Free anti virus software

  • Thread starter Thread starter Oldmoondog
  • Start date Start date
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Oldmoondog

Can anybody recomment free Anti Virus SW for use on a home PC. Symantec
have suddenly stopped supporting the engine and it now costs over 35 pounds
to replace - bandits!
Regards
Oldmoondog
 
From: "Oldmoondog" <[email protected]>

| Can anybody recomment free Anti Virus SW for use on a home PC. Symantec
| have suddenly stopped supporting the engine and it now costs over 35 pounds
| to replace - bandits!
| Regards
| Oldmoondog
|


AVAST -
http://www.avast.com/i_idt_1016.html - FREE

AntiVir -
http://www.free-av.com/ - FREE

AVG -
http://free.grisoft.com/freeweb.php/doc/2/lng/us/tpl/v5 - FREE

CA eTrust -
http://www.my-etrust.com/microsoft/index.cfm - FREE for one year.
{ Free offer extended indefinitely }

Of the totally FREE anti virus applications, it is my opinion that AntiVir is the best
choice.
 
David said:
From: "Oldmoondog" <[email protected]>

| Can anybody recomment free Anti Virus SW for use on a home PC. Symantec
| have suddenly stopped supporting the engine and it now costs over 35 pounds
| to replace - bandits!

AVAST -
http://www.avast.com/i_idt_1016.html - FREE

AntiVir -
http://www.free-av.com/ - FREE

AVG -
http://free.grisoft.com/freeweb.php/doc/2/lng/us/tpl/v5 - FREE

CA eTrust -
http://www.my-etrust.com/microsoft/index.cfm - FREE for one year.
{ Free offer extended indefinitely }

Of the totally FREE anti virus applications, it is my opinion that AntiVir is the best
choice.
Click to expand...

Dave,

Are you ready to add this to your list of freeware AVs?

Active Virus Shield
(http://www.activevirusshield.com/antivirus/freeav/index.adp)

Anyone who wants to evaluate this AV (KAV 6, somewhat crippled GUI)
should 1) read the EULA (KL/AOL) and 2) _not_ install the optional
security toolbar. Most people consider the toolbar to be spyware.

BTW, WTF were they thinking when they named this AV? Most things named
/Active/ are to be guarded against on a Windows box, not installed.

Ron :)
 
Oldmoondog said:
Can anybody recomment free Anti Virus SW for use on a home PC. Symantec
have suddenly stopped supporting the engine and it now costs over 35
pounds to replace - bandits!
Click to expand...

35 pounds seem fairly reasonable for ensuring that your system is not
attacked by far worse bandits.

I was having problems with McAfee which is probably now sorted.

AVG (free although there are also commercial versions) was recommended and I
installed it. I then wanted to contact them regarding something. I was told
that there was no support with the free version.

It seemed to me that there is no point in using an anti-virus s/w that one
can't ask questions about.

I also found that the Virusscan took years and I had to leave it running
when I went out. When I returned there was no obvious report. To this punter
it seemed a waste of time.

It has been pointed out to me that BT Yahoo has an anti-virus with certain
levels of subscription (not mine). What about NTLWorld?

Nick
 
From: "Ron Lopshire" <[email protected]>


|
| Dave,
|
| Are you ready to add this to your list of freeware AVs?
|
| Active Virus Shield
| (http://www.activevirusshield.com/antivirus/freeav/index.adp)
|
| Anyone who wants to evaluate this AV (KAV 6, somewhat crippled GUI)
| should 1) read the EULA (KL/AOL) and 2) _not_ install the optional
| security toolbar. Most people consider the toolbar to be spyware.
|
| BTW, WTF were they thinking when they named this AV? Most things named
| /Active/ are to be guarded against on a Windows box, not installed.
|
| Ron :)

No, due to the ties with AOL and adware.
It has a "possible" paylaod for its use. Even if it can be disabled as Art Kopp has
indicated, I don't trust it and I don't like the terms of use.

