Which Antivirus do you use - does it affect Aces High?

[Blagard]

I have started this thread in the hope of getting some feedback on anti-virus software that works OK (or not) with Aces High.

My own experience on a Windows XP (32bit) system is that I don't get any problems using Norton's Internet Security. I can't speak for other Norton Packages that contain anti-virus software or how it works on Windows 7 (not yet anyway!). There was no Roxio software on my XP set up.

I am looking to find what works well under Windows 7, so objective information is welcome. Because there are so many variables in the way people use their PC's I fully expect information in supports of some software that is unsatisfactory for others. So in addition to answering the title of the thread please add additional information such as the operating system you use or other information that you think relevant.

Cheers

[Bizman]

I'm using Avast! Free version on XP Pro 32 bit without any problems. I've put AH on the exceptions list, disabled cloud updating and set it to silent mode. When MSE started to gain popularity I tested it for a while, but it seemed to use huge amounts of resources every now and then, indexing new files and software as I was told. It also relied on having Windows Updates running, manual settings made Security Center mad... So I took Avast! back. To avoid any hiccups I usually run the update right before logging in.

For what I've noticed during these years in household teching the major massive suites including all kinds of computer maintenance are a PITA. They do nothing better than Windows tools, but they interfere normal computing when they shouldn't and are extremely quirky to configure not to do their tasks when they think the computer were not in effective use - like while playing AH...

[gyrene81]

i'm running avast free version on win7 home 64bit. i can turn the resident scanners off and it's fairly lightweight. never got a false positive on anything and it's stopped a few infections that i know weren't stopped by mse or avira. i think the latest rev is about 85-90% effective. norton and mcafee are far worse.

[Bizman]

Gyrene, for what I've learned, no, absolutely no antivirus is more than about 50% effective, when speaking about all potential threats. On the other hand almost every one of them is close to 100% effective against known threats. The percentage varies hourly, so no test can tell the absolute truth other than that of the time the test was run. Both the viruses and their counterparts are on a never-ending one sided Moebius loop.

In my opinion the best antivirus is one that the user can both understand and configure according his/her needs.

[gyrene81]

for new threats, ya 50% max. for "in the wild" active threats, no...it can vary greatly and there are av programs that are very poor in detection/prevention.

http://www.av-test.org/en/tests/home-user/windows-7/julaug-2013/

[Ack-Ack]

I've been using ESET's NOD32 for years, no issues with AH.

ack-ack

[morfiend]

 I use Avast and spybot together,spybot doesn't allow registry enteries without a prompt to ok it and Avast seems to do a good job with all the other threats!

  You can also easily set Avast to gammer mode or turn off for a set time or reboot,your choice.


   YMMV.


   

[Skuzzy]

Jut FYI.  As the data patterns for the game change with each release, you may not have a problem today, but you you could a problem tomorrow.  It will never be consistent.  Change your game ID/pilot handle, and you may have a ton of problems where you did not for years.  It is as fragile as that.  ESET has been the most 'game friendly' anti-xxx software I have found.

AVG, Avast, Norton, Spybot, and McAfee have all had their moments where they interfered with the game.  Most of the time you may not be aware of the problems they can cause.  It can manifest from a dropped game connection, to the dreaded "Losing TCP switching to UDP" message, to rubber bullets, to VOX issues and a host of other maladies.

Norton and McAfee can both get so problematic they have to be removed and reinstalled in order to get the computer back to some semblance to normality.  It does not always happen, but it can happen.

These are not my opinions.  I have had to deal with these products for a very long time and the list of issues associated with them continue to grow.

[Brooke]

I use Avast at home with Aces High and am happy with it.  At work, we use MS Security Essentials, but I don't use AH with it enough to give an opinion.

As mentioned, no antivirus program will be perfect, but I wouldn't run my computer without some antivirus running on it.

[Bizman]

Skuzzy, thank you for your insider input! That's the most valuable information we AH'ers can get. No antivirus interferes banking or social media or e-mail, at least not in a manner it would be visible.

What I'd like to know is, does it really matter if I put the AH executable on the ignore list or is it just something to make me happy? I know the aforementioned "Gaming Mode" doesn't do anything else than eliminate the pop up messages after an update or such, at least during a full screen event, so that's just cosmetics. But the ignore lists... What do the do with aceshigh.exe on them, how about setting the servers as "safe" or "ignored" into the firewall - both the software one and the one in the modem/router? Are there any settings or tricks we could use to minimize the effects of security features during gameplay without compromizing the overall shield?

[Rich46yo]

I have found Trend/Micro a wonderful gaming AV.

[Skuzzy]

Skuzzy, thank you for your insider input! That's the most valuable information we AH'ers can get. No antivirus interferes banking or social media or e-mail, at least not in a manner it would be visible.

What I'd like to know is, does it really matter if I put the AH executable on the ignore list or is it just something to make me happy? I know the aforementioned "Gaming Mode" doesn't do anything else than eliminate the pop up messages after an update or such, at least during a full screen event, so that's just cosmetics. But the ignore lists... What do the do with aceshigh.exe on them, how about setting the servers as "safe" or "ignored" into the firewall - both the software one and the one in the modem/router? Are there any settings or tricks we could use to minimize the effects of security features during gameplay without compromizing the overall shield?

It depends on the program.  There are those that simply stop reporting problems when you place the application in the allow list.  They continue to do the damage they would do, you just are not told about it.  As to who does what and when, that is pretty much a crap shoot.

I'll never use and A/V software.  I have been using computers for nearly 30 years and never had to deal with any errant software on my computers.  I never will.  Once you shutdown the delivery mechanisms, A/V software becomes useless.

But I digress.  Every package is going to work differently as it pertains to the "safe" list.

[The Fugitive]

I use the free version Avira. Small footprint but updates almost daily so it seems to stay on top of things. I use to just turn off my Anti=virus when I ran the game, but this one runs nicely in the background for years now with out issue. While I'm pretty careful about "where" I go it has saved me a number of times over the last few years. They have a "pop up" window the comes on once a day to remind you that they have a low, low price IF you want to buy the program. They have announced that they are going to do away with that soon tho.

[Brooke]

Once you shutdown the delivery mechanisms, A/V software becomes useless.

Skuzzy, could you list for us what you shut down?  Some of us here could probably implement that.

[Skuzzy]

Java, javascript, flash, all file associations for anything from Adobe for that matter, and any HTML5 code/pages.  For email, it is a little trickier.  Your email client needs to get really stupid and only open email in ASCII mode.  You need to disable all network LISTENERS, or put them behind a hardened firewall (I had to do this as my Wife's work demands she have things on her computer which are unsafe).

Now, for javascript, I do have a select few pages I allow it to run on that I know I can trust (like our bulletin board).  I also use a junk email address anytime some site requires an email address, for anything.  I periodically start a new junk address and leave the old one to languish.

My incoming data stream is checked for binary data, of any kind, and it is either allowed through, if it passes criteria (images can be verified clean pretty easily) or held up and a placeholder inserted into the stream to let me know.  That is a Linux box doing that so it is pretty much immune to the nastiness intended for Windows.

I also have a hardened firewall at home, which most people do not have.