Vista free AV

[boonie]

Hello,

I'm looking for an easy to use AV for a coworker that runs Vista on a laptop. I don't use Vista myself so I can't try them out. I informed her it would be trial and error, but I would look for a few to start with. Based on recommendations here, and other forums, I've downloaded AVG and Avast!, as well as PCTools AV. I was just wondering if there was anyone here that had tried these out on Vista or something else I've overlooked.
It is important that the AV is very easy to use (user friendly interface, auto updates). She's willing to put the time in to learn how to use the program, but is very easily confused and discouraged when it comes to PCs.
Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

[C.S.J]

avast would be excellent, and drwebs cureit utility
as a secondary.

[sukarof]

When I used an AV in my Vista I had Avast free version. It was quiet (no unnecessary disc activity) and didnt impact too much on performance. Just install and forget..

[FastGame]

I use Avast, works good for me :)

[xandros]

dr web very good very easy to use and very light on the computer
avira antivir premium very good

i tryid avast pro before 2 weeks and i feel its very slow when i browse any site.

[C.S.J]

-{ Quote: "dr web very good very easy to use and very light on the computer
avira antivir premium very good

i tryid avast pro before 2 weeks and i feel its very slow when i browse any site." }-
he asked for a free av

[xandros]

-{ Quote: "he asked for a free av" }-


oh i see
ok ok

soooooo

avira antivir classic

[Diver]

I have used both Avira and AVG on Vista with good results. Both are free. Avast, also free, will work too, but I noticed a general system slow down with Avast on Vista. YMMV.

[djohn]

-{ Quote: "Hello,

I'm looking for an easy to use AV for a coworker that runs Vista on a laptop. I don't use Vista myself so I can't try them out. I informed her it would be trial and error, but I would look for a few to start with. Based on recommendations here, and other forums, I've downloaded AVG and Avast!, as well as PCTools AV. I was just wondering if there was anyone here that had tried these out on Vista or something else I've overlooked.
It is important that the AV is very easy to use (user friendly interface, auto updates). She's willing to put the time in to learn how to use the program, but is very easily confused and discouraged when it comes to PCs.
Thanks in advance for any suggestions." }-Avast - good protection- great updating -very good support-It is A well rounded program thats easy to use and you can change skins.

[combo]

wait for avg 8 :isay:

[aigle]

I lawys used to install Avast free for my friends but I have noted that Avst seems to lag much behind in adding signatures for new threats. This has been complained by users on these forums and every time i upload a sample on VT, it,s not uncommen for me to see a threat detected by Antivir and AVG but not vy Avast.

I am now thinking to use AVG for this purpose but I am not sure how well it will behave as I haven,t used it. I especially liked Avast for dial up users due to small and rapid updates, not sure how good is AVG in this regard. AVG also lacks web shield.

[boonie]

Thanks for the suggestions guys.
-{ Quote: "I always used to install Avast free for my friends but I have noted that Avast seems to lag much behind in adding signatures for new threats." }-
Hmm. Didn't know that, thanks.
I guess we'll start with AVG and then Avira while I check out the Avast update situation. She's over here now, so we can get to it.
...checking out AVs, that is.
Thanks again.

[computer geek]

m:D c:D a:D f:D e:D e:D which is free.

[InfinityAz]

Avira Antivir Classic

[computer geek]

-{ Quote: "Avira Antivir Classic" }-
well, if you also want anti-spyware which i suppose the maker of the thread wants too, you would need extra software thus slowing the computer down.

[aigle]

-{ Quote: "
Hmm. Didn't know that, thanks.
I guess we'll start with AVG and then Avira while I check out the Avast update situation. She's over here now, so we can get to it.
...checking out AVs, that is.
Thanks again." }-To make it clear, it,s just my experience/ feeling. Don,t take it as hard facts unless it is supported by dome other evidence.
AVG lack spyware protection BTW while Avast has it.

Avira is my best choice but I avoid installing for my friends as most of them have dial up and its updates are not trouble free. If u are on broadband, Avira is the best choice, no need to go for AVG or Avast in any way.( Again i am using it on XP, not Vista.)

[boonie]

-{ Quote: "well, if you also want anti-spyware which i suppose the maker of the thread wants too, you would need extra software thus slowing the computer down." }-

I was thinking of Vista FW, AV, Threatfire

[aigle]

Nice combo indeed!

