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Best Free Antivirus software for Vista SP2
http://www.x404.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=4488		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  Cookeh [ Wed Nov 25, 2009 8:33 pm ]
Post subject:  Best Free Antivirus software for Vista SP2
hey guys
AVG 9.0 is being a total nonce, so was wondering if there are any good free alternatives
Thanks in advance
Author:  saspro [ Wed Nov 25, 2009 8:39 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Best Free Antivirus software for Vista SP2
Avast?
Author:  gavomatic57 [ Wed Nov 25, 2009 8:51 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Best Free Antivirus software for Vista SP2
MS Security Essentials?
Author:  Tsar [ Wed Nov 25, 2009 11:00 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Best Free Antivirus software for Vista SP2
Avira
Author:  big_D [ Thu Nov 26, 2009 5:40 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Best Free Antivirus software for Vista SP2
Yeah, I started using MS Security Essentials on my Windows 7 machine. Very light and doesn't seem to slow the machine down.

As I've never had a virus problem, I felt confident using it. It doesn't do heuristic, so you need to ensure the definitions up to date. Apart from that it is great.
Author:  Linux_User [ Thu Nov 26, 2009 11:31 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Best Free Antivirus software for Vista SP2
big_D wrote:
Yeah, I started using MS Security Essentials on my Windows 7 machine. Very light and doesn't seem to slow the machine down.

As I've never had a virus problem, I felt confident using it. It doesn't do heuristic, so you need to ensure the definitions up to date. Apart from that it is great.


+1

Also now using MSE (after many problems with KIS 2010), the machine is so much quicker now it beggars belief.
Author:  soddit112 [ Thu Nov 26, 2009 8:49 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Best Free Antivirus software for Vista SP2
+1 for avast
Author:  bally199 [ Sat Nov 28, 2009 1:25 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Best Free Antivirus software for Vista SP2
Linux_User wrote:
big_D wrote:
Yeah, I started using MS Security Essentials on my Windows 7 machine. Very light and doesn't seem to slow the machine down.

As I've never had a virus problem, I felt confident using it. It doesn't do heuristic, so you need to ensure the definitions up to date. Apart from that it is great.


+1

Also now using MSE (after many problems with KIS 2010), the machine is so much quicker now it beggars belief.


+1 for that.
Author:  adidan [ Sat Nov 28, 2009 11:58 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Best Free Antivirus software for Vista SP2
Glad I found this thread.

Got my mum a laptop last year and she had a year's free Mcafee (I know, I know). The thing is I would have slapped on some free software but she really doesn't want, or know what to do with, any pop up messages (freaks her out :D ).

Looks like Windows firewall and MS Security Essentials will do the trick for her. I was a bit unsure how good their free option would be after their OneCare fiasco, it seems it should do her fine though and I'll run a Malwarebytes check and stuff when I go to visit.
Author:  Spreadie [ Tue Dec 01, 2009 7:56 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Best Free Antivirus software for Vista SP2
Linux_User wrote:
big_D wrote:
Yeah, I started using MS Security Essentials on my Windows 7 machine. Very light and doesn't seem to slow the machine down.

As I've never had a virus problem, I felt confident using it. It doesn't do heuristic, so you need to ensure the definitions up to date. Apart from that it is great.


+1

Also now using MSE (after many problems with KIS 2010), the machine is so much quicker now it beggars belief.


Can you expand on the problems you were having with KIS 2010? I haven't encountered any yet, but it'd be nice to know what to look for.
Author:  big_D [ Sun Dec 13, 2009 10:15 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Best Free Antivirus software for Vista SP2
Just installed MSE on my old laptop, it had Norton 2010 on it.

The difference is amazing! The laptop would need 3-4 minutes after boot, before it became responsive. With MSE, it takes less than 30 seconds to get a responsive desktop and load Firefox!
Author:  Spreadie [ Sun Dec 13, 2009 11:06 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Best Free Antivirus software for Vista SP2
I wish I could forward that post to the idiot Manager at our local PC World, who reckons the lastest Norton is NOT a lumbering resource hog, as I stated, and that PCs that use it are super responsive. His words, not mine.

Although, Davey Winder gave MSE a thumbs up on the basis that it is better than nothing, but would not recommend it over a paid-for AV subscription. (I hope he doesn't include Norton)
Author:  big_D [ Sun Dec 13, 2009 11:59 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Best Free Antivirus software for Vista SP2
The thing is, MSE covers the basics, but Norton and the like do do a lot more - which is why I think there is a place for both in the market. Because the paid for tools do so much more, they are relatively bloated and do need more processing power and memory.

On a 256MB or 512MB machine, I wouldn't hesitate to use MSE, it just isn't practical to use a full-blown suite. We use GData corporate edition at work and everybody complains about the performance over the old Symantec, but the new Symantec is even worse (GData 2010 won the Consumer Counsel's award for best AV product this year).

The problem is, in 2003, when a 256MB machine was okay, if a little lacking, it could cope with AV software of the time. With all the security packs and feature enhancements of Windows in the meantime and the bloat required of modern AV software to be able to heuristically check for threats, older machines just can't cope with moder AV software, which expects a multi-core processor and over 1GB RAM.
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