Sorry - another 'free antivirus?' thread

I couldn't find the old ones in the first 9 pages of threads, so...

Until yesterday I was using Avast! Found out it was the culprit rooting my access to my modem config pages... so decided to switch to AVG, as it was pretty much that and Avast! being recommended... AVG of course refuses to let my computer boot past the Windows logo. Checking the forums I don't appear to be the only person who's had the problem and he solved it by switching to something else.

So can anybody recommend any free antivirus that DOESN'T act as malware? =] I had 'e-warrior' thrown at me the other day, but that was from my cousin with questionable taste =]

I'm wondering if you have a virus/malware that is preventing the virus scanner from starting properly in the first place...

I've never seen this issue with AVG myself, and have worked with dozens of computers that ran it over the years.

I am using "Antivir", I don't know how it compares to other programs though.

Thanks Foppy, that's one that I forgot about, but have heard of it before. Will check it out, ta =]


I doubt it. I mean I ran the initital full system scan when I installed it - then the next morning when it came to turning the computer back on, the problem makes itself apparent... I had no problems with Avast! except like I mentioned, it blocked me from viewing a 'simple' web page... I had problems with PC-cillin doing the same thing to me with Windows Update. Nortons is the only antivirus that has run perfectly for me (well, 2002 anyway, 2004 was a huge mess), but that's not free and I'm stingy. =]

Heh. Out of all anti-virus programs, the one I have the worst experiences with is Norton antivirus (or at least, the one bundled with 'Norton Internet Security'). Easily the most craptacular antivirus program to ever roam the planet. continuously chokes on large email messages, gobbles up oodles or resources, and slows down your system to a crawl.

Running either Norton or no virus scanner at all is a tough choice. ;-)

Sadly we use MORON... I mean NOrton at work.

I have never had a problem with Avast. My suggestion is simple. WIPE the HD and install windows 1st and Avast 2nd THEN install ZoneAlarm (or the like) and THEN open it to the web.

I have had nothing but good experience with AVG.

http://free.grisoft.com/doc/1

I have had nothing but good experience with Norton.

I worked for an ISP, and I can tell you that a sizable percentage of all incoming calls were the direct result of Norton antivirus borking things up... Especially the real-time email scanner, it is notirously bad for timing out in the middle of downloading your email.

Instant fix: switch to a different anti-virus program, and the problem magically goes away.

Antivir offers enduring quality for free since years. Only make sure when you install it to say NO to that "generate random ID number" thingy, if you don't it will do some performence tests all the time, accessing the internet, so you see traffic where there should be none, wich can be confusing and disturbing.

Too late, but I did read what it was for before I clicked next, so I knew to expect that =] Anyways Antivir seems to be chugging along nicely... so far... everyone can rest easy now that they know I am happy. Ahhhh. =]


Ah yes, that is the only problem I had with Norton 2002, except for uploading emails only. Then it would put the email in Outlook's sent folder (after telling me it borked things up) and the only way I could figure out to resend an email through outlook was to forward it.

Norton has an option to protect against time-outs. I've never had any problems.

AVG is what i use.

Grargh. Is there a way to turn off the adware component of the automatic updater in Antivir???

adware component? you mean the part that prevents adware? Or are you talking about ads during the update process? Well I never have seen such ads, so that would be new.

As for the kind of unwanted apps you want to be protected against, there are some options in the settings: unwanted programs, although I don't know in what category adware is, games, dialers, hoaxes.

I don't use the automatic updater, I generally dislike apps that are accessing the web autonomicly. Especially when they are trying to install an update, they may be fooled easily by a DNS-spoofed fake update.

when it comes to Antivirus, I rather try to get the latest version from a magazines coverdisk.

Lucky me. I guess I could try and find an older version floating around the net somewhere =]

i use avg.

If anyone cares, or for future reference, the new version of Antivir free pops up an ad for Antivir Pro during the first three automatic updates, then stops. I only posted about this after the third time, because there isn't any mention of how often it bothers you, so I assumed d) all the time.

Ok I see, Antivir Pro ads. Thought you're talking about third party ads. Antivir will force you to update not only the virus definition list frequently, but also the whole program. Therefor I will have an eye on the business course of the company (eg. if it will be sold).

I just installed the new AntiVir Programm. It is very diffrent from the "original" AntiVir I had for many years now. First of all it's no longer named "BEDV AntiVir", but "Avira Antivir", so the comapny name is no longer "BEDV", but "Avira" now.

It seems the company is the same, only the name was altered, read more here: click.

The icon is diffrent, and the entire GUI is diffrent, the installation is diffrent, everything is slower (feels like script driven to me). It really seems to be a completely new product.

Not sure if you can disable automatic update checks, I'll see when it tries to access the web automaticly.

The only good thing I see right now is: you can choose to update the virus definition list only, seperate from a generic update check.

But there is one thing that really scares me: They say the license is valid for the next 6 months. This sounds to me as if they plan to charge money after the 6 months.

If that is the case, then their claim "...The only thing that will change is our manufacturer name, under which we will present our product range from now on...." isn't that correct as I would expect it from a security company.

I will try to get more informations about this issue.

You can stop automatic update
but I can not say what's the name of the Rider in the English
Version, on my German Version it's the 5th Rider from left
or the 2th from the right side named "Planer"
there is a line called daily update or so, you can check off the line. Or change to daily update early in the morning, I made it like this, so I can update when I start the computer and it don't disturbes me while I playin online or programming with Blitz.

With my last update today I have a little Problem it downloads all Files and installed it, then the update starts again and AnitVir itself does not restart after that. I must reboot and start the update again, then it works.

Well, I just assumed it was like Avast!, where you have to renew the license every 12 months...

Well, just FYI, Antivir 7 has toooo many ads. Only 3 pop up (once per autoupdate) until the second month, then I got another 5 before uninstalling. I've grabbed an older version (www.filehippo.com is great) 6 and it's actually already found stuff in the initial scan - before updating, so, uh. Good. Carry on.

EDIT : Of course, the updater for Antivir 6 doesn't seem to actually be able to reach any updates anymore. I give up. Back to Norton for me.

EDIT 2 : I must be high or something. I swear, the instant I installed Norton 2003 I've noticed a dramatic increase in speed with regards to starting up and shutting down. I know this has to be a bad thing, somehow...