Just rebuilt my laptop with a clean install of XP, and now gradually restoring some bits and pieces. I was using AVG for antivirus, but I notice it's become tediously slooooow since version 7.5. Does anyone have recommendations for something equally free but a bit nippier?

Ta

Avast home edition is a good free AV, and would definatley get my vote over AVG.

Avast home edition is a good free AV, and would definatley get my vote over AVG.

DITO. Avast is by far the supperior.

AVG 7.5 free edition personally.

Avast home edition is a good free AV, and would definatley get my vote over AVG.

Second reccomendation for avast, very good free av application, and it's taken over on the pc's that I have built for family from avgfree.

Have loaded Avast and we will see how we go. I did like AVG, but it's just got very slow and intrusive since 7.5.

Yup highly recommend Avast Home edition

Good choice Nick from another avast user (on vista this time).

Will have to give avast another go

Avast home edition is a good free AV, and would definatley get my vote over AVG.

Andy, what does Avast offer that you prefer over AVG? Not challenging the claim, just curious

For me a better virus checking engine. Avast managed to find a couple of trojans on my grand dads machine that AVG hadn't

Can you disable the audio notifications? I can't stand voices saying "your virus database has been updated" or words to that effect.

Yup... under program settings --> sounds

There is an option to disable sounds

Xav, I found that after less than a day!

Free Anti-Virus Protection - Active Virus Shield?

This is kaspersky AV disguised as a free AOL product.

Updates from Kaspersky.

It will save you about

Avast! for the win!! I use it on all my machines and ones I set up

Andy, what does Avast offer that you prefer over AVG? Not challenging the claim, just curious

Avast always did better at stopping threats and intrusions. I always found AVG very poor at stopping virii, however I accept things may change but I was going on my own record.

I however don't use a free AV, and use Nod32. For me, a free AV is too much of a risk when you want fast and effective updates on newer virii in the wild.

As I said though, for a free AV I always found Avast very good and has always been well regarded on the security sites I frequent.

Nod32 is the badger's nadgers. Fast, effective and non intrusive. It does exactly what it says on the tin without any fuss.

(and you can get it for nowt if you already own a copy and wish to back it up via a download)

On reading this thread I have removed AVG from my system and installed avast. Maybe its just me, but I do think it has speeded up general web browsing.

Avast is slightly better on system resources, so will find that your pc is generally faster.

Do all anti virus programmes have to run in the back ground?

I'm looking for one i can run when i want to check the whole drive. I dont want anything running in the background while i work.

You could use bitdefenders free online scan whenever you want but why would you not want AV to run in the background, the ones mentioned here use so little system resources you would never really know they were there. Also bare in mind tht a lot of viruses cant be removed after you pick them up, also the damage could become system critical before you get chance to run the scan manually.

Do all anti virus programmes have to run in the back ground?

I'm looking for one i can run when i want to check the whole drive. I dont want anything running in the background while i work.

Any AV can be set to run on-demand only. I used to have both Nod32 and Avast on my system. Nod32 ran all the time checking everything and Avast was on-demand only. I gave up with Avast as Nod32 is so much better, detection and scan speed wise.