Anti-Virus and Security Suites

[gemorc]

Can someone recommend a good anti-virus, security suite other than Norton and McAfee? MacAfee is almost in bankruptcy court, and Norton is too intrusive. I need a simple program that works.

[schotzyb]

AVG. is Free and is very good Have been using it on my desktop and wife's laptop for years and have never had an issue.

[golfnut]

gemorc, can u provide more info on mcafee almost in bankruptcy....gn

[barb1191]

Microsoft has free protection with "Microsoft Security Essentials" (MSE) which we use and find it to be excellent.

Also used the free AVG successfully for quite some time before MSE came out with their free package.

barb

[Hawkwind]

Can someone recommend a good anti-virus, security suite other than Norton and McAfee? MacAfee is almost in bankruptcy court, and Norton is too intrusive. I need a simple program that works.

Microsoft Security Essentials and it is a free download. http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/

[Pturner]

Hi gemorc,
For what it's worth, the current version of Norton 360 is not at all intrusive as were all earlier versions. No pop up messages, no software conflicts. It secures against viruses, spyware and identity threft. It automatically backs up my computer every night, whether I'm using it or not without bothering me. And it automatically keeps the PC tuned up without bothering me. (For example, if it needs defraging, it defrags, or whatever.) Although I have a fast new computer now, it even kept my old eight-year-old XP machine running fast before I got the new PC.

The others mentioned might be just as good. IDK.

[zcaveman]

Go for what you want. I will stick with Norton NIS. It does the job and provides me with logs. Never had a problem or a virus. Norton catches them all.

[Yoda]

Another vote for free AVG

Yoda

[Hawkwind]

[QUOTE=Pturner;
It automatically backs up my computer every night, whether I'm using it or not without bothering me. [/QUOTE]

Humm, that is interesting. Where does it store your backed up data? A CD or DVD? Their server? Also what is the process or recovering files and can you restore a complete system?

[Donna2]

Another vote for free AVG

Yoda

+1 for free AVG. That is what my computer guy installed when my hard drive bit the dust 2 years ago. Has worked fine since with my new one.

[cybermuda]

I fully endorse the free AVG

However, when I tried to download it on my new computer I could only find the full "pay" version on-line.

Does anyone have a working link to the "free" version?

Thank you

[Hawkwind]

I fully endorse the free AVG

However, when I tried to download it on my new computer I could only find the full "pay" version on-line.

Does anyone have a working link to the "free" version?

Thank you

http://free.avg.com/us-en/download?prd=afg

[Pturner]

Humm, that is interesting. Where does it store your backed up data? A CD or DVD? Their server? Also what is the process or recovering files and can you restore a complete system?

Hi Hawk,
I set mine to back up to an external USB hard drive. You can set it up to backup to an online server.

[zcaveman]

Hi Hawk,
I set mine to back up to an external USB hard drive. You can set it up to backup to an online server.

My only question would be - have you ever tried a restore just to see if it would work?

I backup certan files weekly and all of my files monthly. I have never had a catastrophe (and hope I never do) but when I have purchased a new PC my backups were all that i needed to get back into business.

[Pturner]

Hi Z, yes I am able to restore files from the backup.

[Jazzper]

Avast, AVG, MSE....they all do the job. I just switched from AVG to MSE just to give it a try since it has been getting good reviews lately.

Check out:

http://windows7review.com/avg-anti-virus-vs-microsoft-security-essentials/
http://www.av-comparatives.org/images/stories/test/ondret/avc_report25.pdf