Best Free Anti virus Software

AVG fucked up my computer twice.

(I was able to confirm that it truly was AVG the second time.)
 
I've used AVG for several years with no problems but I've read (I think somewhere along the line) that it's a bit more of a memory hog. Seems I read Microsoft's antivirus is pretty reasonable on the system resources. Also remember Avast being highly rated. For reference - I'm running windows 7 64bit on an older core2duo with 8gb ram.
 
I'll second the Avast recommendation. I have that one running actively all the time, and then I have Spyware Doctor and Malware Bytes as backups. Only been infected once with this combination, and that was my own dumb fault.
 
AVG is pretty much the standard for the PCs I use frequently, but it is a massive memory hog. I ended up uninstalling it for an ancient PC I had and just taking the whole damn system offline since a virus scan would bring my computer to its knees.
 
[quote name='Viva Las Vegas']Switched from Avast to Microsoft Security Essentials and love it. Runs much faster on my crap PC.[/QUOTE]

I do IT work for a living and I notice that Microsoft Security Essentials picks stuff up that Avast, Symantec, AVG, ect do.
 
Avast works great. I've had no issues with it, whereas a lot of stuff was getting through McAffee that I was using before.
 
I dual-boot Windows & Ubuntu Linux. I use Windows for Windows exclusive software(mostly games) only and do everything else, especially browsing, in Linux.
No viruses, ever.
 
[quote name='Brak']AVG fucked up my computer twice.

(I was able to confirm that it truly was AVG the second time.)[/QUOTE]

how were you able to confirm? what did it do?

[quote name='berzirk']AVG is pretty much the standard for the PCs I use frequently, but it is a massive memory hog. I ended up uninstalling it for an ancient PC I had and just taking the whole damn system offline since a virus scan would bring my computer to its knees.[/QUOTE]

I use AVG on my virtual XP machine and on another vista one I rarely use.

[quote name='Superstar']I do IT work for a living and I notice that Microsoft Security Essentials picks stuff up that Avast, Symantec, AVG, ect do.[/QUOTE]

Does MSE work on XP?
 
I'm running AVG Free on XP. Works fine but it really is a memory hog, especially if you have it running in the background and running within your browser to preview webpages and whatnot (but that does catch a lot of foul shit you might accidentally stumble into innocently clicking an image in Google Images or something).

I have Ad Aware and Spybot Search and Destroy that I run every now and again to pick up annoying tracking type things that a virus scanner might ignore.

Sounds like MSE and Avast are good choices as well.
 
[quote name='emeraldgsl']I use Avast & Malwarebytes on my Vista Laptop.[/QUOTE]

This, I've been running Avast for a while and haven't had a serious issue yet.
 
[quote name='looploop']i dual-boot windows & ubuntu linux. I use windows for windows exclusive software(mostly games) only and do everything else, especially browsing, in linux.
No viruses, ever.[/quote]

ftw!!!!!!!!!
 
Another Microsoft Security Essentials user here. Was previously using the free version of AVG but decided to switch when I did a clean install of Windows.
 
I use Avast! it always catches anything that may be malicious on a website and it integrates really well with windows itself. Plus I have it set to pirate mode, so all the audio notifications are delivered in pirate.

Yar.
 
[quote name='confoosious']how were you able to confirm? what did it do?[/QUOTE]
I Google'd the BSoD error number I was getting, and other Vista users had the exact same problem with AVG.

To summarize, my PC would BSoD almost every time AVG scanned my drive, and would BSoD every time I rebooted or shutdown. (And every time my PC went to sleep, too.)

Both times I installed AVG, my computer took a piping hot shit all over my face. BSoD, reboot, BSoD, reboot, BSoD, reboot... etc. I could only run in safe mode, and had a helluva time uninstalling it.

I did have a third battle with AVG, come to think of it. Upon start-up, my computer would BSoD, and I narrowed it down to AVG atuo-starting in the tray. It was fine after I disabled it from auto-starting.

