[kitkin15]

i have windows vista and i have norton and i wont have it for long, i cant afford to buy virus protection but i need it. whats the best thats free and has NO trials

[Elvandil]

There is no "best". Avira, ESET, and AVG have very good, free AV's.

Free anti-malware:

Dr. Freeware Boot CD Avast Scanner (also has partitioning tool, file recovery, drive cloner/imager)
Dr. Web Cure-It
Comodo Anti-Malware
Threatfire Free Edition
MalwareBytes trial
A-Squared
PrevX CSI Free Version
Spybot S&D
RunScanner
Ad-Aware
SuperAntiSpyware
Spyware Eliminator
Emco Malware Destroyer
Spyware Doctor
All-Seeing Eye (Monitors system - pretty annoying at first until all safe processes have been approved, but settings can be changed)
Arovax Anti-spyware
Trend-Micro Rootkit Buster
F-Secure Blacklight
Bootzilla (Bootable anti-malware CD with many other tools.)

"Instant" Anti-virus (No installation--just download and run the scanner):

Dr. Web Cure-It
McAfee Stinger
Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool (This one installs but offers to uninstall after the scan. A fresh download contains the most recent virus definitions.)
PING with Clam (A bootable disk imaging CD with added anti-virus)

List of freeware security software
Guide to Free Security Software (ScanComplete Site)

Virtualization Solutions (Malware attacks become impossible because either the browser or the whole operating system are isolated from the real system):

SandboxIE (Virtualizes IE, Firefox, or any other browser and works on most other programs, too)
VMWare Browser Appliance (Runs in the free VMWare Player. The Player also will run any of 100's of preconfigured operating system and appliance images downloadable for free from VMWare, and you can even make your own VM's to run in it with the open-source VMmanager)
Artificial Dynamics Safe Space (Similar to SandboxIE, safe browsing and protection from malware and hackers)
Fortes Grand Virtual Sandbox
Microsoft Web Sandbox (Open-Source) (In development but usable)
Returnil Virtual System (The Premium version allows you to save all changes inside the virtual OS to the real system, but even the free version has a virtual drive where items can be saved outside the virtual container)
Windows Steady State (Now supports Vista, too)

[kitkin15]

thank you sooooo much thats alot of info =) could you please try and look at the other post i started.....i really need help with it =) id really apreceate it =)

[sg09]

Hello Elvandil,
Have you tested ESA Security suites
http://esasecurity.ucoz.com/
i've just started a blog about such free scanners. please review it.
http://forums.techguy.org/general-se...more-than.html
kitkin15 u too.

[sg09]

sorry its a thread not blog.. :P

[Jason08]

I use and recommend Malwarebytes, and I also use McAfee virus/firewall.

[kitkin15]

yes i have malwarebites(not instuled but on my flashdrive as a just incase) and i works good....i first got it cuz of PAV....i hate that lol and im going to check out the thread in like 2 sec =)

[Rich-M]

What's the best free protection? That has an easy answer:
Sane surfing habits!

[RootbeaR]

Originally Posted by Rich-M

What's the best free protection? That has an easy answer:
Sane surfing habits!

If that is not feasible, Linux.

[Cookiegal]

Originally Posted by RootbeaR

If that is not feasible, Linux.

Or just unplug the computer and go watch TV.

[Elvandil]

Though using something like Returnil on this system would be ridiculous since I install and unistall 20 or more programs a day, it really is a boon for the other machines in the house. No anti-virus or anti-malware needed, so they are all very fast. And once a month or so, I turn off Returnil and do the updates.

It's great for toddlers and new users, too, because they can experiment to their heart's content and just reboot if it all goes south.

[Blackmirror]

Originally Posted by Cookiegal

Or just unplug the computer and go watch TV.

You have more than 4 channels
Tv rots the brain
turns you into a couch spud

[Jason08]

Originally Posted by cookiegal

or just unplug the computer and go watch tv. :d

lol.:d

[perfume]

Dear O.P,
You can try Avira or Avast! Avira's advantage is the pro-active defense function, that is "stop at the gate". The free versions of SAS and MBAM should be installed on your PC as they offer protection against spyware and trojans and malware. Good luck!

[Kenny94]

Originally Posted by Rich-M

What's the best free protection? That has an easy answer:
Sane surfing habits!

Yep, that's it. Seriously!