[one.sensei]

Thanks.

[stantley]

Avira Here's a review http://www.techsupportalert.com/best...s-software.htm

[knucklehead]

PC Tools AntiVirus Free Edition™ 4.0:

Designed for Windows® Vista™ 32-bit, XP and 2000
http://www.pctools.com/free-antivirus/

OR

BitDefender:

Operating platform: Windows 98/NT-SP6/Me/2000/XP IE 4.0(+)
http://www.bitdefender.com/bd/site/products.php?p_id=24

OR

AntiVir Personal:

Requirements: Windows 2000/XP/Vista/XP64/Vista64
http://www.free-av.com/en/download/1...antivirus.html
Or:
http://www.filehippo.com/download_antivir/tech/

[one.sensei]

For Avira:

Our second reservation is that AntiVir is quite an intrusive product

That's why I don't want Avast.. :/




How good is PC tools?

[stantley]

Originally Posted by one.sensei

That's why I don't want Avast.. :/

I recently switched from AVG to Avast and when you first get it will nag you 30 before the trial is up, but as soon as you register that nag goes away.

The only other thing that Avast notifies me about is when it updates the virus database and you can turn that off if you want. If fact you can put it in 'Silent' running mode and you don't even know it's there.

[hairbender1950]

I run Avast on one of my computers and my mother's computer too.
The free antivirus software for personal use,has never nagged me. You do have to register the free version and put in an activation key number(very easy to do this). But for great free antivirus I don't mind doing this every 14 months.

Stanley, are you referring to the paid version, since you talked about trial being up.

I really like Avast and when my paid antivirus expires, on my newer computer, I plan on using the free AVAST.

[one.sensei]

It's not really the nag, but avast seems to take over my computer. I couldn't uninstall it, and there was one more major issue, though I can't remember what it is.

I've had no problems with AVG, but it won't install on my computer. Plus I want one that isn't a 'recource hog'. This computer I need an AV for has very little ram and only 4 GB and 1.5 GB hard drives.. So a very light-weight yet effective AV seems in order.

[stantley]

Originally Posted by hairbender1950

Stanley, are you referring to the paid version, since you talked about trial being up.

No, I was talking about the free version which for whatever reason they call a trial version.

From the Avast website:

avast! antivirus Home Edition is FREE to use but it is necessary to register before the end of the initial 60 day trial period.

So if you register in the first 30 days you won't see the nag screen.

[one.sensei]

What about clamwin? Is that at all good at protection?

I heard that's light-weight.

[stantley]

When you install Avast you can install just what you need. For example, I don't use P2P programs so I didn't install the P2P shield and I very seldom IM so I didn't install the IM shield. I just have the Standard shield, Email and web shield.

If your ISP scans your email for viruses you wouldn't need the email scanner. Maybe it would run smoother if you only installed the Standard shield.

From what I've read Clamwin is not that effective. It's average to below average.

[hairbender1950]

One,sensei, thanks for explaining.

Stanley, thanks for the quote, saved me some time.

I registered it the very day I installed it. Explains why I didn't get nagged.

[one.sensei]

Ok, what about active virus shield?

I'm searching around for AVs on yahoo answers, and reading reviews, but everyone is just suggesting Avast and avira. If Avast is good, I guess I could give it another try.

[ferrija1]

If you have a machine old enough to have a 4GB hard drive, everything is going to be a resource hog. I would definitely try Avast again.

[one.sensei]

It's actually not a very old machine. The 4 GB HD is for the OS, and there was a 60 GB HD for storage, but became corrupt and had to be replaced.
Would avast be better than avira for my system?

[ferrija1]

Avira, it has a better detection rate and is a lightweight program compared to Avast.