Best free anti virus for Windows

[anonymous-user]

My dad is fed up making macafee £70 a year so wants to go for a free one, especially as he does nothing financial online so it’s not absolutely critical.

I was going to suggest Microsoft Security Essentials but wondered if there was another option we should look at.

Cheers Gary

[Mr Pointy]

Here's the previous thread:
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

This seems to be a decent review site:
https://www.av-test.org/en/antivirus/home-windows/

Personally I use Kaspersky why you can pick up for £15 for three devices:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=kaspersky&ref=nb_...

[anonymous-user]

If using windows 10 then defender is as good as anything at the moment according to the magazine reviews I've seen

[HM-2]

V8covin said:

If using windows 10 then defender is as good as anything at the moment according to the magazine reviews I've seen

This. If you absolutely have to use something else, Avira is marginally less annoying than the likes of Avast (and also less likely to brick your machine)

[anonymous-user]

He’s on an older pc running xp I think!

[FourWheelDrift]

Check his PC can upgrade to Windows 10 and if so upgrade to 10 and use Windows defender for free. Buying 10 is the same as one year of paying for Mc-ergh-afee

If not, the OS will be the weak link as I don't think anti-virus companies would still be supporting it on a free basis.

[anonymous-user]

FourWheelDrift said:

Check his PC can upgrade to Windows 10 and if so upgrade to 10 and use Windows defender for free. Buying 10 is the same as one year of paying for Mc-ergh-afee

If not, the OS will be the weak link as I don't think anti-virus companies would still be supporting it on a free basis.

Yeah that’s a good point. I think 10 will kill his PC, maybe time to replace with a new laptop as this mini tower is at least 7 years old

[snuffy]

garyhun said:

Yeah that’s a good point. I think 10 will kill his PC, maybe time to replace with a new laptop as this mini tower is at least 7 years old

Windows 7 came out 10 years ago, so assuming it was bought with XP then it's more like at least 10 years old !

Time for new one then !!

[Australiam]

Sophos (for home use) is worth looking at.

[AJB88]

garyhun said:

My dad is fed up making macafee £70 a year so wants to go for a free one, especially as he does nothing financial online so it’s not absolutely critical.

I was going to suggest Microsoft Security Essentials but wondered if there was another option we should look at.

Cheers Gary

What is his usage of the machine? purely browsing? a Chromebox hooked up to a screen,keyboard and mouse might be better, presuming he doesn't use any windows specific software.

[anonymous-user]

snuffy said:

Windows 7 came out 10 years ago, so assuming it was bought with XP then it's more like at least 10 years old !

Time for new one then !!

It’s definitely old - just turned it on and found out it’s Win 7 Home Premium 2009.

[FourWheelDrift]

Windows 7 can still be upgraded for free to Windows 10. If it is compatible to be upgraded.

https://www.zdnet.com/article/heres-how-you-can-st...

I did one in February this year.

[Dogwatch]

garyhun said:

It’s definitely old - just turned it on and found out it’s Win 7 Home Premium 2009.

How did he avoid the W10 nagware?

[anonymous-user]

Dogwatch said:

garyhun said:

It’s definitely old - just turned it on and found out it’s Win 7 Home Premium 2009.

How did he avoid the W10 nagware?

Old age!

[LuS1fer]

Avast Free has done me sterling service.

[snuffy]

garyhun said:

Old age!

Are we sure it's defiantly your father's PC and not yours ?

[anonymous-user]

snuffy said:

garyhun said:

Old age!

Are we sure it's defiantly your father's PC and not yours ?

I couldn’t possibly say!

I’ve now found out he can install free anti virus software from BT.com as he’s a broadband customer. We’re installing it now and funnily its Macafee, like he had, for free.

[Derek Smith]

garyhun said:

I couldn’t possibly say!

I’ve now found out he can install free anti virus software from BT.com as he’s a broadband customer. We’re installing it now and funnily its Macafee, like he had, for free.

It's not exactly like the commercial MacAfee, but the differences are minimal.

If all he uses it for is browsing and perhaps a bit of word processing, try changing to one of the simpler Linux editions. Ubuntu or Mint. Faster and less liable to be open to hackers and such.

[anonymous-user]

Derek Smith said:

garyhun said:

I couldn’t possibly say!

I’ve now found out he can install free anti virus software from BT.com as he’s a broadband customer. We’re installing it now and funnily its Macafee, like he had, for free.

It's not exactly like the commercial MacAfee, but the differences are minimal.

If all he uses it for is browsing and perhaps a bit of word processing, try changing to one of the simpler Linux editions. Ubuntu or Mint. Faster and less liable to be open to hackers and such.

I’m not sure that would fly itswim

[anonymous-user]

If I wanted to get my dad a new laptop, sticking with Windows and based on his very limited use of email, web browsing and the odd bit of letter writing,, what’s a nice, simple low cost machine to buy?

Edit to add: his total data storage amounts to less than 2Gb so would a Chromeboom if some type be an option? Only caveat is that at 84 he’s not really good at learning new stuff and he’ll be the first to admit it

Edited by anonymous-user on Saturday 30th March 06:04