Antivirus software

[NANOTEC]

Anybody here use Panda AV? Is it good at catching viruses compared to say Norton or McAfee? I just downloaded a trial version to see if I like it. If I like it I could get the OEM Titanium version for only $13. I've tried Kasperky and I like that too, but I just want to try different AV packages. What's does everyone here use? Also what are the plus/minus of each of the AV software packages out there?

 

[Blazkowicz]

I only use Free AVG, because it's free without having to crack it every year, it's light and not bloated (contrary to dogs like norton and kapersky), at install you can even choose not to have the email scanner and real time protection (that's what I do, no use for them); seems fast, and even if its ability to catch virus is not the greatest according to reviews, it served me well when some PCs got infected.

have not tried Avast though.
I use it very occasionnally, I even disabled the tray icon with msconfig.

 

[ninelven]

I generally reccomend Avast (free) or NOD32 ($40). You might also consider Avira Antivir (though I have no personal experience with it).

 

[NANOTEC]

Quick update, Panda AV is a memory hog. When it's running on my system the page file usage is 230MB+. Before I installed it my PF usage was only 115MB. Granted Panda AV Titanium also includes a firewall and antispyware apps, but man that's a lot of momory usage.

 

[chavvdarrr]

at home I use Avast, even the free home edition is just fine ( although i legally use pro ), I install home edition on every PC I touch in last year... so far noone screamed from pain
At work we use CA ... pretty light as memory usage and last 2 years we had only 1 spreading infection - machine which we use as redistribution server was accidently cut off Internet one saturday and monday morning 2 machines were "attacked" through mail... our mail back then was "defended" by NortonAV, which happily let infected ,mails in... now we use linux based AV frontend with CA on desktops

 

[Frank]

AVG is more than good enough for home use, and free. Why bother?

 

[NANOTEC]

Ok I willl try free AVG. Initially I thought it was shareware or something when I heard the term "free" mentioned, but when I visited their website I realised they do have full blown AV packages for sale.:smile:

 

[Deathlike2]

How is Avast in general? Sorry.. I still haven't really figured out which was better "free AV" software... I've only heard that AntiVir was better than AVG...

Also, what does ICSA labs certified mean to you? It doesn't appear that Avira AntiVir has it...

 

[NANOTEC]

http://www.icsalabs.com/icsa/topic.php?tid=4a9d$80389867-30af3d4c$5524-512093a1\

Also, what does ICSA labs certified mean to you? It doesn't appear that Avira AntiVir has it...

It's just an independent testing lab. Avira has it too.

http://www.avira.com/en/company/awards.html

Also why is Avira better than AVG?

 

[Deathlike2]

http://www.icsalabs.com/icsa/topic.php?tid=4a9d$80389867-30af3d4c$5524-512093a1\



It's just an independent testing lab. Avira has it too.

http://www.avira.com/en/company/awards.html

Also why is Avira better than AVG?

Ah ok. What I was told was that it seemed to detect viruses better...

It would be nice if there was some sort of test to see who has the most effective AV... particularly the free ones...

With the ICSA test.. what does it mean to us though? I understand it is a independent testing.. but how is that supposed to comfort me.. you know what I mean?

 

[NANOTEC]

With the ICSA test.. what does it mean to us though? I understand it is a independent testing.. but how is that supposed to comfort me.. you know what I mean?

It means the AV software has been verified to have a detection rated of 100% for In The Wild viruses. It means it's very good at detecting realworld viruses. As to which is better, well that depends on your requirements, needs, preferences.

 

[poopypoo]

FWIW, i used to use KAV until they dumbed down their interface (while simultaneously bloating the software) to utter crap. Back when they were only known in the corporate world they were great. Now I use NOD32, and Outpost Pro for softwall. good stuff all around :9

 

[Fodder]

I generally reccomend Avast (free) or NOD32 ($40).

NOD32 is free for personal use, you just don't get updates from their 'priority servers' without a license so definitions stream in at a few less KB/s.

 

[NANOTEC]

NOD32 is free for personal use

Only for 30 days.

 

[Fodder]

I'm pretty sure my install has been running for much longer than 30 days. Will have to check the score next time I'm home.

