Free Anti Virus S/ware- Avast Or Agv?

[Mobi]

Following advice on this forum, I dumped Norton (which I paid for and was driving me crazy and slowing down everything) and installed Avast.

I recently bought a second PC and it came with AGV software.

Can anyone tell me which one is better, or is it Ok to use both? Any benefits form doing this?

Thanks

ageingcomputerdinosaur

[rcm]

Following advice on this forum, I dumped Norton (which I paid for and was driving me crazy and slowing down everything) and installed Avast.

I recently bought a second PC and it came with AGV software.

Can anyone tell me which one is better, or is it Ok to use both? Any benefits form doing this?

Thanks

ageingcomputerdinosaur

I use Avast on the one PC and AVG on the other two . Avast is good but has a tendency to slow things down a bit. AVG is faster to my opinion. But there maybe a catch of how thorough does AVG check for Viruses. I never had any problems so far ... from my point of view both are OK.

rcm

[Tywais]

I dumped McAfee recently for the same reason, too top heavy. However I am also behind an enterprise firewall server with it's own virus scan engine and just need a secondary defense in case something slips through. If not for that I would still use McAfee. Currently using AVG and it seems to be fine and how it burdens your system will depend on how you configure it (scheduled scanning for example).

Reviews of 3 free anti-virus programs: http://antivirus.about.com/od/antivirussof...ws/a/freeav.htm

Some user reviews on AVG: http://www.download.com/AVG-Anti-Virus-Fre...4-10503939.html

Edited June 8, 2006 by tywais

[PMK]

You definitely do not want to use two anti-virus products on the same machine for a number of reasons.

I'm not familiar with Avast except that it seems to be fairly well received. The free version of AVG does have some limitations like no exception list (Avast is probably similiar). AVG seems to uninstall gracefully so I suppose you could try both, but create a restore point first.

Peter

Following advice on this forum, I dumped Norton (which I paid for and was driving me crazy and slowing down everything) and installed Avast.

I recently bought a second PC and it came with AGV software.

Can anyone tell me which one is better, or is it Ok to use both? Any benefits form doing this?

Thanks

ageingcomputerdinosaur

[The Dan Sai Kid]

You definitely do not want to use two anti-virus products on the same machine for a number of reasons.

I'm not familiar with Avast except that it seems to be fairly well received. The free version of AVG does have some limitations like no exception list (Avast is probably similiar). AVG seems to uninstall gracefully so I suppose you could try both, but create a restore point first.

Peter

Following advice on this forum, I dumped Norton (which I paid for and was driving me crazy and slowing down everything) and installed Avast.

I recently bought a second PC and it came with AGV software.

Can anyone tell me which one is better, or is it Ok to use both? Any benefits form doing this?

Thanks

ageingcomputerdinosaur

Would you care to enlighten us with some of those reasons?

[rio666uk]

Im currently half way through the 30 trial period of the AVG+firewall package and am more than happy with it... I had been using ZoneAlarm free for the firewall and symantec anti-virus which was considerably better than norton system works, internet security, anti-virus etc etc etc

Give it a go - I reckon ill be buying it - £30 GBP ish for 1 licences 2 years

http://www.grisoft.com/doc/5/lng/us/tpl/tpl01

[astral]

I use Zonelabs firewall, paid version, which now includes Spyware protection an area you have not mentioned here.

I have been using the free version of AVG for several years now and have not encountered any problems.

On the odd occasion when a virus has entered the system, it has been dealt with effectively.

Anyone on broadband needs:

Firewall

Anti Virus

Anti Spyware

Edited June 8, 2006 by astral

[Plus]

Avast doesn't seem to work very well with Zone Alarm, at least last year edition warned me of that. I thought about it and dumped Zonelabs.

I like the way Avast installs by default - you'll never see it. It loads quietly, sits in the systray (two icons can be combined). When it asks for updates it doesn't splash over the whole screen - just a popup in the corner. Updates are very fast - in less than 30 sec. It scans all the mail and all the downloads but I hardly ever notice it working.

