How good are the free versions of anti-virus?

  • Thread starter Thread starter David Kistner
  • Start date Start date
D

David Kistner

I've noticed that AVG has a free version of their anti-virus software.
How good is this? Have any of you used this product or another one that
I should check out?

Thank you very much in advance.

- David Kistner
 
David said:
I've noticed that AVG has a free version of their anti-virus software.
How good is this? Have any of you used this product or another one that
I should check out?

Thank you very much in advance.

- David Kistner
Click to expand...

In the testing I've read, Grisoft rates well against the big names like
Norton and McAfee. The big difference is access to update servers and
extra options, like scheduling options.

--
spammage trappage: remove the underscores to reply

I'm going to die rather sooner than I'd like. I tried to protect my
neighbours from crime, and became the victim of it. Complications in
hospital following this resulted in a serious illness. I now need a bone
marrow transplant. Many people around the world are waiting for a marrow
transplant, too. Please volunteer to be a marrow donor:
http://www.abmdr.org.au/
http://www.marrow.org/
 
David Kistner said:
I've noticed that AVG has a free version of their anti-virus software. How
good is this? Have any of you used this product or another one that I
should check out?

Thank you very much in advance.

- David Kistner
Click to expand...

I've been running the free version of Avast! for some time now, and I'm well
pleased with it.

SteveH
 
On Fri, 06 Jan 2006 21:09:04 +0800, spodosaurus


I have used AVG free for a couple of years, the program works very
well. I have tried some of the other free ones and I alway's come back
to AVG free.

Also when my brother had a virus on his computer (he was using McAfee)
the virus diabled McAfee. When his computer tried to send it to me
(through email) AGV free caught it right away.
 
lamba said:
On Fri, 06 Jan 2006 21:09:04 +0800, spodosaurus


I have used AVG free for a couple of years, the program works very
well. I have tried some of the other free ones and I alway's come back
to AVG free.

Also when my brother had a virus on his computer (he was using McAfee)
the virus diabled McAfee. When his computer tried to send it to me
(through email) AGV free caught it right away.
Click to expand...

They're just as effective as the big names, and they're half the price
for subscriptions if you want to go full version. Plus, you don't have
Norton frelling up your system and you won't have to put up with McAfee
being unable to update unless you have IE set as your default browser.
There're other good antivirus programs as well. How does the one that
comes with the new ZoneAlarm security suite test in reviews?

Ari


--
spammage trappage: remove the underscores to reply

I'm going to die rather sooner than I'd like. I tried to protect my
neighbours from crime, and became the victim of it. Complications in
hospital following this resulted in a serious illness. I now need a bone
marrow transplant. Many people around the world are waiting for a marrow
transplant, too. Please volunteer to be a marrow donor:
http://www.abmdr.org.au/
http://www.marrow.org/
 
I've noticed that AVG has a free version of their anti-virus software.
How good is this? Have any of you used this product or another one that
I should check out?

Thank you very much in advance.

- David Kistner
Click to expand...

I've used AVG for a few years, and like most anti-virus programs, it's
only as good as its regularly scheduled updates. I have had zero
viruses punch through since I got it, but then I update it daily
(automated) and I use the customary caution with attachments,
invitation to run scripts on dodgy sites, not using MS as much as
possible, etc.

But then I own my own domain and use server-side controls, run my own
firewall, and have used InBoxCop, SpyBot, Adblock, and various POP
filter programs. I don't see a lot of spam lately, never mind virus.
The price of peace of mind would appear to be eternal vigilance.

The last time I got a virus was in the early '90s, and a DOS version
of F-Prot cleared it up.
 
I've noticed that AVG has a free version of their anti-virus software.
How good is this? Have any of you used this product or another one that
I should check out?

Thank you very much in advance.

- David Kistner
Click to expand...

AVG is very good, surprisingly good for a freebie. I'm running AVG on
an old Win98 machine (where Norton gave it fits) without any issues.
No anti-virus is 100% effective, so don't backup anything you can
afford to lose.
 
I've been running the free version of Avast! for some time now, and I'm well
pleased with it.

SteveH
Click to expand...

I'm also very happy with Avast. You can set the updates to automatic, let
me know, or manual. Last rating I saw it measured up pretty well against
the "pay for" guys.

Patty
 
David Kistner said:
I've noticed that AVG has a free version of their anti-virus software. How
good is this? Have any of you used this product or another one that I
should check out?
Click to expand...
I use Norton SystemWorks on the main family machine, but AntiVir and AVG on
the others. I have yet to notice any shortcomings in terms of
effectiveness. My numba two son hasn't been very good about updating,
though, even to the point of clicking off AVG's warnings, so I go in there
every so often and run the update.
 
Pelysma said:
I use Norton SystemWorks on the main family machine, but AntiVir and AVG on
the others. I have yet to notice any shortcomings in terms of
effectiveness.
Click to expand...

I concur. I switched to AVG free on my laptop, and it's completely
adequate.
 
I use Trend PC-Cillin on my main PC, and pay £30 a year for the
privilege.

I also use Grisoft's AVG free edition on the handful of "other" Windows
PCs I have hanging around the joint, and I use the scheduler to
auto-update every 24 hours, and they seem absolutely fine.

Every so often I get paranoid and use the Trend PC to scan the other
machines and it has never found a leak. Maybe I'm wasting £30 a year!

AVG free looks good - I have no idea why someone would pay for the
purchased AVG edition...
 
Wow, thank you everyone for putting me at ease on free virus
protection. I downloaded the free AVG and so far it's great (and real
easy to use).
 
Back
Top