 

[NANOTEC]

Something I'd like to mention that some people may not know. Back in 2002 I purchased Norton AV 2002. It was good for a year, but then I did some experimenting and managed to find a way to use it indefinately with continued updates. I found out how to do this all on my own, no internet searching or any kind of crack etc. I'm still using it on one of my computers. The detection engine might be kinda outdated, but it works and the great thing is it doesn't hog up a bunch of memory. Anyway I've found out how to do this with the new versions of Norton AV too, but I don't plan on using it because the new versions are too bloated.

I also found out how to install Office 2000 upgrade without having a previous version of Office. It's really simple and kinda funny too.

 

[Guden Oden]

If you have a x month/years Norton AV license CD-key, you just need to reinstall the program when the time runs out and enter the CD-key again to get a full new period of updates. Of course, un/reinstalling NAV is likely to fuck up your windows install, which is what happened to me (more than once) and finally prompted me to dump that bloated toad and switch to NOD32...

NOD scans much faster than NAV and doesn't take an age and a half to start up in later versions. Oh btw, I wouldn't sit with an old version of NAV long after it's been outdated; they stop issuing virus definitions for older program versions after a while so you will be out of protection eventually.

 

[chavvdarrr]

AVG is more than good enough for home use, and free. Why bother?

Avast Home edition is also free. Why bother installing AVg then ?

 

[Graham]

I remember using Panda at some stage for a few weeks, but after a while I found it's real-time monitor developed some very serious performance problems (maybe it was only certain files? I can't remember). I ended up moving to nod32, which for me has simply been the ultimate AV. However, they may have fixed those performance problems in the 2 years since I purchased nod.
Overall I remember everything I read indicating panda was an exceedingly good AV, although eclipsed by the more expensive nod.

Aussie mag PC Authority at one stage did a AV showdown, and Panda/Nod were the two that got 100% perfect scores if memory serves (maybe fsecure too..). They even got some guy to mutate a new virus specifically for the test (which both picked up)

I moved to panda -> nod because I was utterly frustrated with norton. Surprise surprise , but at least it wasn't mcaffee (*shudder*)

 

[NANOTEC]

If you have a x month/years Norton AV license CD-key, you just need to reinstall the program when the time runs out and enter the CD-key again to get a full new period of updates. Of course, un/reinstalling NAV is likely to fuck up your windows install, which is what happened to me (more than once) and finally prompted me to dump that bloated toad and switch to NOD32...

NOD scans much faster than NAV and doesn't take an age and a half to start up in later versions. Oh btw, I wouldn't sit with an old version of NAV long after it's been outdated; they stop issuing virus definitions for older program versions after a while so you will be out of protection eventually.

Uninstalling then reinstalling doesn't work with NAV nor any of the other AV programs as the expiration dates are stored on your computer or on the their server even after an uninstall. For example if your license expires tommorrow, uninstalling the app today and reinstalling it today will not change the expiration date. If you uninstall after the expiration date then reinstall, it will tell you that your update license has expired and that you cannot get anymore free updates. Also NAV2002 doesn't require a CD-key. Maybe the newer versions do but that has no effect on the expiration date.

Regarding NAV 2002, the trick still works and I'm still receiving free updates 4 years later.:smile:

I remember using Panda at some stage for a few weeks, but after a while I found it's real-time monitor developed some very serious performance problems (maybe it was only certain files? I can't remember). I ended up moving to nod32, which for me has simply been the ultimate AV. However, they may have fixed those performance problems in the 2 years since I purchased nod.
Overall I remember everything I read indicating panda was an exceedingly good AV, although eclipsed by the more expensive nod.

Aussie mag PC Authority at one stage did a AV showdown, and Panda/Nod were the two that got 100% perfect scores if memory serves (maybe fsecure too..). They even got some guy to mutate a new virus specifically for the test (which both picked up)

I moved to panda -> nod because I was utterly frustrated with norton. Surprise surprise , but at least it wasn't mcaffee (*shudder*)

Wow that is very interesting and thank you for the insight.:smile:

Panda's interface is pretty nice too, however, most of my computers are all pretty slow and only have 256MB of memory so Panda is just too much of a memory hog for them.