The complete, consolidated Anti-Virus thread « Ask your 'What AV?' questions here!

[Pengoz]

Was using Avira (free) but sick of the pops when it would update in the middle of me using the computer and throw up a nag/popup.

So tried avg free, within a few days i got an infection of the live security platninum malware. Took a bit to remove it.

Looked into vb100 and av comparison's info and chose to go with bitdefender, will make a decision at the end of the trial to pay for a license.

well uninstalled bitdefender, couldn't get its realtime protection to work. going back to avira.

[maryusdemetry]

Originally Posted by Pengoz

Was using Avira (free) but sick of the pops when it would update in the middle of me using the computer and throw up a nag/popup.

.

I´m using Avira, this pops only take a second (everyday at same time click Ok and done)

[Pengoz]

Originally Posted by maryusdemetry

I´m using Avira, this pops only take a second (everyday at same time click Ok and done)

Its anonying when I'm in the middle of doing something!

Anyways i've reinstalled it as Bitdefender for commercial a/v couldn't even work properly from the get go. And Avira seems to be alright cept for that annoying popup but hey its free. So I will have to make do

[Great_Guru]

Personal computers/laptops with Windows XP/7 why not use MS Security Essentials *free* if you are worried.

Real-time protection works just as well as any other AV around if you are venturing to dark parts of the interwebs with tainted files.

AV is only one layer of defense and it definitely shouldn't high on your priority list.

[JolyV]

I´m avira big fan, is my fav Av since 2009, and the current version with online protection works fine for me, and yes the update popup is the price for the free version

[SpaceFrog]

Originally Posted by breech

I installed it for a while about a year ago, uninstalled and stuck with avast.
[*]Does it nag or trick people into buying the paid version?

Not that i saw

[*]Is it likely to autodelete a folder full of keygens etc?

Some files considered a threat by panda will be deleted, such as certain keygens and activators.

I installed on on my file server, and it seems quite happy so far. I auto deleted 4 files, but I restored them easily enough. and have added an exclusion for my apps folder.

I used have AVG, and it would never adhere to the exclusions that I added. And AVG likes to update & reboot alot, which is not ideal for my file server that is on 24/7

Originally Posted by Pengoz

Was using Avira (free) but sick of the pops when it would update in the middle of me using the computer and throw up a nag/popup.

There should be a way to block the nag. I belive you restrict the process from running. I've done it before, but it was years ago.

Or you can try out panda cloud. It's just as lite as avira.

[Pengoz]

After looking at vb100 and av comparitive, from what I could tell Avira was better than Panda.

http://www.wikihow.com/Remove-the-Po...-Avira-Antivir
Howto disable annoying popups after update for Avira:
1
Go to Start > Run.
2
Type gpedit.msc and click OK.
3
Navigate through User Configuration > Administrative Templates > System.
4
Double click "Don't run specified Windows applications".
5
Enable it and click show.
6
Add "avnotify.exe" and "ipmgui.exe".
7
Click OK on all open windows.
8
Restart.

[JolyV]

Originally Posted by Pengoz

After looking at vb100 and av comparitive, from what I could tell Avira was better than Panda.

Howto disable annoying popups after update for Avira:
1
Go to Start > Run.
...
Restart.

Thank you. And yes Avira is better

[Pengoz]

damn it still popped up! doh. might have to recheck the policy setting. Or use one of the other methods.

hmm, rebooted after updating the policy by its absolute path with quotes.. went to the file and ran it manually successfully... doh. seems it bypasses that group policy even tho its enabled.. sus!

might have to try one of the alternate methods.

ok the local security method worked, when i tried to run it it resulted in a dialog saying its blocked. now i just hope i don't swap on popup for another lol!

update: doh, now windows throws up a popup saying it cannot run when avira goes to throw up a popup! LOL. Now trying via security permissions setting read/execute to deny for "SYSTEM".

Might just pay for some other better a/v software (will check vb100, av comparitive), as I work in IT I'll just have it as tax deduction anyway.

VB100 latest chart:


Going off that
1st: Coranti Cora / Coranti 39.99 Euros/year (46.90 aud)
2nd: Lavasoft Free,
3rd: Auslogics 29.95 usd/year (28.50 aud)

Could not find Coranti Cora, think its now rolled into the one Coranti AV product. Auslogics seems good value at about $30/year. Strike that Lavasoft offers a free version of their product which includes all the protection I need ( ie A/V and malware protection). I already have Sandboxie registered which runs my programs in a sandbox. We shall see what sort of nags the lavasoft adaware av software includes. If its ok, I'll stick with it otherwise money is going to Auslogics.

So what did we learn here kiddies? If you offer free software don't inlcude popups or nags as it just moves people to trying your competitors product, not upgrading to your non-free version.

