What (free) Anti virus Software do you use?

Paul M C · 27/10/10 - 17:41

Hi all

Bit of an old chestnut this, but following on from my previous thread about AVG11 slowing my pc start up time, I am looking for a free replacement to AVG and just wondered what other people use?

I've heard Microsoft Security Essentials (as recommended in the other thread) is supposed to be effective, but I have just read (on various review sites) that scanning can take a long while on this? I seem to recall a mate of mine had this on his pc and he said the same (scanning was very slow)......

Other than that, I've heard some good things about Avast but not sure whether to take the plunge and change....

AVG has (in the past) been fine for me - it's just this new version 11 which I don't like (as I say, slows up start up time once the desktop icons are displayed - and I've checked it's not doing any scans or updates on startup)....Is there any where where you can get a link to go back to the previous version of AVG (9)? If I did roll this back would you be "forced" to download version 11 via updates on AVG?

Any help or opinions really appreciated!

Cheers

PS Running XP by the way....

chiller15 · 27/10/10 - 17:45

There are many threads on this subject, but the most favoured free anti-virus programmes seem to be Microsoft Security Essentials or Avira AntiVir. Also worth having Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and/or SuperAntiSpyware too.

gillyallan · 27/10/10 - 17:49

I like Avast Free but as above, many threads on it and there are 3 or 4 popular ones.

Stig · 27/10/10 - 17:51

MSE

Shall we close the thread now?

ruddiger · 27/10/10 - 17:54

I use Avast and Eset Nod32 ( on seperate pc's ) Must say i'm finding Avast is getting better and better.

Has anyone tried Panda Cloud antivirus ?

If so , any good?

user123456789 · 27/10/10 - 17:54

Stig wrote: »

MSE

Another MSE vote here, I have MSE 2.0beta on my 4 PCs

subversive · 27/10/10 - 18:02

MSE + Windows firewall (mixture of windows 7 and vista) on three laptops, Kaspersky on PC and fourth laptop (windows 7 firewall).

MSE is really good, light and doesn't hog the system, like AVG used to.

They only other security suite I like is Kaspersky, when Mcafee, norton, Avast and AVG failed to clean my friends PC, I used kaspersky (when she told me about the problem), and job done.

She has MSE aswell, so far no problems....

Microsoft have done a good job with MSE...

Trev · 27/10/10 - 18:42

I use a little known programme called 'Rising Anti-Virus'. In tests,it did quite well if not better than most of the better known free programmes. It has free updates as well.

http://download.cnet.com/Rising-Antivirus-2010-Free-Edition/3000-2239_4-10674783.html