I don't understand what the conflict is, though.
 
AVG

http://free.avg.com/us-en/homepage

Ive been using it for years and never had a virus. Except one time and that was my own fault, I took a gamble and I lost.

1) It has frequent virus definition and program updates. Every 9 or 10 months they come out with a new version of it so your not just using a free version from 5 years ago.

2) Has a game mode if you do pc games.

3) The program has a very small footprint so it eats up barely any system resources.

4) It doesnt have shit popping up all the time that get in the way. It only alerts you when you have a issue or there is a potential issue. It doesnt even popup asking you to buy the full version or donate any money ever.

5) It reads everything coming into your pc silently. So if you go to log into a website that has a virus in it avg will stop the page loading before it saves to cache and warns you giving you a option. This is again only for real threats, it wont pop up everytime you log into like ebay because a java script for the websites menu bar starts loading.

6) For being free it has a comprohensive list of options in it that allow you to chose a lot things.

7) Unlike some free av's it has a email scanner in it and it has nice option sets to it.

8) It just works really well. I run it on both of my pc's, the pc's that I built for friends and no one has had a issue. System scanner on my Id guess about 500gb of data and the options set to scan every possible file it only takes about 40 minutes to scan it all, the first scan takes longer since it optimizes itself to scan faster next time you use it.
 
Had been using AVG. Did have one problem with it when it autoupdated and wouldnt stop installing itself about 6 months ago. Now have Kaplnasky or something on the new lapto. When it's 6 month expires will start using.... who knows. Probably AVG again since that's what the wife likes.
 
[quote name='DurbanBrown']Microsoft Security Essentials

and malware bytes for scans[/QUOTE]

This is what I do too. I put Avira on my sister's computer and that seems to work ok.
 
I'm pretty surprised at how well Microsoft Security Essentials runs. While I wouldn't give up ESET NOD32 as I prefer how NOD32 runs for free MSE is pretty good.
 
Have to put in nods for MSE and AVG. MSE has been surprising good the times I've used it, and seems to work OK on XP, Vista and Win7.

AVG is a little more heavyweight in system resources than MSE, though it seems to work pretty well.

For on-demand scanning of malware, I have to put in a nod for Malwarebytes Anti-Malware, both free or Pro.
 
MSE for just about every machine these days.

Avast is/was always good. AVG will do, but, scans seem intensive and slow.
 
I work at a computer repair business. We use AVG and sell AVG, but I really despite it nowadays. I've had some really stupid people out there, also some people who doesn't take care of PC. Some just let the virus get worse, other just purchase fake software out there. The more I have used AVG over the years, I think it became more of a memory hog. It doesn't catch viruses that Microsoft will catch. I've enjoyed Microsoft Security Essentials vs other free antivirus programs.

AVG and Avast does work, but one pet peeve of both, is the advertisement to buy a actual security protection. That is annoying!!!

MSE(Microsoft Security Essentials) does not have advertisement, yet. It's simple, not too complicated.
 
So what do you guys think of Norton? I avoid it even if I get it for free because it seems to me to be huge bloatware.. But wanted professional opinions.
 
[quote name='HydroX']Common sense is probably the best anti-virus you could have.[/QUOTE]

Wow. Thanks for this completely unhelpful post.
 
[quote name='confoosious']So what do you guys think of Norton? I avoid it even if I get it for free because it seems to me to be huge bloatware.. But wanted professional opinions.[/QUOTE]

fuck Norton. You couldn't pay me to run that shit.

Anyway, I've been using Microsoft Security Essentials for over a year now and its great. No problems at all.
 
I've used AVG for years but once I tried Microsoft Security Essentials, I haven't looked back. Not as demanding as other AV programs.
 
Another voice for Avast here, which I back up with MalwareBytes and AdAware. Not only does Avast work well, it is the least obtrusive and obnoxious -- no ads, no stupid reminders, no garbage.

I had BSoD problems with AVG, went to Avast and never looked back.
 
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