For me to have to post its suggestion I would have to post the caveats. It's not worth the
trouble.
 
From: "Ron Lopshire" <[email protected]>


|
| Dave,
|
| Are you ready to add this to your list of freeware AVs?
|
| Active Virus Shield
| (http://www.activevirusshield.com/antivirus/freeav/index.adp)
|
| Anyone who wants to evaluate this AV (KAV 6, somewhat crippled GUI)
| should 1) read the EULA (KL/AOL) and 2) _not_ install the optional
| security toolbar. Most people consider the toolbar to be spyware.
|
| BTW, WTF were they thinking when they named this AV? Most things named
| /Active/ are to be guarded against on a Windows box, not installed.
|
| Ron :)

No, due to the ties with AOL and adware.
It has a "possible" paylaod for its use. Even if it can be disabled as Art Kopp has
indicated, I don't trust it and I don't like the terms of use.

For me to have to post its suggestion I would have to post the caveats. It's not worth the
trouble.
Click to expand...

I understand where you're coming from, but personally, I think it is
well worth the "trouble", as you call it. It's no doubt the best
free av scanner alternative ... much better than many payware
av scanners for that matter. The way I look at it is that you don't
know what paid-for scanners are doing "behind your back" either,
so why pick on this particular product? Just because it's AOL?
That doesn't compute. It also doesn't compute because if AVS is
indeed doing something behind your back that's very difficult
to detect, it _will_ be discovered by experts sooner or later
.... and that would be disastrous for AOL. It would also reflect
on Kaspersky, so I think they have quite a interest in making
sure AVS is clean.

Art
http://home.epix.net/~artnpeg
 
From: "Art" <[email protected]>


| I understand where you're coming from, but personally, I think it is
| well worth the "trouble", as you call it. It's no doubt the best
| free av scanner alternative ... much better than many payware
| av scanners for that matter. The way I look at it is that you don't
| know what paid-for scanners are doing "behind your back" either,
| so why pick on this particular product? Just because it's AOL?
| That doesn't compute. It also doesn't compute because if AVS is
| indeed doing something behind your back that's very difficult
| to detect, it _will_ be discovered by experts sooner or later
| ... and that would be disastrous for AOL. It would also reflect
| on Kaspersky, so I think they have quite a interest in making
| sure AVS is clean.
|
| Art
| http://home.epix.net/~artnpeg

Thare 'ya go -- its AOL :-)

I'll tell 'ya what Art.

Since you are the one who has tested it and know what should and should not be
installed/enabled, if you write a disclaimer, I will post the suggeston with your worded
disclaimer.
 
Thare 'ya go -- its AOL :-)

I'll tell 'ya what Art.

Since you are the one who has tested it and know what should and should not be
installed/enabled, if you write a disclaimer, I will post the suggeston with your worded
disclaimer.
Click to expand...

Me write a disclaimer? That doesn't compute either :) Insofar as what
should and should no be installed, that's been mentioned here many
times. Users are advised to opt out of the Toolbar during the
installation. That's all there is to it.

Art
http://home.epix.net/~artnpeg
 
Art said:
Me write a disclaimer? That doesn't compute either :) Insofar as what
should and should no be installed, that's been mentioned here many
times. Users are advised to opt out of the Toolbar during the
installation. That's all there is to it.
Click to expand...

Gentlemen, thanks for the comments.

Speaking of EULAs, it sounds like Grisoft is getting serious about
enforcing theirs. AVG is free for personal use, and that evidently
precludes using it on a box connected to a LAN. I seen several posts
at GRC about having to dump AVG because it no longer works on a
Home/SOHO LAN (laptop and desktop connected to a router).

Ron :)
 
Art said:
Me write a disclaimer? That doesn't compute either :) Insofar as what
should and should no be installed, that's been mentioned here many
times. Users are advised to opt out of the Toolbar during the
installation. That's all there is to it.
Click to expand...