I had AVG installed on two machines and just didn't like the look of it - too many pictures, too many controls, too bright colors, but I've got nothing bad to say about the program itself.

[Mighty Mouse]

Following advice on this forum, I dumped Norton (which I paid for and was driving me crazy and slowing down everything) and installed Avast.

How successful were you in removing all the Norton files from your computer?

It has a bad reputation for infiltrating the registry and the 'uninstall' option only does a partial job.

[PMK]

Enlightenment is beyond both the scope of the forum and my abilities.

Regarding two simultaneous AV programs, first of all, it’s trying to solve a non-existent problem. It is not like the chances of either missing a virus are very high.

The downside starts with a few inconveniences, like if one scanner finds a virus it'll likely put in quarantine. Then the other will alert you when it scans that folder and you’ll have to interact with it or perhaps both to get rid of the quarantined virus. The user now has two antivirus programs that have to download updates and do scheduled scans. Then there are problems like which one is going to check the email as it arrives? Both? At the same time? One after the other? Who knows and how could it be controlled? Then will probably be conflicting calls to the Windows antivirus API. It’s clearly a recipe for trouble with virtually no upside.

Peter

Would you care to enlighten us with some of those reasons?

[Phil Conners]

Used FreeAVG for years and happy with it. It occationally catches a virus and has so far not let any through.

[cdnvic]

Avast doesn't seem to work very well with Zone Alarm

I've got Avast with Zone Alarm Pro and there's not been any difficulties whatsoever. I have not had a single problem with it in almost two years.

cv

[libya 115]

Don't load both; it can cause problems and error messages.

I use AVG; I am happy with it. It has detected about six virus this year.

However, I can't seem to get it not to load up automatically, when I start up the PC. Anyone know a way to stop that?

[Artisan]

Don't load both; it can cause problems and error messages.

I use AVG; I am happy with it. It has detected about six virus this year.

However, I can't seem to get it not to load up automatically, when I start up the PC. Anyone know a way to stop that?

AVG is, without a doubt, an excellent piece of antivirus softare. Mobi, I'd recommend that you go for that.

To configure your AVG update scheduling, open the AVG Control Centre:

Configure the Update Manager as follows:

Then back to the Control Centre and open "Scheduled Tasks" and Highlight "Update plan in Basic mode". Choose your update schedule.

Check this part of the Update Manager also.

[astral]

There is an interesting review in the PC World magazine this month.

[Mobi]

Thank you so much to all who have responded.

My new (main) PC came with the free AVG s0ftware, and my "secondary' PC has AVAST which I installed. So I guess I'll leave it all as is.

Reading the blurb in PC World, it would appear that, in the case of AVG, the free version is fine, and I gain very little by upgrading to the paid version. I don't mind paying if its worth it, but that doesn't appear to be the case.

Mightymouse, I had Norton installed on my laptop which got fried in the storms a few weeks ago. I could have re-installed via the Symantec site, but have decided not to. It used to drive me crazy, and blocked all kinds of stuff that I needed, and slowed everthing down. I feel like a weight was lifted off my shoulders.

Thanks once again

ageingcomputerdinosaur

[alexth]

Zone Alarm rules...using it for about 2 years or so...never had problems, anti-virus, spyware protection AND firewall. If I would have to replace it, I would go for BitDefender (very good but needs skill on installing it) or ESET Nod32. Good luck!

[Plus]

I've got Avast with Zone Alarm Pro and there's not been any difficulties whatsoever. I have not had a single problem with it in almost two years.

I think I too had them together for a while without any trouble at all but them the hel_l broke loose, and then I was installing Avast on another computer and the warning came up. I used the free version of Zone Alarm.

The problem was with their TrueVector platform - it crashed here and there and annoyed me greatly.

Sorry for getting off topic.

