My Norton-Anti virus is up for renewal, I was just wondering is it worth paying the annual subscription or is there free anti-virus software which will do the same thing ?

Someone mentioned a free version of AVG from www.grisoft.com

Suggestions please

I can thoroughly recommend Avast! It's free as well, automatically updates (application as well as AV updates), and it talks to you Obviously you can turn the talking off if you have enough friends

I am not a whizz kid, but when my mate came over from Germany (he works as a computer programmer for a big German Bank) he installed a German software called "Bit Defender".

It is totally free and it is set up so that it automatically updates with the latest anti virus software and I believe that it has had very good reviews.

I am sure that if it was rubbish, my friend would have not installed it and as a computer programmer he knows what he is doing.

I have Bit Defender Free Edition Version 7.2 and as yet it has not let me down.

Give it a try and keep your money in your wallet.

All the best

Gaff, which version of norton. If its a pre 2004 version you can uninstall it, then reinstall it again for another 12 months protection. I dont know if that works on the 2004 version.

I use AVG from Grisoft and IMHO its as good as trust antivirus which is on our corporate network and again it is free

This is the one the guy in work was on about, BPM also recommends it so I might try it.

Thanks all.

I've been caught out with Norton renewals int he past. Check that if you do renew they will be continuing tech support for it.

Gaff, which version of norton. If its a pre 2004 version you can uninstall it, then reinstall it again for another 12 months protection. I dont know if that works on the 2004 version.

Not sure which edition I have, the PC is now a year old.

I use AVG7 by Grisoft, and it's worked well.

Every once in a while I also drop to 'housecall' my main machines, giving it a second look, if you like.

That way I tend to pretty much grab the lot

I use AVG7 by Grisoft' date=' and it's worked well.

Every once in a while I also drop to 'housecall' my main machines, giving it a second look, if you like.

That way I tend to pretty much grab the lot [/quote']

Yes, it's not so easy IMO to determine whether an anti-virus prog has caught any offenders, or perhaps you haven't been attacked anyway. Trendmicros' Housecall is well recommended and is also virus and malaware free It never hurts to have belt and braces

Regards

Mo

Yep - it's just one of those things. I've got a fairly complex network setup at home compared to most (I hope ) and by doing it that way some things are just physically impossible to get from one of my machine to another.

My work laptop & private network are always kept 100% separated (separate line) and SWMBO has been blocked off the rest of my network too as she keeps playing online games which plant spyware all over the box regularly. I do remove it but I'd rather play it safe

Whenever I do any work on my website(s) I always run several virus scanners over it, as I wouldn't like to accidentally infect my visitors' machines

I am sure that if it was rubbish, my friend would have not installed it and as a computer programmer he knows what he is doing.

He's not a computer programmer for Microsoft it he?

Avast Home Edition is free and very powerful.

However, if you want a subscription based program, then Nod32 is awesome, as well as having a seriously fast scanning engine.

...playing online games which plant spyware all over the box regularly. I do remove it but I'd rather play it safe

Whenever I do any work on my website(s) I always run several virus scanners over it' date=' as I wouldn't like to accidentally infect my visitors' machines [/quote']

:confused: Do you not have SpywareGuard and a host file?

I guess you mean "several antivirus scanners" one after another? Eg Trendmicro and Panda scan? which can be run consecutively even with an AV running in the background?

Mo

How about - NAV, housecall & AVG

I run SpyBot S&D + AdAware regularly, and some of the resident protection junk too.

My laptop (work) & main private machine I personally use are not used for browsing. I use a separate box for that with very low rights for the browser, and remote desktop it. That way it is a lot harder to jump back onto my main rig.

As for host files - they would work at home but on my work laptop they'd mess me up big time. Too much hassle, get outdated too quickly as well.

The machine I remote desktop also gets re-installed regularly, about once a quarter usually. Lots of little tricks, way OTT for most, and mainly to keep me entertained I suppose

I know people who use several resident scanners at the same time. I try to avoid that generally speaking but for website stuff I take no chances.

My Norton-Anti virus is up for renewal, I was just wondering is it worth paying the annual subscription or is there free anti-virus software which will do the same thing ?

I have NIS 2005 on 3 PCs at home. Don't renew on line - it's an expensive ripoff. And instead of paying

This is the one the guy in work was on about' date=' BPM also recommends it so I might try it.

Thanks all.[/quote']

ooh...you almost got a battering by calling me "someone"....

Yup AVG 7 is what I use and it does what it says on the tin!

ooh...you almost got a battering by calling me "someone"....

Yup AVG 7 is what I use and it does what it says on the tin!

The "someone" in work mentioned it before you, I just wanted to see if great minds think alike .

Fraid so...

I'm not so sure about AVG.. some of the reviews I've read reckon it only has a 65-70% catch rate..

Personally.. I use Panda Antivirus software... It's pretty good..

catch rate is over 90%..

www.pandasoftware.com

I'm not so sure about AVG.. some of the reviews I've read reckon it only has a 65-70% catch rate..

Personally.. I use Panda Antivirus software... It's pretty good..

catch rate is over 90%..

www.pandasoftware.com

Agree can only go with best knowledge - what does Panda cost now re domestic edition (I guess download in dollars)?

Thanks

Mo

I used to have and swear by Panda, until a trial instal of 3 AV proggies discovered virus in my backups, that Panda ignored/didnt see.

I now run Nod32, and wouldnt use anything else. Its very fast, easy to set up and very powerful with a good product support forum.

Hmmm... apparently Nod32 is not designed to suit my Win ME, acknowledging of course that Andy's post was for general information

Please don't all fall over laughing - as ME was state-of-the-art when I bought it, and I dread the nightmare of new drivers, software et al to switch to XP, let alone the increased vulnerability, meaning that hackers tend to leave 98 and ME alone, and even 98 users seem to remain happy with what they have - i.e. no need to keep downloading critical updates if no-one has found a new loophole every day

Back on topic, some reviews have said that Nod32 causes freezing/crashes (Andy?) Though I guess, like any new software installed, it's best to make back-ups or restore points to go back to, before installation, in case it doesn't sit well with other software on any particular machine.

Any knowledge on F-secure, anyone? Another possibility?

Regards

Mo

I think someone is having you on.http://www.nod32uk.com/home/home.htm will give you the Nod32, and when you click on the download icon amongst all the other O/S is listed ME.

I dont have or get any issues with NOD at all, in fact all I do get is a very fast scan and a very effective scan, both on-demand and real-time.

Here is its support forum http://www.wilderssecurity.com/ within this site.

I can assure you that if I had any issues or problems with Nod I WOULD NOT suggest it.