AVG 2011 Users Beware
Discussion
Just in case anyone uses it ... .Engadget are reporting this this morning :
Users running 64-bit editions of Windows 7 and AVG 2011 are reporting a STOP error after a mandatory antivirus update this morning, which is keeping some from booting their machines into Windows at all. The buggy update has since been pulled and there are a couple ways to preemptively keep it from happening if you're staring at the message above, but if you've already been stung, you're looking at some quality time with a recovery disc or repair partition to fix your Windows boot files. Find all the solutions, including the preemptive ones, at our source link below.
http://forums.avg.com/ww-en/avg-free-forum?sec=thr...
Users running 64-bit editions of Windows 7 and AVG 2011 are reporting a STOP error after a mandatory antivirus update this morning, which is keeping some from booting their machines into Windows at all. The buggy update has since been pulled and there are a couple ways to preemptively keep it from happening if you're staring at the message above, but if you've already been stung, you're looking at some quality time with a recovery disc or repair partition to fix your Windows boot files. Find all the solutions, including the preemptive ones, at our source link below.
http://forums.avg.com/ww-en/avg-free-forum?sec=thr...
Oh dear.
Once upon a time, for free home / personal use, AVG was the product to have. However, the last 3 major product releases have seen it grow outwards in to the sort of blooby bloatware that steers people away from the likes of McAfee or Symantec.
Shame, it was so good a while back.
Once upon a time, for free home / personal use, AVG was the product to have. However, the last 3 major product releases have seen it grow outwards in to the sort of blooby bloatware that steers people away from the likes of McAfee or Symantec.
Shame, it was so good a while back.
I have to admit that I stopped using AV software on my PC's years ago - they were getting bloated then, to the point where they seemed to mimic viruses in the way they slowed the system down. I guess with each newer version, they try to justify their prices with new add-ons, as well as the new definitions, to compete. I see them in the same light as the MMGW scam, scaring you into thinking that wasting money on them is necessary.
(I don't illegally download stuff or use any 'bit-torrent' type software, though...)
(I don't illegally download stuff or use any 'bit-torrent' type software, though...)
Malware bytes and Spybot should be all you need. Malware bytes replaced Adaware for me a couple of years ago. I've never had a virus in all my time using any of them.
I don't run a firewall anywhere other than the router, not even Windows' own. I run Malwarebytes once a week, and CCleaner to get rid of any crap. Spybot I'll be honest, only gets run once in a blue moon as it's yet to pick anything up other than the odd cookie it doesn't like. Really, I devote a minute or two to this stuff a month if that, it's dead simple.
MSE is highly rated, but I've not used it.
AVG is dump nowadays, I don't rate any of the other bloatware like Norton, Mcafee etc either. There's no reason for a basic AV to occupy a fraction of the disk space some of them do thanks to all the useless bolt on features they include.
The best way of avoiding viruses and malware, is avoiding the types of site (or application in the case of limewire etc) where you're liable to picking them up, and give USB storage that's been on foreign networks a quick scan if needs be. Something like the WOT (web of trust) ad-on/extension for Chrome / Firefox will help you there too.
I don't run a firewall anywhere other than the router, not even Windows' own. I run Malwarebytes once a week, and CCleaner to get rid of any crap. Spybot I'll be honest, only gets run once in a blue moon as it's yet to pick anything up other than the odd cookie it doesn't like. Really, I devote a minute or two to this stuff a month if that, it's dead simple.
MSE is highly rated, but I've not used it.
AVG is dump nowadays, I don't rate any of the other bloatware like Norton, Mcafee etc either. There's no reason for a basic AV to occupy a fraction of the disk space some of them do thanks to all the useless bolt on features they include.
The best way of avoiding viruses and malware, is avoiding the types of site (or application in the case of limewire etc) where you're liable to picking them up, and give USB storage that's been on foreign networks a quick scan if needs be. Something like the WOT (web of trust) ad-on/extension for Chrome / Firefox will help you there too.
Edited by Stu R on Friday 3rd December 16:33
ShadownINja said:
deevlash said:
ShadownINja said:
deevlash said:
phew, ditched AVG last week for MSE
That was close!! 
Stu R said:
Something like the WOT (web of trust) ad-on/extension for Chrome / Firefox will help you there too.
FWIW Reputations services like that are only as good as their ability know about compromised "good" sites.by a compromised good site I mean a site like a government website, that has been compromised by a hacker and had its links altered to deliver a payload to your browser and ultimately your PC aka "drive-bys"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drive-by_download
Avast user here as well, no complaints at all. I also run Comodo for firewall duties and Malwarebytes/WinPatroll for anti-malware.
Web of Trust for Firefox is also brilliant - I use it on my machine and install it on the ones I look after for people; it provides a very clear 'don't click through on this' warning for known dodgy sites. Has dramatically reduced the work I have to do removing crap from peoples' machines. Actually speaking of crap, get CCleaner as well, it's great for clearing out the dross that accumulates and actually does what it's supposed to. Use it to clean the registry and never once had an issue with it either.
That's everything I use, and pleased to report have never had any problems with security.
Web of Trust for Firefox is also brilliant - I use it on my machine and install it on the ones I look after for people; it provides a very clear 'don't click through on this' warning for known dodgy sites. Has dramatically reduced the work I have to do removing crap from peoples' machines. Actually speaking of crap, get CCleaner as well, it's great for clearing out the dross that accumulates and actually does what it's supposed to. Use it to clean the registry and never once had an issue with it either.
That's everything I use, and pleased to report have never had any problems with security.
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