[TBWG]

Mightymouse, I had Norton installed on my laptop which got fried in the storms a few weeks ago. I could have re-installed via the Symantec site, but have decided not to. It used to drive me crazy, and blocked all kinds of stuff that I needed, and slowed everthing down. I feel like a weight was lifted off my shoulders.

Thanks once again

ageingcomputerdinosaur

Hi

Might as well add my two penneth! (is that how you spell it?) anyway, I dumped Norton couple of years back for exactly the same reason... slowed everything down by an unacceptable amount.

Now I am also a computer dinosaur so I am probaly a few years behind in latching on to things, so if I had problems two years ago this problem must have been around 4-5 years at least, which leads me to wonder why Symantec have still not done anything about it!

I have now used avast in conjunction with spybot without any issues for last 2 years.

TBWG

[Artisan]

Norton System Works 2005 (which included Norton Antivirus, Norton Internet Security and loads of other bloatware) destroyed any enjoyment that I had been able to have from my computer previously.

Norton is the champion of all memory hoggers, performance reducers and disrupters. I did a comprehensive search for anything containing the name of Norton or Symantec and, what a shock, their junk was all over my hard disks. Slowly, I removed it all and installed AVG Free and I have no complaints. I used a couple of Registry Cleaners to seek out the junk registry entries after uninstalling Norton.

Curiously, I have a neighbour who claims to have been a Computer Specialist prior to retirement. He rates Symantec Software and Norton Antivirus as the best of their kind......and that nothing can beat Internet Explorer! I don't claim to be a specialist in anything, but I know what I know and I was glad to dump Norton and I certainly don't use IE anymore.

Edited June 8, 2006 by Artisan

[Mighty Mouse]

Artisan, you nailed the Norton/Symantec problems.

After using the program uninstaller, there are still bucket loads of entries left behind. The Symantec website has (or had) a downloadable program designed to sweep all remaining traces from your hard drive, but it still missed many entries.

The only other way, and probably the best way, was to do as you did, and that's to physically go through the registry and remove entries one by one.

As far as anti-virus software is concerned, Nortons is arguably the best. There have been many tests conducted using all the various software packages in finding viruses on hard drives. Nortons always topped the count on detections.

If you buy the Symantec suite of programs and install them all, your computer will slow down considerably and you may find confliction with other programs.

Most of the other suite programs are fillers. Clean sweep, personal firewall, intrusion detection etc. are available as freeware by other software companies. Anyone who buys the suite is possibly wasting money and could be asking for performance problems.

I do however, like their Ghost program and use it regularly to back up my system.

My g/f has AVG on her computer and it seems to do the job OK.

We both use Counter Spy for spyware detection.

[Mobi]

How important is it to have spyware, and which ones would members recommend? Thanks.

[Tywais]

How important is it to have spyware, and which ones would members recommend? Thanks.

This is a case where having more then one is a good thing. I run both Lavasoft Ad-ware SE professional and Spybot Search & Destroy. The reason is that I have not found one that will find everything, so run two one after the other.

[Artisan]

How important is it to have spyware, and which ones would members recommend? Thanks.

This is a case where having more then one is a good thing. I run both Lavasoft Ad-ware SE professional and Spybot Search & Destroy. The reason is that I have not found one that will find everything, so run two one after the other.

Yes Mobi, like Tywais, I use both Lavasoft Ad-ware SE and Spybot Search & Destroy. There are free to dowload from many sites. I would look for the Lavasoft site and the Safer Networking Spybot S&D site and download from there. That way you can be sure that you will be downloading the latest databases. ....and I update them once a week using the update links.

[Noel]

Perhaps this review may be of interest...

[PMK]

It's very important these days, especially with IE - less so with Firefox. I like Spybot Search and Destroy as much for the other features like easy control over startup registry entries, locking the hosts file, etc., - as for the anti-spyware aspect.

Peter

How important is it to have spyware, and which ones would members recommend? Thanks.

[Mighty Mouse]

A spyware review here