Anti virus opinions please

I currently have Nortons 2003 installed on my computer and the subscription is about to run out. Overall I have been happy with Nortons (but thats all I've ever used)

I can purchase Nortons AntiVirus 2006 pretty cheap or should I consider another option?

Friends have suggested AVG and Anti-Vir Personal Edition.

Can I have some opinions please?

 

Hello Ranger,

I moved your thread to the Security section where we discuss security programs.

I'm linking to a thread that started off as a discussion on running multiple AV's together and then goes on to discuss security in general along with various AV's.

http://www.windowsbbs.com/showthread.php?t=56904

I personally got rid of NAV2005 and like you ran NAV products for years until I got fed up with Symantec - not that they don't do the job they were designed to do, its how they do it. Lots of system resources and a design I can only describe as Rube Goldberg.

One of the things I learned about NAV is that it expands the OS's footprint like no other app I've seen. When I uninstalled NAV completely, I found around 5 K of Registry items that NAV installed. The OS brings the registry into memory on bootup expanding the amount of memory that the OS uses.

In that thread I linked to, you'll see what I use and why.

Regards - Charles

 

I find AVG is better

I used Norton for 10 years. I finally got fed up with the top heavy resource hog that norton programs have. AVG ani virus seems to work very well. It checks each email message also. I also use AVG Firewall. AVG updates my files daily, automatically.

 

Mcafee all the way.

 

Hi error,

From the frying pan into the fire

Regards - Charles

 

Ranger SVO--As you probably know, almost every week the various office supply stores offer NortonAV (by itself or as part of Internet Security or Systemworks) free after a rebate. So you have little to lose by upgrading to the latest version. (You get another year of virus definitions that way.)
NAV does a good job of protecting you from viruses, though it does have the disadvantages of large footprint (especially when you scan), poor technical service and possible problems with uninstalling.
If you decide to try something different, you may find these references helpful
http://www.windowsbbs.com/showthread.php?t=57229
(this includes a link to some recent reviews of AV's)
http://discussions.virtualdr.com/showthread.php?t=209353&highlight=Kaspersky

 

i have used AVG & AVAST - it is also fine
and right now i am testing nod32 it seems good but its too resource hungry where as AVAST is light in comparision and a good one.

Regards

 

For comparison purposes, you might want to take a look at:

Microsoft Windows Security Center Antivirus Partners = Free 12-month software subscription to CA's eTrust EZ Antivirus =
http://www.my-etrust.com/microsoft


For research opinions see =

http://www.av-comparatives.org

Requires free registration = Latest test results from Virus Bulletin : Independent Anti-virus and Anti-spam Advice = http://www.virusbtn.com/vb100/archives/products.xml

http://www.viruslist.com/en/index.html

http://wiki.castlecops.com/AntiVirus_Comparison

http://www.av-test.org

http://www.av-comparatives.org

http://antivirus-software.6starreviews.com

Review: Free Antivirus Software - about.com = http://antivirus.about.com/od/antivirussoftwarereviews/a/freeav.htm


The most important thing to keep in mind, regardless of which anti-virus, anti-malware, anti-spyware and firewall you use is to keep it UPDATED, just as it is important to make sure you have all windows critical and security updates + =
http://update.microsoft.com/windowsupdate/v6/default.aspx?ln=en-us