Gentlemen, thanks for the comments.

Speaking of EULAs, it sounds like Grisoft is getting serious about
enforcing theirs. AVG is free for personal use, and that evidently
precludes using it on a box connected to a LAN. I have seen several
posts at GRC about having to dump AVG because it no longer works on a
Home/SOHO LAN (laptop and desktop connected to a router).

Ron :)
 
From: "Ron Lopshire" <[email protected]>


|
| Gentlemen, thanks for the comments.
|
| Speaking of EULAs, it sounds like Grisoft is getting serious about
| enforcing theirs. AVG is free for personal use, and that evidently
| precludes using it on a box connected to a LAN. I have seen several
| posts at GRC about having to dump AVG because it no longer works on a
| Home/SOHO LAN (laptop and desktop connected to a router).
|
| Ron :)

Really ?

Is it due a NAT problem ?

I don't touch Gibson's site. Can you please post a summation.
Maybe this deserves a new thread.
 
David said:
From: "Ron Lopshire" <[email protected]>


|
| Gentlemen, thanks for the comments.
|
| Speaking of EULAs, it sounds like Grisoft is getting serious about
| enforcing theirs. AVG is free for personal use, and that evidently
| precludes using it on a box connected to a LAN. I have seen several
| posts at GRC about having to dump AVG because it no longer works on a
| Home/SOHO LAN (laptop and desktop connected to a router).
|
| Ron :)

Really ?

Is it due a NAT problem ?

I don't touch Gibson's site. Can you please post a summation.
Maybe this deserves a new thread.
Click to expand...

Will do.

Ron :)
 
Art said:
I understand where you're coming from, but personally, I think it is
well worth the "trouble", as you call it. It's no doubt the best
free av scanner alternative ... much better than many payware
av scanners for that matter.
Click to expand...

Art
http://home.epix.net/~artnpeg
Click to expand...

Art,

You may have something here. I'm not familiar with the following site,
but Kapersky and AVS finished 1 and 2 in their tests.

http://www.virus.gr/english/fullxml/default.asp?id=82&mnu=82
 
Ron said:
Dave,

Are you ready to add this to your list of freeware AVs?

Active Virus Shield
(http://www.activevirusshield.com/antivirus/freeav/index.adp)

Anyone who wants to evaluate this AV (KAV 6, somewhat crippled GUI)
should 1) read the EULA (KL/AOL) and 2) _not_ install the optional
security toolbar. Most people consider the toolbar to be spyware.

BTW, WTF were they thinking when they named this AV? Most things named
/Active/ are to be guarded against on a Windows box, not installed.

Ron :)
Click to expand...

I've just switched to Antivir and thanks to Wikipedia, I now know what
EULA stands for.
Dave Cohen
 
Art said:
I understand where you're coming from, but personally, I think it is
well worth the "trouble", as you call it. It's no doubt the best
free av scanner alternative ... much better than many payware
av scanners for that matter. The way I look at it is that you don't
know what paid-for scanners are doing "behind your back" either,
so why pick on this particular product? Just because it's AOL?
That doesn't compute. It also doesn't compute because if AVS is
indeed doing something behind your back that's very difficult
to detect, it _will_ be discovered by experts sooner or later
... and that would be disastrous for AOL. It would also reflect
on Kaspersky, so I think they have quite a interest in making
sure AVS is clean.

Art
http://home.epix.net/~artnpeg
Click to expand...

I keep good image backups. I would rather detect a virus than reload an
image so I am now using Antivir and mailwasher. However, given a choice
between using an AOL product or reloading an image I'll do the latter.
I've never had a virus infection. A few years ago I was plagued by virus
laden email attachment attempts. Mailwasher helped, but I eventually
switched isp's and stopped using my real address in ng's. Since then
nothing (I suspect both by isp and hotmail do some filtering).
Dave Cohen
 
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