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
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Cat
 
Wow, not a lot of options... We're missing 80% of the rest of commercial anti-viruses.
Also i would add a "none" option to the post as well.
Since im using norton ghost 12 i'm not worried about viruses anymore.

I am currently using Mcafee security suite, as it augments firewall protection as well. I was using MSE, but the annoyance of daily manually updating and the offer of the 'retail value $200.00' software for free from my cable provider, coupled with real live tech support when needed for free as well, prompted the decision to give it a try. I can say that once settled in, Mcafee runs in the background nicely, is not a resource hog, and the firewall is top-notch. I have studied many of the user issues, and noted that most were user caused, by using redundant software, causing software conflicts.
 
"Also i would add a "none" option to the post as well."

How or why on earth could "none" be an option? You don't run a computer connected to the Net w/out protection.

Notice that MSE is way out in front? Might just be a good reason or reasons for that.

Cheers,
Drew
 
MSE should be in front, as it is the best freeware antivirus program out there. Some people don't use any protection, guess the like using Ghost to fix infections lol
 
Depending on Internet habits, there are people who never get infections. And even if they did occasionally catch an infection, running ghost 2 or 3 times a year is not that big of a deal.

The only reason I use an anti-virus, is for the early detection. I will always use a disk image, if the infection does anything to damage my PC's performance. Even if the anti-virus seemed to completely remove the threat, I will have that nagging question in my head "I wonder if it is all gone". It's the nagging question that drives me to simply, do a restore in the beginning.
 
Yes, indeed, Kurt. Notice I had not said it as a question... you nailed the reason, plus it will stand up against most paid securities, as well. And please do mention that anyone would or does use a computer on the Net w/out protection... that is such a creepy, disgusting, scary thought, it just makes me cringe. Eeeek, Arrr, Grrrr & god forbid!!

Not only is it a sin for the person who owns the machine themselves, for themselves but, what's worse, it's like someone carrying HIV having unprotected sex because it jeopardizes ALL other computers on the Net.

Cheers,
Drew
 
Meh. I use MSE, but more than half of the time it's turned off (less load on my already overpopulated CPU and RAM)(so technically I don't "use" any of them)

Because, well, I don't really download anything, nor do I surf the net (as much as before) - my actual time spent on my internet browser is probably like 20 or 30% of my total computer time, so I really have no need to keep my AV running 24/7 (which actually means I just have real-time protection off, rarely do I ever actually "shut down" the program)

And the reason why MSE is better than all the other AV Softwares floating around is because it's free.
 
Sorry but, as an IT tech & consultant I must disagree. 1. that is far from the only reason MSE is good or better. & 2 it does not matter how much a computer is used on the Net.. if connected for any time AT ALL none of that time should EVER be w/out protection, absolutely NEVER.

Nor does is matter what internet use it gets, what sites are visited or anything. If connected MUST be protected, simple as that, doesn't matter about surfing or downloading, no if ands of buts. Connect, protect, that's, that's all. Should go immediately is connected & never go off.

End of story. No variation, no exceptions. Period.

Cheers,
Drew
 
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Sorry but, as an IT tech & consultant I must disagree. 1. that is far from the only reason MSE is good or better. & 2 it does not matter how much a computer is used on the Net.. if connected for any time AT ALL none of that time should EVER be w/out protection, absolutely NEVER.
"As an IT tech & consultant", I can see where you would say that and I will agree with you. However personally I will have to disagree with you because I know what browsing habits will land a virus. I know you won't believe me when I say this but, I could go several years without catching a virus. As a consultant (especially from an IT tech point of view) you could never suggest running without an AV, when you never know what habits the consultee may have.
 
"As an IT tech & consultant", I can see where you would say that and I will agree with you. However personally I will have to disagree with you because I know what browsing habits will land a virus. I know you won't believe me when I say this but, I could go several years without catching a virus. As a consultant (especially from an IT tech point of view) you could never suggest running without an AV, when you never know what habits the consultee may have.

...even astute users can be hoodwinked on occasion by a cleverly disguised opportunist in some form, having free protection is common sense, especially when the lack therof could result in infection of other computers..
 
