Deciding what AV to use with Vista

Recently I updated my OS to Vista Home Ultimate using the upgrade disk. I had been using Norton Internet Security for it under Windows XP, but found it to be very cumbersome and a resource hog. For example, it would sometimes take several minutes for the machine to fully boot up, and I would have to use msconfig to turn off everything but Norton to resolve the issue. Its also going to expire this month, so I am liioking at different solutions for my computer. I DLed the trial version of Mcafee to try out, and I am getting the 'red shield' icon in the taskbar telling me that my windows security needs to be turned on, but when I try to turn it on, it says it cant be turned on. Very confusing. I have read through several of the posts here, and saw some of the free AV programs that are out there that seem to be highly regarded here. Just how good are they? can they protect my system as good or better than the other paid programs like Norton or Mcafee? If so, what do yall think the best ones are, and why do you think so?
Im not trying to start any kind of debate over what is best, I would just like to hear what you are using, and what kind of experiences good or bad you have had with them. Thanks!

 

I looked at those posts, but I was kind of hoping someone would know if I was better off buying something like Mcafee or going with a free AV. What advantages or disadvantages do the free ones offer? Seems everyone has a different opinion on it, and I was just wondering what the general consensus was.
Sorry if it seemed like I was hijacking someones thread or anything like that as it wasnt my intention to do so.

 

Norton is a good program with a built in firewall. AVG8 is a free program but I got infected by a DNS virus and there wasn't a firewall to protect me. Norton isn't that bad. I have a Vista Basic and I'm happy with the boot up time when I still had Norton 360.

By the way, I'm going to post about firewalls programs in a minute

Also, Did you install the same Norton on your Vista with the same product ID? I heard a full retail can give you 3 limits to install it with the product key.

 

I switched from years of using Norton products to Zone Alarm Security Suite.
Norton was giving me problems with shut down on Vista. In XP the Norton 360 worked fine.