Avast : The Best Antivirus Freeware

[JamesX]

Forget all the other Anti-Virus paid programs!

It is the best antivirus freeware

Norton -Paid- Uses too much memory and has update flaws within the program. Scans are slow and the look is old and nothing new.

AVG - update problems and slow updating. No skin support and the look is crap!- Heavy Definition Update


AVAST
--> Less Memory Usage
--> Great Features
--> It's Free:laugh:
Go with Avast Home Edition! http://avast.com/eng/down_home.html

Skins - http://avast.com/eng/skins.html

Forums - http://forum.avast.com/index.php

Note: Remove any Anti-Virus program you have on your computer before installing avast!


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* Please post your reviews and experiences *
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Software -> Security

-Schadenfroh

 

[kamper]

Hmm, it seems to have allowed a spambot to install itself on your computer.

 

[montag451]

Avast doesn't seem to do anything without telling you and offering you stuff.
Also used to give me too many false +ve.
I use it on one system, AVG on another - must say I much prefer AVG -

Given that both are free though - (yes, I am a cheapskate), I would prefer either to nothing.

 

[mechBgon]

Originally posted by: JamesX
Forget all the other Anti-Virus paid programs!

It is the best antivirus freeware

O RLY?

Take a look at my findings in this thread. An in-the-wild detection rate of only 18% on my real-world sample set doesn't inspire my confidence. AntiVir did a lot better, and has a free version available for non-commercial home use.



For Windows users: obligatory mention of Secunia's new beta of Personal Software Inspector to help you reduce publicly-known exploitable stuff on your computers, and of course the mind-boggling concept of non-Admin user accounts :shocked:

 

[surikas]

Why NOD32 is not included into the poll? I would vote for it.

 

[wayliff]

I have tried to use Avast on Win Me, XP Pro and Vista Ultimate and every single time it would destroy my machine...and I would get BSOD...once removed everything back to normal.
I have used AVG and Antivir...the free editions and no problems with those.
That is my experience.

I just bought NOD32 from Newegg and i'm looking forward to installing that on my vista 64-bit setup.

 

[Mem]

Originally posted by: wayliff
I have tried to use Avast on Win Me, XP Pro and Vista Ultimate and every single time it would destroy my machine...and I would get BSOD...once removed everything back to normal.
I have used AVG and Antivir...the free editions and no problems with those.
That is my experience.

I just bought NOD32 from Newegg and i'm looking forward to installing that on my vista 64-bit setup.

I never had any problems with Avast on XP or even currently with Vista x64,works great,end of the day we all have different experiences and most AVs have there Pro's and Con's,(I have used virtually all of them from AVG,Avast,Anti-Vir,Bitdefender,AOL/KAV,Panda,Trend Micro,Mcafee,NOD32 to name a few).

Common sense goes a long way when dealing with safe surfing/emails etc...remember AV software(regardless of make) cannot offer complete protection or is 100% fail proof.



Here's my quick feedback on Avast for Vista x64,it's light on resources, web browsing is fast with no slow downs,also excellent stability,I even leave Avast on while gaming.

I like the Vista skin which you can download from their site,I have been using Avast on and off for over 12 months now,pretty good freebie( not many free AVs for Vista x64 at the moment),Con's IMHO are default skin looks horrible and bit confusing layout,detection rate not up there with the best at the moment.

 

[ukjester]

Hi there,
I only just joined but here are my views . . .

I use AVG as my only antivirus protection and have had no virus problems in the year or so I have used it, email or otherwise.

I used to use ZoneAlarm as my firewall but although it did protect my PC from most threats, it used to slow my system down too much. I started using my routers inbuilt firewall and got a great result from shields up (<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="https://www.grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2)">[url]https://www.grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2)[/url]</a> a really useful security testing site.

Conclusions.
Firewall: If you have an inbuilt firewall, use that.
Antivirus: Try AVG, or Avast and see if you you one best.

Whatever you do, read some reviews and give a few a try. It took me over a year to settle on my combo, but it may well change soon with new updates and other free products.

 

[lxskllr]

Free=Antivir
Paid=Kaspersky

 

[Lemon law]

Originally posted by: lxskllr
Free=Antivir
Paid=Kaspersky

I only somewhat agree. Paid=Kaspersky or Nod32---and the paid version of antivirus is close to as good.

Free=may not equal antivirus. Even though the antivirus detection rates are better than either
Avast or AVG, the free version of antivirus lacks real time scanning of incoming emails. You may get away with it if your isp prescans incoming email, otherwise you are stuck with after the fact removal if that email, contains a bomb. But I know avast scans incoming emails and I believe so does AVG. And if you want to add incoming email scanning to antivirus, you have to get the paid version.

