Choosing Anti-virus program: NAV or AVG?

Thanks Mike

Yea--this is a Burger king Mama! I moving Up/Down in the world?

 

Really confused now !

Hi

New Xp magazine - I was all geared to find AVG

Does this mean I would not be as well protected

 

I agree to confusion.

And that confusion can only be ended when the user gets the software on his/her machine and sees how things go.

Everyone that has responed in this thread has a different machine.

Everyone has their own likes and dislikes. Which I myself do not want to see changed. Go ahead and change Software. But likes and dislikes leave alone. They ain't broke and don'tneed fixin.

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Antivir is free but not as feature rich as Panda - McAfee & Symantec ....... well worth spending the extra for total peace of mind ????
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Does that quote come with a no questions asked money back gaureentee ?

The contained features mean nothing if the program in general is not suitable for a system.

The 1st item I have never tried.

The 2nd I would not touch again with a 20' pole. It did not preform properly. And you think Norton is hard to get out ?

The 3rd Item I have used for years and no problems. ( once I fixed the one problem with Video )

Again. I WILL BE trying new software once I get another HD. But I will not tear this system apart just to try something that may or may not work.

Right now I havethe $60 VCOM SystemSuite ( not the trial version ) sittin here just waiting to be road tested. But it is also waitng for a different HD and XP where no other possible competing/conflicting software has been installed.

One other reason it is waiting is that I believe it contains PowerDesk version 4. I have version 5 installed. It would be kind of silly of me to take a chance of overwriting the existing. I know it ain't supposed to but, can I realy depend on it not doing so by deafult ?

Good Grief. Am I actually saying that I do read the specs once in awhile ?

BillyBob

 

Hi, MiniB ~

Antivir is not AVG - two different products.

I don't know why AVG is not listed in the product testing, but despite the fact they produce no advertising revenue as do the other well-marketed would strike me as one reason.

You may read about AVG here

 

My earlier reply does not just really refer to just AV software.

It can be applyed to most any software.

BillyBob

 

The dfference ONE letter can make

Hi

Now I know they are not the same - Thank you.

Just one thing the link doesn't work for me - page not available etc

I saw it was Grisoft & found the site which I am goning to explore FULLY ......

Re-posted the link in case there are others like me DOUBTING the AV they have.

It really worried me about the fact that the klez virus/worm may get through to me. I reckon the more well known software writers are easy to target & keep them on their toes !

I have been assured by Symantec that I am very well protected but will not just be doing as usual - renew NAV - I will stop & think next time ( if not before ...... )

Hope this link works - I'm going there now - Thanks again

Hopefully Here

 

Hi, MiniB ~

There was an extra space in the URL - I fixed it. Thank you.

 

Been looking.

It appears to me that Antivir, Avg & Norton all have the same ( almost identical ) list of features.

Different names for features but all look like they would do the same job.

Would they all work as well on my machine ? No way to tell until I tried them. Then I could answer.

However it does look like AVG is a good program and would work. And do as good a job as my present Norton.

If AVGs' claim that the free trial version is a full functional program is true then it may be better in that respect than some others. But I can not answer that question. Maybe someone else can.

But I also see that AVG free version needs to have an registration number. ( or what ever they called it as I forgot ) Does this mean that it either will not work without the number or does it quit after 30 days ? I can't answer that either. But in either case these are things that if not careful we get caught on.

A question in my mind would be. Will AVG or Antivir work properly in combination with my Norton Internet security ( Firewall part only ) and/or Norton Utilities ? Can't answer that either until tried as combinations often are the cause of problems.

I have had that sort of a problem. That is the main resaon I stick with a full set of Symantec software.

Now in my own mind the answers to any of my questions should be nothing other than it " very likely will " or " It should ".

BillyBob

 

MiniB

If everything is working like in Paul's case, leave it alone!

If it continually gives you a problem then the next time it does, trash it.

I can tell you that each of the mentioned scanners will find something sometimes the others cannot find and visa versi.

Norton puts to many hooks in the system. On some computers something from applications software some tweak some update some vers of the OS, the BIOS etc almost any program can have a problem. This is the reason Norton works just fine on some, others it works but kills performance or has other problems on other computers.

BB you need to remember I have potentially a thousand computers of all flavors and makes.

And even now some are running Norton some McAfee. These have given me no problems yet. At home I have 2 computers on a switch. A win98 and my primary which has 3 boots 2 2k boot and another win98.

