Free AntiVirus software

[wayliff]

Originally posted by: Johnbear007

Originally posted by: r01axb
AVG review

Pros - AVG Antivirus:

Better than to be expected from a free antivirus program
DOS scanner included
But only an option for those with absolutely no money


Cons - AVG Antivirus:
Comes only with a basic (automated) interface without the possibility to adjust any settings
Doesn't check for double infected files
Some users have had freezes and other major stability issues on Windows 2000 and XP
Slows down your computer considerably
Inserts ads in your email messages.
You need to use DOS commands for some advanced operations.
Log file displays limited info
You can't see anything in systray, so you don't know if it's running or not
Major flaws - AVG Antivirus:
Terrible virus detection rate
Doesn't update their virus definition files very often (monthly intervals, should be twice a week)
Deletes infected files without warning. This is especially bad if the file didn't contain a virus after all (a false positive).
Very low on scripts, backdoors and trojans.


Full review

I haven't experienced any of the problems that you mentioned.

I have not experienced any of these problems either in 2 years of use!!

This is a free product and it is not perfect. It is a pretty good product considering it's free.
I will check out AVAsT though.

 

[honz]

for those of you using Avast, does it hog many resources? no performance or other hitches? I use AVG, but am quite dismayed that it didn't catch some. Granted it IS free, so can't expect perfection.
I usually run 2 AV's, because there will always be virii that one doesn't catch but the other does, but Norton was hoggin to much... lol

 

[soltrain]

I like f-prot -- free for linux/unix users. Set it up on a box and scan all your mail for windows boxes. :]

 

[Horsep0wer]

for the guy that posted the "Cons" of AVG, here is my experience with it.

i bought a CD at a flea market with over 1,000 old video game ROMS on it. i left it on my desk, and went to work the following day. when i came home i wanted to use Nero to burn some stuff. i start Nero, it tells me to scan for a virus, something has changed with it's .exe. turns out that my fiance installed the ROMS without doing a scan of the disk with what i thought was a good PC-cillan virus scanner from Trend-Micro. well the disk had a virus, one that infected EVERY .exe program on my computer. i tried PC-cillan MCafee, Nortons and 2 other programs that i can't think of atm. well, NONE of them completely cleaned the virus by itself. so then i find free AVG and i use it. it detects and cleans infected files THAT 5 OTHER VIRUS SCANNERS already had the chance at fixing.

they upgrade the virus signature files more than once a month. are you smoking crack? maybe you work for a virus scanner company i'm thinking. since all of the other programs cost money and didn't do an effective job, i think my experience shoots your "cons" list to shreds. nothing is perfect, but AVG does an effective job without costing a penny.

only thing i can recommend to advanced users is to turn off AVG???.exe(Not exact file name) in msconfig/services.(WinXP). it does seem to slow the computer down a little, but advanced users don't need to have a scanner running full time since they are more aware of how to maintain their systems.

 

[axskkyline]

actually if u can get a hold on norton anti virus...it's nice too... they shareware i think last your 1 year.