So what does a little ole cheapscate like me do with a dilemma like that---I let my wife's computer with Avast do the email while I use free anti virus version. And even if either of us catches a virus, we have process control that won't allow it to start up without alerting us and giving us an opportunity to say hell no.

Even Avast has kept me and my wife 100% virus free for many years now. The trick is not in putting all your security eggs in one basket and having back up protections.

 

[Nocturnal]

Originally posted by: wayliff
I have tried to use Avast on Win Me, XP Pro and Vista Ultimate and every single time it would destroy my machine...and I would get BSOD...once removed everything back to normal.
I have used AVG and Antivir...the free editions and no problems with those.
That is my experience.

I just bought NOD32 from Newegg and i'm looking forward to installing that on my vista 64-bit setup.

That is extremely strange. I've installed Avast onto client machines for several years now and have never once experienced what you're describing. I highly doubt it was Avast causing those problems.

 

[jadinolf]

Originally posted by: Nocturnal

Originally posted by: wayliff
I have tried to use Avast on Win Me, XP Pro and Vista Ultimate and every single time it would destroy my machine...and I would get BSOD...once removed everything back to normal.
I have used AVG and Antivir...the free editions and no problems with those.
That is my experience.

I just bought NOD32 from Newegg and i'm looking forward to installing that on my vista 64-bit setup.

That is extremely strange. I've installed Avast onto client machines for several years now and have never once experienced what you're describing. I highly doubt it was Avast causing those problems.

I agree. My previous antivirus software (The N word )drove me crazy so I use avast! on all four computers now.

 

[wayliff]

Originally posted by: jadinolf

Originally posted by: Nocturnal

Originally posted by: wayliff
I have tried to use Avast on Win Me, XP Pro and Vista Ultimate and every single time it would destroy my machine...and I would get BSOD...once removed everything back to normal.
I have used AVG and Antivir...the free editions and no problems with those.
That is my experience.

I just bought NOD32 from Newegg and i'm looking forward to installing that on my vista 64-bit setup.

That is extremely strange. I've installed Avast onto client machines for several years now and have never once experienced what you're describing. I highly doubt it was Avast causing those problems.

I agree. My previous antivirus software (The N word )drove me crazy so I use avast! on all four computers now.

Well i dont know what could be wrong...like somebody perhaps it was not AVAST...but I did not have any unusual software installed...office and maybe unreal tournament and starcraft...
I even tried from a fresh image and my computer would no longer boot to windows in normal mode and that happened like i said in three different OSs and hardware configs...

 

[bwatson283]

No issues here with Avast. All my home machines run avast and havent had a problem.....yet.
AVG sucks for me, hogs the system!
Nod32 seems cool, just used it for the first time today to try and kill a virus.
Norton blows royal horse D****

 

[John]

Originally posted by: bwatson283
Norton blows royal horse D****

Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but Norton 2007 products and the Corp AV are very respectable and resource friendly. Those that typically bash Norton are the ones that get infected with obscure crap and blame Nortons for not being able to prevent or remove it in the first place. A prime example is your office pc that's infected with a vundo variant.

http://forums.anandtech.com/me...=2083946&enterthread=y

The fact of the matter is that there are copious amounts of malware in circulation that require special removal tools. Even the famed Kaspersky and NOD32 miss their fair share of malware; nothing is 100%. Stick people on a limited or standard account with software restriction policies.

 

[nordloewelabs]

Originally posted by: John
Those that typically bash Norton are the ones that get infected with obscure crap and blame Nortons for not being able to prevent or remove it in the first place.

not really. those that typically bash Norton are the ones tired of its resource-hogging. cant remember seeing any complaints about its detection rates....ever.

i used Norton for years till i finally moved on to Avast and AVG. both work well....the main thing to avoid infections is: refrain from using the computer under the Administrator account!

 

[John]

Norton 2007/2008 products aren't resource hogs.

 

[Nocturnal]

I often times recommend Avast to clients. I was recommending AVS but since that went down the crapper, if they're looking for a free service, I recommend Avast.

 

[HardWarrior]

Originally posted by: John
Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but Norton 2007 products and the Corp AV are very respectable and resource friendly. Those that typically bash Norton are the ones that get infected with obscure crap and blame Nortons for not being able to prevent or remove it in the first place.

Norton AV is suffering from years of less than flattering press and user disatisfation too, John. NAV 2007 is by most accounts a step in the right direction, but it's going to take years of such offerings to win back the respect that the Symantec name used to engender.

 

[surikas]

I've read on AVG site, that it will no longer be free. I think users will have to pay from June or August, 2008. Sorry, cannot find the link now.

 

[SunnyD]

Originally posted by: surikas
I've read on AVG site, that it will no longer be free. I think users will have to pay from June or August, 2008. Sorry, cannot find the link now.

I'm not seeing a price...