Each by plan has a different Virus scanner. My primary 2k default boot has Etrust EZvirus. It is what I think is the best. On my second 2K boot is AntiVir and on the win98 is AVG. So I can reboot 2 times and do 3 different virus scans not to mention that while up in the second it can now check the first more completely because it has no prtected or in use files.

I have found this to be exactly as Bruce and Reboot covered earlier. AVG is more OS and CPU friendly. Besides as far as Viri go you should not put all eggs in one basket. Scan with your installed scanner one time then next time do an online Trend. The next time your installed scanner then an online Panda! Cycle it arround. Now if any one of then finds a virus then for sure run 1 or both of the others, even if the firsr one says it cleaned it.

So Mini be next time it gives you a reason replace it with AVG but do an online also regularly and you will be more protected than most.

Mike

 

If everything is working like in Paul's case, leave it alone!
If it continually gives you a problem then the next time it does, trash it.

No argument with that.

Norton puts to many hooks in the system.

To that I do have to pretty much agree. But don't forget NAV was designed to be run in conjunction with the rest of Norton software.

On some computers something from applications software some tweak some update some vers of the OS, the BIOS etc almost any program can have a problem

Thank you.

In fact I am very inclined to believe that is may have been a Windows update that may have killed NAV & NIS on me. Can't say 100% sure but things pointed to that. Along with stupidly opening an e-mail from an unknown source.

I have found this to be exactly as Bruce and Reboot covered earlier. AVG is more OS and CPU friendly. Besides as far as Viri go you should not put all eggs in one basket. Scan with your installed scanner one time then next time do an online Trend. The next time your installed scanner then an online Panda! Cycle it arround. Now if any one of then finds a virus then for sure run 1 or both of the others, even if the firsr one says it cleaned it.

If I interpit that correctly you are saying ( basicly ) that AVG is to the system as Eudora e-mail is to IE/OE. It is ( or almost ? ) a standalone program. And not tied so deeply into the system. If that is the case then I can understand why it may be a better program for some systems.

I do plan on trying AVG on another system as I do like the looks of it. Leaving Norton where it is. And most likely going with ZoneAlarm for the Firewall.

As far as online scanning goes that is the FIRST thing I did when I found NIS and NAV disabled. Not just one but three online scans, Housecall, Panda and one other. And I also ran online scans on the other two computers that are on my LAN.

Besides as far as Viri go you should not put all eggs in one basket

To that I say AMEN !!!!.

Installed ones for everyday use. Periodic online to check on it.

BillyBob

 

Hi, Billy Bob ~

Excellent questions!

I am willing to do better than 'very likely will' or 'It should' in response to any of your other questions.

A resounding 'YES'. In fact, I have found it to work just as well if not better than the paid 'Pro' version. You are just paying for tech support and we all know how that typically works.

Yes, AVG does require a registration number. It is simply a serial number for you and you alone just for the asking once you download. It is and remains fully functional from there on out as my current version has done for the last 3+ years.

'Yes' and 'It should', respectively.

 

HEHE I can not stand this SPEED

BruceKrymow

It looks like we were both replying at the same time.

Thank you very much for answering my questions.

BillyBob

 

AVG6 free Version sitting on a CD along with the Text file.

Now comes what to do.

NAV was installed as part of Norton System Works. And I do not know if I can remove it and leave the rest.

Ceratinly will see what can be done

BillyBob

 

It appears as though my mission had been accomplished.

I ran the install for NSW and was able to Modify and let it remove NAV.

Ran NWD and EasyCleaner and they found nothing.

Installed AVG and it seems to be A. O. K.

But one thing I discovered and like very much. And that is being able to scan CDs. I have not tested E-mail yet but will soon.

And I THINK I saw something about scanning RAM when AVG was started. I like that idea also.

I do have a question though.

I see AVG has a boot scanner ( made me jump ). Is that allowed in XP ? Norton Boot scan was not allowed in ME or XP. If it is allow I am for sure sold on AVG6.

I am a little hesitant to do this changing at times. But still I am not really afraid to do it as I know and am prepaired for things to go wrong.

Now all I gotta do is get rid of the old Reg backups and make a new one. As I sure as heck do not want to replace one that was made this AM. I have pulled that dumb trick twice too many times.

BillyBob

 

Hi, BB ~

AVG does have a boot scanner but believe it is for Win9x only. How did you happen across that? It should not be present in the settings unless you have not updated yet, but is only referenced in the help file. I do happen to have a query in to tech support regarding boot scanning & XP from a while back, but they do not promise answers.

