Windows 7 Which Anti-Virus do You Use?

Which AV Do You Use?

  • AVG Internet Security/Anti-virus

    Votes: 30 12.8%
  • avast!

    Votes: 62 26.4%
  • Norton 360/Internet Security

    Votes: 22 9.4%
  • McAfee

    Votes: 11 4.7%
  • Microsoft Security Essentials

    Votes: 78 33.2%
  • Trend Micro

    Votes: 3 1.3%
  • MalwareBytes Anti-Malware

    Votes: 33 14.0%
  • ESET Smart Security/NOD32

    Votes: 21 8.9%
  • Other

    Votes: 51 21.7%
  • Spybot S&D

    Votes: 7 3.0%

  • Total voters
    235
I use Avast. At the moment I'm using the paid for Avast Internet Security version but when the licence expires I may go back to the free version which worked very well for me in the past. I find it very configurable and I can, generally, understand the settings. Anyway, it works well for me and I'm happy with it.
 
Before MSE & the steps leading up to it, I used Avast for years. Gave it to & recommended it to my clients. It is good, agreed.

Drew
 
Those who use MSE 2.0 (current version) will soon be upgraded to MSE 4 (I've used it since Nov 2011 in XP Mode) very soon.

Dear Beta User,
Thank you for joining the MicrosoftLink Removed - Invalid URL Security Essentials Beta. We hope you have enjoyed using the Security Essentials Beta and found it easy to install and use.
The final release of the latest version of Microsoft Security Essentials has recently been released and the beta program will end on April 26[SUP]th[/SUP] 2012.
During the next days, participants who installed the Security Essentials Beta and are subscribed to automatic updates will be upgraded to the final release of the latest version of Microsoft Security Essentials after they agree to a new license agreement. If you would like to upgrade manually, please visit http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials and click on the “Download Now” button. There is no need to uninstall before upgrading.For more information about automatic updates through Microsoft Update, please visit http://www.microsoft.com/windows/downloads/windowsupdate/automaticupdate.mspx.
Please note that in order to continue receiving technical support, you will need to upgrade or install the final version of Microsoft Security Essentials.
Thanks again for participating in the Microsoft Security Essentials Beta.
Best regards,
The Microsoft Security Essentials Team

This is the email that I received today because I participate in beta versions of MSE. So be looking for an upgrade very soon. It's more potent than the current version.

Cat
 
Last edited:
Before MSE & the steps leading up to it, I used Avast for years. Gave it to & recommended it to my clients. It is good, agreed.

Drew
So did I, for many years, before MSE was released around the time that Windows 7 went to retail release. Avast Free was the best free AV at the time & done a fantastic job of protecting me while on the net. One of it's best features was (& still is) it's boot time scan. This enabled a full scan outside of the Windows environment that is very effective.

Cat
 
I use mse and AVG 2012, they get along fine on win 7 64 bit, i avoid norton bloat and mccaffee issues (spyware, system crashes on updates) nod32 would be my payware preference, but free is very good in my book, yes, a few extra seconds on the boot due to AVG but the email protection is worth it. mse updates quite frequently, and protects against malware as well. Malwarebyte's Anti-Malware is still good too, i use it also.
 
'kurteb',

Please, take this advice very seriously. I own an IT company so please feel some respect for the validity of what I'm about to tell you...

Remove AVG 2012, immediately!! You are committing a grievous error. This is one of the most basic & important rules of computer security... NEVER, EVER have more than one Anti-Virus in a machine @ the same time, period. This is not something that is open for debate or discussion. It is just somewhere between forbidden & 100% taboo.

The fact that you 'think' they play together nicely is nothing more than a matter of you being lucky, so far.

More than one @ a time is absolutely wrong.

There is nobody in IT that will not back me up on this.

Regards,
Drew
 
Last edited:
i must be the only person capable of running both avg 2012 and mse seamlessly without any problem for months now. they get along fine, the only drawback i have seen is a slightly longer boot time. i speak from relevant first-hand current experience, not 'hearsay.' any evidence to the contrary besides 'opinion' would be welcome. i am using the 'free' version of avg 2012 with all updates on both antivirus systems, and have weaned avg 2012 off of upselling me (mostly), never had a crash, and on testing, i have found mse to be the better of the two. i used avast it was ok but have used avg for many years without problems. as far as a pre-os system check outside of windows, burning defender offline to a disc and booting to it does it better: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/what-is-windows-defender-offline but on the whole, drew, i concur with your post in that i did find that avg is too aggressive in thier upselling/marketing, and mse runs quietly in the background, providing what i have found to be real protection as well. i decided to uninstall avg for that reason. thanks
 
Last edited:
'kurteb',

Please, take this advice very seriously. I own an IT company so please feel some respect for the validity of what I'm about to tell you...

Remove AVG 2012, immediately!! You are committing a grievous error. This is one of the most basic & important rules of computer security... NEVER, EVER have more than one Anti-Virus in a machine @ the same time, period. This is not something that is open for debate or discussion. It is just somewhere between forbidden & 100% taboo.

The fact that you 'think' they play together nicely is nothing more than a matter of you being lucky, so far.

More than one @ a time is absolutely wrong.

There is nobody in IT that will not back me up on this.

Regards,
Drew

Drew does this mean that I shouldn't use Windows Defender while my main AV is Avast? Thanks.
 
No, Rachel. It's a matter of not mixing apples & oranges... Defender (prior to Windows8) is anti-malware. It is ok the use more than 1 A-M (such as Defender & Malwarebytes) but, not more than 1 A-V.

Avast is A-V. Defender is not. Ergo they are ok together.

Cheers,
Drew
 
There is no need or sense for paying for security. Especially when there is free security that is far, far better than Norton. Most IT Pros (& countless others) know this. We run around removing Norton & giving clients, better products & better performance.

Cheers,
Drew
 
that avg link just goes to thier main page, i used avg for years, tho, seen a few false positives that bothered me, noticed that it was a bit of a resource hog as well. i use mse and mbam. if i wanted to pay i would use nod.
 
You didn't add BitDefender - rated number 1 for the last 3 years... (I am a licensed PC repair service for the last 16 years)
 
Although BitDefender is #1 on AV-Comparatives so he does have a point.
 
I use Avast, spybot, malwarebytes, DRwebcureit, ESENET online scanner. The reason being that there is not one single antivirus that can catch everything. I stopped using MS security essentials as I ended up having a plethora of infections that managed to infect my system.
Avast has an excellent community that really helps you if you are in trouble. Spybot is basically useless but its immunisation option is very good. Malwarebytes has detected many infections but always use the FULL SCAN. Actually it is best to always use FULL SCAN with any AV software.
DRweb cureit is also very good.
 
Back
Top