Author Topic: Which Anti-Virus? (Read 1348 times)

Halo · « **on:** June 10, 2005, 09:41:42 PM »

Which anti-virus program do you use? I have McAfee on one computer and Norton on another, but am thinking of switching to McAfee for both.

McAfee is included free with AOL, and my Norton is the 2002 SystemWorks that has worked okay, but I declined to upgrade to the SW 2005 after reading so many horrible reviews about it and hearing a good friend's report how it crashed his computer.

Rather than renew the SW 2002 which probably will not be supported much longer anyway, I'm thinking it's time to break away to the free McAfee included with AOL.

Do you use either of these or something better?

humble · « **Reply #1 on:** June 10, 2005, 10:23:48 PM »

I use AVG from http://www.grisoft.com

Havent had a virus ever....

Now I use hijack this and microsoft beta spyware as well

Kaz · « **Reply #2 on:** June 11, 2005, 02:18:54 AM »

Same here, was using Norton Internet Security but ditched that because I didn't see the point in just renewing NAV 2003 and NAV2005 didn't seem worth the potential trouble.

So I got AVG and Sygate Personal Firewall instead. Also have Hijackthis, All-in-One Secretmaker, Ad Aware SE, and Spybot.

OOZ662 · « **Reply #3 on:** June 11, 2005, 02:38:30 AM »

I've got Norton Internet Security 2005. Haven't had problems other than the Internet Sucurity part doesn't allow transfering cookies unless it's shut down. Also completely blocks AH unless the AV and NIS are disabled, but that doesn't matter if the computer is truely clean.

Use AdAware, Spybot, and registry cleaners regularly.

FOGOLD · « **Reply #4 on:** June 11, 2005, 11:10:07 AM »

Trend Micro Pc-Cillin 2005. Never a problem so far. Low overhead, easy to shut down completely if struggling to get LAN connections. Plays AH fine even with firewall on stealth.

Shields up reports it as complete stealth (Although I have read some dissenting opinions about Shieldsup methodology:rolleyes: )

Wilbus · « **Reply #5 on:** June 12, 2005, 06:46:42 PM »

Norton 2005 crashed my PC aswell, succeeded in getting it back up working the first time (by entering safe mode and manually removing most of the Norton folder). Thought it crashed it because I wasn't connected to the internet at the moment and thus the auto updater would cause trouble. This was wrong as I noticed later when it pretty much totally wrecked windows (system restore didn't work, nor safe mode).

I use, what feel like a very powerfull anti-virus now, Avast Antivirus. this is the link: http://www.avast.com/.

It is free to use for everyone but not for companies, also there is a pro version I believe with a cost to it. The program has, since I installed it after a fresh XP install two weeks ago updated it self a up to a few times a day. It's also discovered viruses and removed them aswell as discovered viruses in my mail box (using Opera mail). It is scanning the computer at all times unless you terminate it. I haven't noticed a whole lot performance drop but I do usually turn it of if I know I might have big fights in AH. I like it alot, it has already saved my computer more then 10 times in just two weeks.

Together with this I use Microsofts AntiSpyware (Beta) which is also free. This is a fairly new (I believe as it is in Beta still) anti Spyware program, it also autoupdates and checks your system registry every time a program tries to add anything there, you have the option to accept or decline based on the info you get. Every step you make you can send in to Microsoft spyware network. This network consists of pretty much everybody who use Microsoft Antispyware, if one user finds spyware he reports it and as far as I've understood, it is added to the spyware database and also verified by pro's.

This too has saved my computer a few times already and it works a hell of alot better then Adaware or any other spyware program I've tried.

Both highly recomended.

FOGOLD · « **Reply #6 on:** June 13, 2005, 03:38:14 AM »

I wouldn't give Norton houseroom because of the above. I have had to troubleshoot loads of peoples PCs because of it.

It wants complete ownership.

wrag · « **Reply #7 on:** June 13, 2005, 05:16:52 AM »

I really like this one............

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

It caught stuff nothing else did!

Eagler · « **Reply #8 on:** June 13, 2005, 06:03:34 AM »

I've got Norton Internet Security 2005.

I do not have to shut down it's firewall or it's AV to play AH.

Norton is used by more businesses than any other AV software. They have been around the longest. Their website has the best database of info on viruses on the web.

JB66 · « **Reply #9 on:** June 13, 2005, 06:04:21 AM »

Panda A/V. We set up four identical machines in the shop. Loaded McAffee, Norton, Bitdefender and Panda. We then loaded live viruses onto these machines and Panda was the only A/V that prevented infection. McAffee was the worst, not only did the virus disable McAffee, it sucessfully altered the windows registry and changed user premission settings.
After we started selling Panda A/V to all of our large clients, our virus removal calls went to zero.

Just my opinion...

Siaf__csf · « **Reply #10 on:** June 13, 2005, 10:19:03 AM »

Nod32

boxboy28 · « **Reply #11 on:** June 13, 2005, 11:01:34 AM »

Trend Micro Pc-Cillin 2005 - the best on the market ive seen or used.

StarOfAfrica2 · « **Reply #12 on:** June 13, 2005, 12:38:13 PM »

I'm currently using CA's Pest Patrol for A/V. Seems to work ok. I'll never use Norton again, bad experiences with viruses that specifically target Norton and shut it down.

eagl · « **Reply #13 on:** June 13, 2005, 01:19:26 PM »

If you have anything to do with US government work, you can use the Symantec corporate license for free. Lots of people hate norton but it works fine for me and it's free.

Reschke · « **Reply #14 on:** June 13, 2005, 02:13:15 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by FOGOLD
Trend Micro Pc-Cillin 2005. Never a problem so far. Low overhead, easy to shut down completely if struggling to get LAN connections. Plays AH fine even with firewall on stealth.

Shields up reports it as complete stealth (Although I have read some dissenting opinions about Shieldsup methodology:rolleyes: )

Trend Micro here also.

I can't stand Norton in any version. It slows down my systems no matter how fast my setup is. I haven't found a game that I couldn't play from any computer on the network at home unlike the norton which required a complete shutdown of the AV and "Internet Security" suite.