my system. I also use GeSWALL Intrusion detection sandbox along with my anti virus, I don't use any firewall as my inbound is fully protected by my router which also has a firewall built in.

**khellandros66** · **11-11-06, 08:55 PM**

Avast for Win 32 and Linux

~Bob

**11-11-06, 09:20 PM**

Back to Avast, somehow nothing else can satisfy me.

**Bruce** · **11-30-06, 08:31 PM**

Using AVG with zonealarm for the last 8 years without a single infestation.

I find many people on HTPCnews and Anandtech also use these same programs effectively.

**Darren** · **12-01-06, 10:07 AM**

None, I've been in the computer industry for 15 years and have never had a use for it. If you know what you are looking at or saying yes to then you don't have issues

Oh, I've never had a virus either.

**12-01-06, 02:09 PM**

Quote:

I've never had a virus either.

That you know about

I've used the corporate version of Symantec for years as we've got a employee plan for it where I work but as Darren points out if you know what you're doing its a rare occurrence that its ever found anything during a scan. Its detected things in incoming emails but those aren't normally a threat unless you activate them.

**Darren** · **12-01-06, 02:13 PM**

Very true, but I have yet to find traces of anything... fingers crossed

Basically you have to treat the internet like it's a strange woman. You don't just say yes to everything without the proper consideration and protection.

**Sonnie** · **12-01-06, 04:35 PM**

Scary analogy... lol.

I don't think I've had a virus either, but my wife has and daughter have.

You would also wanna make sure you were the only one to ever touch your computer if you were unprotected. As far as work, I'm pretty safe, but at home, the daughter and wife (although I've warned them) might wanna play at the desktop. I generally don't have to worry about the laptop.

AVG is free though, and uses hardly any resources, which is why I generally recommend it to most of my friends and family that are not computer/Internet geniuses.

**12-04-06, 02:08 PM**

I install AVG on all the PC's I maintain for friends/family given that its free and effective.

**Harpmaker** · **07-06-09, 10:28 PM**

OK, 3 1/2 years later, I would like to revive this thread since I am now in need of a good free antivirus program.

The program I have been using for the last 5 years or more (Avira, also known as AntiVir) now requires I update my Win2k OS to use the new (and now the only supported) version. I have read a number of bad things about that and don't want to do it. Thus the need for different software.

I will probably be fairly safe just using the old version of Avira for awhile, but it irks me not to be able to continue updating it. I guess they have their reasons...

I understand that if you are computer savvy and know how to avoid problematic sites that there is very little real risk of getting a computer virus, but I also support friends that aren't so savvy (I even have problems getting them not to click on attachments and such

); but I also administrate several forums and checking out links in signatures can take me to some pretty shady sites - I would feel better if I knew I had a up-to-date antivirus between my PC and theirs.

Is AVG still king of the free AV programs?

The only computer virus that ever got me came on a legitimate copy of Microsoft QBasic. It was 20 years ago or better and before most people ever heard of computer viruses, it caused a LOT of grief! I thought I was having a hardware problem and took my infected PC to my computer guy's shop. His diagnostic disks became infected and when I finally found that I had a virus I drove the 60 miles back to his shop and we went to all the customers he had serviced computers for in the interim and had to disinfect their computers (I took the disinfecting software with me). A hard lesson learned. Luckily no data was lost by anyone.

**Harpmaker** · **07-06-09, 10:54 PM**

OK, just found out that the free version of AVG requires the same Win2k update as Avira (Update Rollup 1). Bummer...

The search continues...

Has anyone tried avast! lately?

**mechman** · **07-06-09, 11:17 PM**

About three months ago I switched from AVG to Avira. AVG was really starting to be a resource hog and I'm not a fan of resource hogs. I still have AVG on my wife's machine. But that won't last long.

I've read good things about Avast. But the number one in Max PC these days is Avira. Too bad you can't keep running it.

For malware I have MalwareBytes, Super Anti-Spyware, and Spybot. I don't use Spybot that often as things have slipped through it's cracks in the past.

**highcurrent** · **07-07-09, 08:28 AM**

Quote:

Harpmaker wrote:

OK, 3 1/2 years later, I would like to revive this thread since I am now in need of a good free antivirus program.