[meremortal]

Originally Posted by Pengoz

damn it still popped up! doh. might have to recheck the policy setting. Or use one of the other methods.

hmm, rebooted after updating the policy by its absolute path with quotes.. went to the file and ran it manually successfully... doh. seems it bypasses that group policy even tho its enabled.. sus!

might have to try one of the alternate methods.

ok the local security method worked, when i tried to run it it resulted in a dialog saying its blocked. now i just hope i don't swap on popup for another lol!

update: doh, now windows throws up a popup saying it cannot run when avira goes to throw up a popup! LOL. Now trying via security permissions setting read/execute to deny for "SYSTEM".

Might just pay for some other better a/v software (will check vb100, av comparitive), as I work in IT I'll just have it as tax deduction anyway.

VB100 latest chart:
image

Going off that
1st: Coranti Cora / Coranti 39.99 Euros/year (46.90 aud)
2nd: Lavasoft Free,
3rd: Auslogics 29.95 usd/year (28.50 aud)

Could not find Coranti Cora, think its now rolled into the one Coranti AV product. Auslogics seems good value at about $30/year. Strike that Lavasoft offers a free version of their product which includes all the protection I need ( ie A/V and malware protection). I already have Sandboxie registered which runs my programs in a sandbox. We shall see what sort of nags the lavasoft adaware av software includes. If its ok, I'll stick with it otherwise money is going to Auslogics.

So what did we learn here kiddies? If you offer free software don't inlcude popups or nags as it just moves people to trying your competitors product, not upgrading to your non-free version.

Coudn't see Nortons on that chart - am I missing something?

[Pengoz]

Prolly not reviewed coz its shit?

Maybe look at Symantec, Nortons tends to be consumer/home and Symantec Corporate.

[Carcin0Genic]

Hey guys.
I always used AVG as my anti virus(free version) untill i built a decent computer, i then changed to MSE. Which was pretty good and lightweight, i could never go back to AVG. The only problem being is that it was causing something to crash and giving me "Microsoft security client blah blah crashed" in event log and would crash the pc if it was under any sort of load at the time. This pissed me off.

I have never had a virus(that i know of), which is quite suprising really, considering the crap i download and various tubes i visit.

So my question is, do i really need an anti virus on my pc? If so, which one? It must be quick, and not hamper boot times.

[Brianf1971]

Originally Posted by Carcin0Genic

Hey guys.
I always used AVG as my anti virus(free version) untill i built a decent computer, i then changed to MSE. Which was pretty good and lightweight, i could never go back to AVG. The only problem being is that it was causing something to crash and giving me "Microsoft security client blah blah crashed" in event log and would crash the pc if it was under any sort of load at the time. This pissed me off.

I have never had a virus(that i know of), which is quite suprising really, considering the crap i download and various tubes i visit.

So my question is, do i really need an anti virus on my pc? If so, which one? It must be quick, and not hamper boot times.

Quick answer, yes you need AV, which one is best is loaded question there are allot of options and you can cull some of them down, I personally like a router based solution to protect my network and a PC based one for all my windows systems, (I don't bother on Linux), MSE is the best as far as low impact on the Win 7 desktop and for routers you have the option of custom firmware with scripts like DD-WRT/OpenWRT/Tomato (need a router with enough memory like Linksys/Cisco 3000e), or PC based routers like Tangled/Smoothwall/PF Scense with AV modules/addins.

I have risked not using AV on the desktop and relying on router only but found my kids always found a way (email zip files) to get a virus.

The other option is an enterprise based solution with inline AV scanning (all traffic routed via Scanning Server) but this will cost big $$.

Brian

[Akimbo]

well i just tried about a dozen suites.

All the popular or high rated ones.

Sticking with ESET Smart security. Even though its blocking Youtube video downloader in firefox (url block), it's the least interfering suite tested.

Every other suite just bottled up something somewhere, file performance, internet browsing lags and performance and long pauses, windows explorer lags and pauses or had confusing interface settings and poor analysis data or vague firewall settings. It was all the pausing and lags that pissed me off the most.

shoulda just stuck with eset and saved review time, cant believe the other shit software suites get rated so high. It's not like someone is gonna plant an indestructible virus on your lowly home computer. For business, they should look at non commercial solutions.

[Pengoz]

Yeah I f'd off Lavasoftware Adaware, was a waste of time.
I found Kaspersky was ok, but too many nags to register and get a license. Also seems to install way too many addons into firefox.

Is it too much to ask for just a simple antivirus/malware program? I run Sandboxie so my web-browser is sandboxed but just need an good anti-virus/malware program for stuff that gets thru. Don't really need a firewal or email scanner and all the other junk they provide protection for.