Antivirus software
- Thread starter Freesia
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Chryssie
Internet Junkie
I have used free anti-virus software for years with good results. I currently have avast on a couple of my computers and avg on this one. I also stay away from sites that are notorious for infections. 
RabbitLuvr
I love rabbits.
beancounter
The Fire That Burns Within
Avast or AVG are the two most popular. Microsoft also makes a free one call security essentials.
Personally I don't think stand alone AV programs are very useful unless the can also "standrd guard" at the gateway to your internet connection and stop a virus from getting on your computer in the first place. If a virus can activite before the next time a scan is done, a stand alone AV program won't help much.
And as far as I'm aware AVG and Avast are stand alones. I've tried both, and both allowed my computer to be infected.
Personally I don't think stand alone AV programs are very useful unless the can also "standrd guard" at the gateway to your internet connection and stop a virus from getting on your computer in the first place. If a virus can activite before the next time a scan is done, a stand alone AV program won't help much.
And as far as I'm aware AVG and Avast are stand alones. I've tried both, and both allowed my computer to be infected.
OP
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Im considering both Avast, and the microsoft ones. Thanks guys.
Beancounter, then what would you consider the best?
This computer came with Norton but it asks me to pay after 3 months. People I know use Nod32 but again not free.
Beancounter, then what would you consider the best?
This computer came with Norton but it asks me to pay after 3 months. People I know use Nod32 but again not free.
I'm using Microsoft Security Essentials right now and so far I'm really liking it. Small footprint, doesn't slow my machine down, and it's free free... no popups or banner ads trying to sell you the paid version (since there isn't any). I've used both AVG and Avast! in the past as well and they were both good. No problems with any of the three.
beancounter
The Fire That Burns Within
Well if you want to stay with free, then I would go with MS Security Essentials.
If you are willing to pay, then either Norton Internet Security (not Norton antivirus), or Kaspersky.
I use Linux, so none needed, but my daughter's Windows laptop has Avast! and AVG. My husband hates Norton, but I can't remember why exactly.
beancounter
The Fire That Burns Within
He probably hates it because it got a (deserved) reputation as a resource hog.
However, starting with the 2011 version, the resource requirements were significantly reduced.
thefadedone
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I also have used both AVG and Avast! I have had viruses with both of them in the past (thanks to vegweb ) , but they seem to be catching a lot of things since then.
) , but they seem to be catching a lot of things since then.
K-II
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I use avast right now, because I didn't have one at all for ages and I figured I probably should eventually. Avira makes one that I think can run a scan before your operating system loads or something. Antivir I think. I've installed that on computers before when people let them become absolutely infested and used it to get things that avast didn't catch.
Two minds are better than one.
Seriously though, I don't think you'd go wrong with any of those mentioned in this thread.
If you don't like the one you decide upon, it's easy enough to uninstall and try another.
FortyTwo
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FortyTwo
Custom Title
It finds and removes malicious programs and warns of their presence. I'd say that qualifies unless there's some special set of rules for antivirus software that I don't know of.
Which I suppose is entirely possible given the fact that I didn't do research beforehand and it's almost one in the morning.
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