Which free Anti Virus?

[rykard]

Hi,
my mother in law has just got the internet. I have spent this morning trying to get the machine running a bit quicker. I have removed comodo that had been installed previously and was killing it. I tried to install AVG 9 but it kept giving me an error. Is there anything else out there worth trying?

cheers
Rich

[condor]

I had loads of problems with AVG version 9 so uninstalled it and have now got Microsoft security essentials via another thread recommendation.

[rykard]

is Microsft Security Essentials free?

[rykard]

how is it running?

[condor]

Yes it is free...as long as you've got a genuine microsoft package. I only downloaded earlier today due to AVG 9 problems, but everything seems fine.

[GingerWizard]

www.lavasoft.com

ad-aware


I've found it to be pretty good as an addition

[Funk]

Avast.

[The_Jackal]

MSE runs better than AVG and Avast these days. Most people recommend it unless they think Microsoft is the devil or just want to be different for the sake of it.
Especially for your mum it will be ideal. Install it and forget about it.

[speedchick]

With regard to MSE and it needing a proper MS licence thing, we have 3 computers in the house running on the same licence, hasn't thrown up any problems with updates or anything, so will it be ok for MSE?

[working class]

Avast although i do have occasional update issues.

Lots of people on here really rate that microsoft security essentials.

[wiffmaster]

I'm one of those who rates MSE. It does exactly what an anti-virus should do; it sits there keeping an eye on things, updates itself on the quiet and doesn't feel the need to constantly harass the user and ask them pointless questions. It's so good that I no longer felt my old Nod32 subscription was worth the money.

[hbzboy]

Avira with Comodo firewall does the trick for me and malwarebytes for spyware.

[P924]

The_Jackal said:

MSE runs better than AVG and Avast these days. Most people recommend it unless they think Microsoft is the devil or just want to be different for the sake of it.
Especially for your mum it will be ideal. Install it and forget about it.

Yep, Completely agree with this. I whole heartedly recommend it.

[Funk]

I also rate MSE, so my recommendation of Avast isn't a knee-jerk anti-MS one. To say MSE runs better than Avast is somewhat pointless; they're both very lightweight, and Avast has a number of features that - in my mind - put it ahead of MSE.

However, MSE will be fine for a mum-computer which probably requires nothing 'unusual' to be displayed that may alarm/confuse her.

[Morningside]

hbzboy said:

Avira with Comodo firewall does the trick for me and malwarebytes for spyware.

I use Avast! with Comodo firewall. And altough I dont have any issues with Avast! I will look at Avira - Always nice to look about sometimes.

I was a great fan on AVG but found it started to slow my machine down.

[Funk]

Morningside said:

hbzboy said:

Avira with Comodo firewall does the trick for me and malwarebytes for spyware.

I use Avast! with Comodo firewall. And altough I dont have any issues with Avast! I will look at Avira - Always nice to look about sometimes.

I was a great fan on AVG but found it started to slow my machine down.

I also use Comodo firewall, it's a good bit of kit. Will look into Avira as well though.

[Simon Says]

Funk said:

Avast.

+1 on four machines 32 & 64 bit it just works,i changed from my years with AVG when it started to noticeably slow the machine's down

[Funk]

Simon Says said:

Funk said:

Avast.

+1 on four machines 32 & 64 bit it just works,i changed from my years with AVG when it started to noticeably slow the machine's down

The latest version's very slick. I too switched from AVG when their update downloads were running to several Mb every day and their servers were somewhat creaky. It would often fail.

I like that Avast can do a boot-time scan before Windows loads - very useful!

[Simon Says]

Funk said:

Simon Says said:

Funk said:

Avast.

+1 on four machines 32 & 64 bit it just works,i changed from my years with AVG when it started to noticeably slow the machine's down

The latest version's very slick. I too switched from AVG when their update downloads were running to several Mb every day and their servers were somewhat creaky. It would often fail.

I like that Avast can do a boot-time scan before Windows loads - very useful!

Yes it is,just put the new version on my home PC with the RTM 7 64 Ultimate(previously the RC)and it does look nicer alright.