The program I have been using for the last 5 years or more (Avira, also known as AntiVir) now requires I update my Win2k OS to use the new (and now the only supported) version. I have read a number of bad things about that and don't want to do it. Thus the need for different software.

I will probably be fairly safe just using the old version of Avira for awhile, but it irks me not to be able to continue updating it. I guess they have their reasons...

I understand that if you are computer savvy and know how to avoid problematic sites that there is very little real risk of getting a computer virus, but I also support friends that aren't so savvy (I even have problems getting them not to click on attachments and such

); but I also administrate several forums and checking out links in signatures can take me to some pretty shady sites - I would feel better if I knew I had a up-to-date antivirus between my PC and theirs.

Is AVG still king of the free AV programs?

The only computer virus that ever got me came on a legitimate copy of Microsoft QBasic. It was 20 years ago or better and before most people ever heard of computer viruses, it caused a LOT of grief! I thought I was having a hardware problem and took my infected PC to my computer guy's shop. His diagnostic disks became infected and when I finally found that I had a virus I drove the 60 miles back to his shop and we went to all the customers he had serviced computers for in the interim and had to disinfect their computers (I took the disinfecting software with me). A hard lesson learned. Luckily no data was lost by anyone.

You are missing the forest for the trees here. Staying with ancient Win2k is FAR more of a security problem than updating to XP SP2 or SP3 with no AV software. Updating your OS should be your first security move and then get the latest version of your favorite AV software. They all support XP so you don't have to go straight to Vista. Seriously... putting brand new tires on a car that has a failing suspension system and bad brakes, doesn't make it safer.

**Harpmaker** · **07-07-09, 10:32 AM**

Quote:

highcurrent wrote:

You are missing the forest for the trees here. Staying with ancient Win2k is FAR more of a security problem than updating to XP SP2 or SP3 with no AV software. Updating your OS should be your first security move and then get the latest version of your favorite AV software. They all support XP so you don't have to go straight to Vista. Seriously... putting brand new tires on a car that has a failing suspension system and bad brakes, doesn't make it safer.

I understand that train of thought, but I'm quite a firm believer in "if it ain't broke don't fix it" when it comes to operating systems; or perhaps I should say "if it's working don't fix it" since I don't think Microsoft ever released a version of Windows that wasn't broken in one way or another. Win2k has been fairly stable for me <knocking on wood>. I'll move up to XP on my new PC (home built) , but after that no more Windows unless something drastic happens.

**Sonnie** · **07-07-09, 02:37 PM**

Old thread for sure... I no longer recommend AVG. I use and highly recommend ESET. We use it here at the office and at home. Very reasonable, ranked very high in all the AV testing and is quite as a mouse while it does its thing.

**tonyvdb** · **07-07-09, 02:46 PM**

As far as free AV software is concerned AVG Free is still ranked the best however there are alot better out there but you have to pay for them.

**Sonnie** · **07-07-09, 06:06 PM**

I was a firm supporter of AVG until the "paid" version allowed a virus on our work computer. Granted not without the help of our 19 year old daughter. Then... my wife's computer at her office got a virus while she was running AVG, again the "paid" version. I would generally just blame it on women and computers, but I am outnumbered.

**tonyvdb** · **07-07-09, 06:09 PM**

Quote:

Sonnie wrote:

I would generally just blame it on women and computers, but I am outnumbered.

Oh dont we know it

and we cant live without them

**mechman** · **07-08-09, 07:30 AM**

ESET is the top ranked AV for 'paid' applications according to Max pc. They gave it a 9 out of 10.

**Mika75** · **07-08-09, 08:09 AM**

Quote:

highcurrent wrote:

You are missing the forest for the trees here. Staying with ancient Win2k is FAR more of a security problem than updating to XP SP2 or SP3 with no AV software. Updating your OS should be your first security move and then get the latest 'FREE' version of your favorite AV software. They all support XP so you don't have to go straight to Vista. Seriously... putting brand new tires on a car that has a failing suspension system and bad brakes, doesn't make it safer.

this guy is correct

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