It has absolutely nothing to do w/ "habits"!! All that is necessary is being connected to the Net. I don't care whether a person never opens a browser or ever downloads anything. I don't care if a person is away from home or the office for a month of Sundays... if a computer is ON & connected to the Internet it MUST be protected. Period... there is no dispute, debate or viable argument nor does it matter where one is an IT Pro or the man in the moon absolutely NOTHING changes it!

I am sorry to be blunt but, you are dead wrong. My last word on the matter.


Oh & thanks for your comment, Kurt. And, if I'm not mistaken Kurt is not an IT Pro. It doesn't take an IT Pro to agree or know that what I've said is 100% correct, valid & w/out question has NO rebuttal.

Cheers,
Drew
 
It doesn't take an IT Pro to agree or know that what I've said is 100% correct
But it's not 100% correct.

My mother spends her day on-line and has done so the last 10 years. Ten years of family genealogy, Facebook games, and Religious websites. To this day she has never had a virus because of her Internet habits. Sure viruses can be planted anywhere but in reality they usually are not.

Even the few times I was infected it was because I stupidly clicked a button and allowed the malicious code to run. Don't tell me Internet habits don't have anything to do with catching viruses. The most common Internet habits that people have is what plants seeds for where you will most likely find viruses.
 
No. Stupid surfing practices only increase the odds. "Habits" can lessen or increase the changes but, prevent nothing which is security is supposed to be used. Using a computer connected to the Net & not 'catching anything' (bad) is nothing more than sheer luck, not to mention a computer can 'catch something' & the owner never know it. And things, as Kurt mentioned, can & do get spread to other machines one may never know they had.

There is NO debate on or to this matter. It is an entirely incorrect practice & there is categorically nothing anyone can say that will make it ok or acceptable.

I repeat for the last time... all that is necessary is for a machine to be connected. That doesn't say used on the Net, it says connected to the Net.

If anyone responds to you further on this, it will not be myself.

Cheers,
Drew
 
all that is necessary is for a machine to be connected. That doesn't say used on the Net, it says connected to the Net.
And thats where I don't believe you. Not that I don't believe it's possible, just very very very unlikely to happen. That would more than likely mean, you were being specifically targeted, otherwise firewalls would be useless.
 
Sorry but, as an IT tech & consultant I must disagree. 1. that is far from the only reason MSE is good or better. & 2 it does not matter how much a computer is used on the Net.. if connected for any time AT ALL none of that time should EVER be w/out protection, absolutely NEVER.

Nor does is matter what internet use it gets, what sites are visited or anything. If connected MUST be protected, simple as that, doesn't matter about surfing or downloading, no if ands of buts. Connect, protect, that's, that's all. Should go immediately is connected & never go off.

End of story. No variation, no exceptions. Period.

Cheers,
Drew

Nah mate, I don't need the AV running for me, never ever caught a virus before :)
 
Nah mate, I don't need the AV running for me, never ever caught a virus before :)

(My computer experience dates to before ARPA, when we used COBOL, SNOBOL, BASIC and Fortran to navigate on a roomful of ttys, we physically protected our data on large rolls of punchtape, there was no internet then.) Unless you stealth your computer, you can and will be hacked in time without protection, as so many are these days. MSE is free, made by windows for windows, and doesn't affect functionality, you should of course use it. It's not just responsible computer use, it's also courtesy to other users that could get infected from you otherwise
 
Thank you, Kurt. Absolutely AND "before" in this context means nothing relative to the future, proves & suggests nothing, except as, I said earlier, sheer luck but, as you say, it's just playing Russian roulette; wrong for the User & dangerous to others, yes indeed. Called Bots & Worms, Rogue Viruses & get spread from one machine to countless others. 1 machine that the User may not know is infected is used to propagate 'silently' nasty stuff across the Net & to other machines. AND such things & hackers actually look for vulnerable (read, Unprotected) machine to hit that can be used for such malicious, criminal purposes. I have for years felt using an unprotected computer should be a criminal offence; the same as writing malicious code & hacking is.

Cheers,
Drew
 
McAfee All Access Total Protection,And i would never dream of Switching to another product,the detection rate is outstanding and the support the same.
 
McAfee rocks, very stable, user friendly smart software. Makes windows better all around. Very good payware, like windows :)
 
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