[TopAce]

I've so far consistently used AVG, but I figured I would try something else.

Which one do you use and what are its pros/contras?

[headdie]

Until recently I was using AVG, dad mentioned he was Avast and that it seemed to be picking up a few extra viruses that AVG missed and so far I think I would have to agree.

[jr2]

I use Microsoft Security Essentials.  Pros: Fast, free, lightweight, good detection, made by Microsoft, who makes your OS.

Cons: Made by Microsoft, who makes your OS.

If you want more security, I'd buy Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware (one-time licensing fee of $30 for home users and then it's free updates forever).  It can run alongside of whatever A/V soft you end up using.

[Fury]

There has been numerous topics on this subject in the past six months.

[The E]

Cons: Made by Microsoft, who makes your OS.

Why is that a con?

[jr2]

It's not, really, just some people don't like stuff made by MS, although, since they make the OS, if they really object that much, perhaps they should be using Linux or running a Mac.  I think MS actually got MSE 100% correct (aside from the usual assortment of advanced tools being considered "dangerous", which most other AV soft also do).

[FreeSpaceFreak]

It's not, really, just some people don't like stuff made by MS, although, since they make the OS, if they really object that much, perhaps they should be using Linux or running a Mac.  I think MS actually got MSE 100% correct (aside from the usual assortment of advanced tools being considered "dangerous", which most other AV soft also do).

My brother used to run MSE on W7. He had computer troubles. He downloaded Avast, it found a score of issues that MSE had missed. So yeah, I wouldn't trust MS on that one. It's probably fine if you're a cautionary user, but if you go to fishy websites and torrent stuff (like my brother) you'll need a more thorough AV.

Myself, I'd recommend Avast - make sure the autosandbox is off, and you shouldn't have any troubles with it.

[jr2]

It's the fishy websites that are the problem.  Torrenting stuff doesn't hurt you.  Torrenting the wrong stuff (e.g., .wma music files with scripts built into them that contain trojan downloaders (yikes! why does a music file have this capability? <glares at M$>) are the problem. It's the same as downloading from a regular site.  If you don't know what you're doing, you'll get bit.  I've seen people using Avast! before, and it does seem to be a pretty competent piece of A/V soft.  I like MSE the best because of how light weight it is on system performance.  Like I said before, if I was worried about someone downloading a virus, I'd add MBAM to the mix.

[TopAce]

I'll give a shot to Avast.

[pecenipicek]

Shout out to MSSE here, for all the pros that jr2 mentioned.

And if you're an idiot when torrenting, its your own damn fault, and no amount of AV's will help you there.

[Dragon]

COMODO is a fairly good AV if you ask me, though a bit on the paranoid side. Just be careful when you dismiss it's popups not to accidentally lock down something important.

[pecenipicek]

COMODO is a fairly good AV if you ask me, though a bit on the paranoid side. Just be careful when you dismiss it's popups not to accidentally lock down something important.

i've used it before, but it was slow as ****.

[Gortef]

I have Avast on my main PC and MS SE on my laptop. So far I've been quite pleased with that setup.
So those two earn points from me.

[LHN91]

^Same, most of the time. My Uni has a habit of not supporting new major versions of Avast in the Clean Access Agent for at least a couple months after it comes out, but seems to have no issue with MSE, so that's why; and I've not had issues with either, really. Although the Auto-sandbox in Avast is somewhat annoying.

[Klaustrophobia]

i'm using MSE on my desktop and AVG on my laptop.  i like MSE because it's so lightweight, but i may potentially have gotten something.  i never got any of the typical symptoms of a virus/malware infection, but i noticed my sharing wasn't working, and progressive googling led me to discover other problems with a root cause of some of my security-related services have gone missing.  not off, MISSING.  (wtf?)  so i ran a scan and it picked up a java exploit and consrv.dll, which google tells me is a nasty little ****er.  except i didn't seem to actually have the infection.  maybe MSE interdicted it before it did anything nastier than break some of my services, which i'm now trying to repair.  it's proving difficult, since my situation is different than all the other ones on the internet who got full on blasted with it.

[jr2]

@Klaustrophobia:  System Restore?

[Eishtmo]

If you have a Windows 7 machine, just get Windows Defender from Microsoft.

[jr2]

Errr, Eishtmo, Microsoft Security Essentials is a full-fledged Anti-Virus from MS... IIRC, Windows Defender has been built into Windows Vista and 7 as released from factory, however, it doesn't cut it for security.

You can get Windows Defender and MSE for XP, too, FWIW.  However, I don't like Windows Defender on XP and I just stick with MSE.  And MBAM.

EDIT: References for you:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Defender
http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/protect/forum/protect_start/win-7-windows-defender/6df2303a-021a-4937-98c1-ad11705d7a81  (3rd reply down)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Security_Essentials

Apparently, MSE is the #1 most popular AV in North America and #2 in the world as of September 2011 according to this OPSWAT report (I wonder what the most popular AV in the rest of the world is?  Wating for the dumb OPSWAT report to load over HughesNet satellite connection {hello, dial-up!} {OK, apparently it's Avast Free})

[Klaustrophobia]

@Klaustrophobia:  System Restore?

i tried that, but there was only one restore point available and it was after the infection.  i'm guessing that those were cleared at the same time as the services.  i've tried a number of methods for fixing system files like the system file checker command and repair tools on the windows disk, but none of them detect or fix any problems.  anyone know how to force it to reinstall all the system files from the disk (and leave everything else alone)?

[Legate Damar]

Just do not use the one that woutersmittsn uses