Any questions regarding AVG, please feel fre to ask me here or contact direct via e-mail.

 

Hi

I am running 98SE.

I just let it go in with Default settings. And other than the Scheduled updates which I turned off I changed nothing.

I do need to do more reading. Are there updates other than the Deffinitions ?

But right now I am having to divided my time between the computer and helping my Wife since her surgery yesterday.

E-mail sent to Wife had note at bottom of being checked by AVG. So I guess that part is OK.

Maybe you can look for an E-mail tomorrow. ( Sunday )

BillyBob

 

More enlightning and interesting info on AVG!

See this thread!

http://windowsbbs.com/showthread.php?s=&postid=88433#post88433

Anyone else have Server 2003. I would like to see some general info and reports including this Virus scanner issue! Course most will have it on a LAN.

Mike

 

A lot of great advice here, you all do great work, vastly superior to the "tech support" I have been unsuccesfully attempting to communicate with lately, as even the English language seems to be a challenge for them; so much for ranting...

I was doing a search to see if I could find the info I needed to avoid bogging down this forum with a redundant post, and this thread pretty much is in the ballpark, except my immediate need is to get rid of NIS 2002. Why? I am migrating from OE 6 to Outlook 2000 and NIS will NOT allow Outlook to access my email server, and those yayhoos at no-longer-Norton, not-even-Symantec, but some outsorced offshore backoffice outfit going by the name of "Software Spectrum ", seem to be incapable of even comprehending the problem (oops, ranting again...).

Anyway, since this thread was addressing the uninstall process for NAV, thought I would bounce a few things around here. Since my immediate need is to uninstall NIS, I was going to defer the uninstall of NAV and replacing it with AVG down the road a ways. But, after wading through the morass of the Symantec "knowledge base" it would appear that since both NIS and NAV are installed, I do not have the option of just uninstalling NIS, that I also have to simultaneously jump directly into the uninstall of NAV.... Anyone had this unpleasant experience and can tell me if that is an accurate assessment?

And, maybe more importantly -- even downplaying it, the Symantec info seems to imply that there could be more to it than they let on, so I was wondering if there might be any "gotchas" that I should be aware of before getting rid of this stinky software that I never should have even paid money for to get an inferior product that has worthless tech support. Official end of rant...

(unfortunately, I didn't know this invaluable forum existed way back when I made that bad decision two years ago...).

Thanx in advance, you all should be chargin money...

TIP: Outlook is a far, far superior tool to Outlook Express v6, and that's just Outlook 2000, an ancient version - can't imagine how much better a new version of Outlook might be. If you get a chance, check it out, but it cost$. Extended TIP: there is freeware available NOW called "Desktop Sidebar ", supposedly the concept that will be featured in a future release of windows ( "Longhorn "?), and I have hooked it up with Outlook (only by disabling NIS) and it's great, the combo is SO much better than plain old OE6, I feel like I have emerged from the "dark ages "... However, note that Destop Sidebar only works with the combo of winXP or win2k OS and Outlook.

Which is probably going to lead to a whole 'nother post, as to whether or not Outlook 2000 is secure without any major M$ patching (I did upgrade it to SP3...).

 

See this also

By doing an almost 100% turn around I am now using AVG but still kept the Firewall part of NIS.

I had only Installed the Internet Security ( Firewall ) part of NIS. NAV was installed as part of Norton System Works.

That way I was able to keep NIS ( which you want to get rid of ) and uninstall NAV from the NSW install program.

As my other thread points out I gained quite a bit of both knowledge and a little better system behavior.

I am not 100% sure but I * THINK * you may be right.

But my suggestion now ( due to my own recent adventures ) is for you to take the time and change both AV and Firewall.

We really try hard to be it

BillyBob

 

Keywester

When you are in a situation like yourself even if you wanted to keep a part of norton it probably would be better to uninstall all and go back only with what you want.

So the "basic" steps to clean Norton (all covered in this thread).

1. Use its own install

2. Make sure LiveReg and LiveUpdate are uninstalled from add/remove

3. Get and use the Symclean and Rnav cleanup utils from norton

4. Disk search for Norton*.* then Syman*.* then livereg*.* then liveupd*.*

5. At least two good registry cleaner runs like RegCleaner and RegScrubXP

Finally
6. A manual registy search for each of the following: norton symantec livereg liveupdate.

This will free you from them!

mike