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Off-Topic Discussion => General Discussion => Topic started by: Enigmatic Entity on March 19, 2009, 10:25:15 pm

Title: What's the best -free- antiviral software?
Post by: Enigmatic Entity on March 19, 2009, 10:25:15 pm: According to Google,
Spyware Doctor
(http://www.pctools.com/spyware-doctor-antivirus/?ref=google_au_virus&gclid=CKy-o9m-sJkCFR0SagodOkJT7w/) comes up first. I also know that there's AVG, AOL Active Virus Shield, Avast!, Avira, (anything else starting with 'a' ;) ) and some crap ones. Which is the best?
Title: Re: What's the best -free- antiviral software?
Post by: Hellstryker on March 19, 2009, 10:37:12 pm: Spyware doctor doesn't remove everything. I use these three: MalwareBytes Anti Malware, AVG Free edition (for link scanning), and the said Spyware doctor.
Title: Re: What's the best -free- antiviral software?
Post by: IceFire on March 19, 2009, 10:56:07 pm: AVG Free and MalwareBytes seems to be the best duo going right now.
Title: Re: What's the best -free- antiviral software?
Post by: Hellstryker on March 19, 2009, 11:46:21 pm: Quote from: IceFire on March 19, 2009, 10:56:07 pm
AVG Free and MalwareBytes seems to be the best duo going right now.

It's worth noting however, the AVG will cause considerable slowdown unless its resident shield is deactivated. As I said, I only use AVG for its link scanning feature. That's not to say I exactly recommend turning off the resident shield either. It's up to you.
Title: Re: What's the best -free- antiviral software?
Post by: Fury on March 20, 2009, 12:11:44 am: Avast and MalwareBytes.
Title: Re: What's the best -free- antiviral software?
Post by: High Max on March 20, 2009, 01:56:39 am: .
Title: Re: What's the best -free- antiviral software?
Post by: Herra Tohtori on March 20, 2009, 02:02:55 am: Vote for Avast!Home Edition from me. As far as spyware/adware/malware probes and removal tools go, caution and common sense is your best weapon if you have any... then there are good ol' Spybot S&D and Ad-Aware. Those have been largely sufficient for me, in addition to Comodo as soft firewall.

How does MalwareBytes compare to Spybot and Ad-Aware?
Title: Re: What's the best -free- antiviral software?
Post by: Androgeos Exeunt on March 20, 2009, 02:16:10 am: I believe Avast!, AVG and/or Avira are the best of the lot.

Alternatively, buy a Mac.
Title: Re: What's the best -free- antiviral software?
Post by: High Max on March 20, 2009, 02:27:45 am: .
Title: Re: What's the best -free- antiviral software?
Post by: Fury on March 20, 2009, 02:35:36 am: Quote from: Androgeos Exeunt on March 20, 2009, 02:16:10 am
Alternatively, buy a Mac.
It'd be cheaper to install linux on current computer instead. Macs are overrated and I do own a Macbook.
Title: Re: What's the best -free- antiviral software?
Post by: Androgeos Exeunt on March 20, 2009, 02:42:01 am: Take it in jest, Fury. ;)

Avast!, AVG and Avira are your best bet for very good, free antivirus programs. If you're looking for the best, I think it's a toss-up between these three.
Title: Re: What's the best -free- antiviral software?
Post by: High Max on March 20, 2009, 03:02:47 am: .
Title: Re: What's the best -free- antiviral software?
Post by: Demitri on March 21, 2009, 06:23:13 pm: Anyone know any good ones that can be used with 64 bit version of vista? Currently using AVG but not entirely convinced by it
Title: Re: What's the best -free- antiviral software?
Post by: Fury on March 22, 2009, 01:46:57 pm: Quote from: Demitri on March 21, 2009, 06:23:13 pm
Anyone know any good ones that can be used with 64 bit version of vista? Currently using AVG but not entirely convinced by it
Quote from: Fury on March 20, 2009, 12:11:44 am
Avast and MalwareBytes.
Title: Re: What's the best -free- antiviral software?
Post by: Demitri on March 22, 2009, 03:05:26 pm: MalwareBytes apparently only works with 32bit version. So it says when i went to download it.
Title: Re: What's the best -free- antiviral software?
Post by: Fury on March 23, 2009, 12:07:37 am: Heh, interesting considering it worked fine on my 64-bit Vista when I tried it several months back. Avast is plenty enough protection however.
Title: Re: What's the best -free- antiviral software?
Post by: Bob-san on March 23, 2009, 12:09:16 am: I use Avira AntiVir.
Title: Re: What's the best -free- antiviral software?
Post by: Zacam on March 23, 2009, 12:19:27 am: I've stuck with ClamWin. No active priority realtime scanning, but that means there is little to no overhead unless I am scanning, so less chance that it will interrupt with what I am doing.

WinPooch on top of it works pretty well and they both interoperate and configure well with each other. ClamWin is a Windows Port of ClamAV which is available for Linux and BSD.
Title: Re: What's the best -free- antiviral software?
Post by: iamzack on March 23, 2009, 06:17:50 am: Sometimes I wonder if antivirus software is overrated. :\ Mine expired on my laptop just before I broke the screen, and then I plugged it into an old monitor and ran it with just the microsoft firewall for a year with no problems (until the adapter cable died)...

I've been too lazy to install anything my on mac, and still nothing, but it is a mac... you have to work hard to find a trojan for it. I turned off the firewall. :\
Title: Re: What's the best -free- antiviral software?
Post by: Fury on March 23, 2009, 07:17:05 am: It is overrated because the best anti-virus is common sense regardless of what OS you're running.
Title: Re: What's the best -free- antiviral software?
Post by: Demitri on March 23, 2009, 10:40:11 am: Quote from: Fury on March 23, 2009, 12:07:37 am
Heh, interesting considering it worked fine on my 64-bit Vista when I tried it several months back. Avast is plenty enough protection however.

Ok, i'll give it a bash. Like i said, I was only going by what it said on their website.
Title: Re: What's the best -free- antiviral software?
Post by: Zacam on March 23, 2009, 09:04:30 pm: Quote from: Fury on March 23, 2009, 07:17:05 am
It is overrated because the best anti-virus is common sense regardless of what OS you're running.

I don't think I have ever encountered a statement I agree with more.
Title: Re: What's the best -free- antiviral software?
Post by: Hellstryker on March 23, 2009, 11:23:28 pm: Quote from: Zacam on March 23, 2009, 09:04:30 pm
Quote from: Fury on March 23, 2009, 07:17:05 am
It is overrated because the best anti-virus is common sense regardless of what OS you're running.

I don't think I have ever encountered a statement I agree with more.

I said that a week or so ago in a different thread :p
Title: Re: What's the best -free- antiviral software?
Post by: Enigmatic Entity on March 24, 2009, 02:46:21 am: Downloaded Avast! and will give it a try. :)