[acr1965]

You could go for the free 3 months of Avira Premium. You'll be happy, at least until Spring.

http://www1.avira.com/en/evaluate/chip.php

The free 3 months of the suite is here-

http://www.avira.com/en/evaluate/vnu.php

[InfinityAz]

-{ Quote: "Nice combo indeed!" }-

Vista FW, AV, Threatfire

Aigle is right, it is a nice combo. Additionally, you'll be running Windows Defender by default with Vista. It may not be the best but it's decent.

[bigc73542]

-{ Quote: "Vista FW, AV, Threatfire

Aigle is right, it is a nice combo. Additionally, you'll be running Windows Defender by default with Vista. It may not be the best but it's decent." }-


And the Vista firewall when run in extended security mode it is not bad at all Filters in and out. And it is configurable.

[boonie]

Thanks for all the ideas guys. No apparent slowdowns with any of the AVs. She wasn't to keen on the Avast interface, so, we went with:

VistaFW
Avira
Threatfire
Windows Defender (As correction: InfinityAZ said, it's there)
Firefox with NoScript, Adblock Plus, Linkscanner Lite (I have a feeling she's going to go nuts with the extensions at first)

What did I get? A one gallon jug of barleywine from a local microbrewery.
Thanks again!

[eBBox]

-{ Quote: "Thanks for all the ideas guys. No apparent slowdowns with any of the AVs. She wasn't to keen on the Avast interface, so, we went with:

VistaFW
Avira
Threatfire
Windows Defender (As Bigc said, it's there)
Firefox with NoScript, Adblock Plus, Linkscanner Lite (I have a feeling she's going to go nuts with the extensions at first)

What did I get? A one gallon jug of barleywine from a local microbrewery.
Thanks again!" }-


Thats a very nice free set and forget package :thumb:

[EliteKiller]

-{ Quote: "She wasn't to keen on the Avast interface" }-
You can disable the skins and then it looks acceptable.

-{ Quote: "Windows Defender (As Bigc said, it's there)" }-
I think you meant to say InfinityAz ;) While Defender may be there, it isn't going to be doing a lot on the default settings, and the detection rates are sub par. Disable it and move on to something better.

[bigc73542]

-{ Quote: "You can disable the skins and then it looks acceptable.


I think you meant to say InfinityAz ;) While Defender may be there, it isn't going to be doing a lot on the default settings, and the detection rates are sub par. Disable it and move on to something better." }-


I do have Windows defender activated but not for it's malware detection. Just for it's system monitoring which can be useful.

[computer geek]

-{ Quote: "I was thinking of Vista FW, AV, Threatfire" }-
If it works, its good!

[boonie]

-{ Quote: "You can disable the skins and then it looks acceptable." }-
Tried that, she "just didn't like it"

-{ Quote: "I think you meant to say InfinityAz ;) While Defender may be there, it isn't going to be doing a lot on the default settings, and the detection rates are sub par. Disable it and move on to something better." }-

I suggested Spyware Terminator since it's free, but her response was "if it's already on there, why should I add something else?" I at least convinced her to try out Threatfire. I hope she stays with it.

InfinityAZ. corrected.

[Kees1958]

Hi,

I installed this for a friend who found TF to difficult (yeah makes you wonder)
see http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showpost.php?p=1164433&postcount=1

This is proof of a member testing it http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showpost.php?p=1166902&postcount=46

By the way I have kept WindowsDefender: unselected the daily scans, but selected the option to make restore point before accepting changes. Another great freebie is HauteSecure beta. It is a soft sandbox causing no pop-ups.

Regards Kees

[maddawgz]

No need for 2 av's though even on vista ::)

[Kees1958]

-{ Quote: "No need for 2 av's though even on vista ::)" }-

Yep, but they are likely to be lighter than one AV:

AVAST = incoming data streams
ANTIVIR = writes to disk
\NO EXECUTION CHECK, NO Hard disk check

I'll bet most single AV's cehck incoming, check harddisk read + write and execution so it is lighter

[C.S.J]

2 av's installed, one for read and one for write?

erm, no! thanks! :blink:

[computer geek]

just get one good av for all features and have some occasional scans through the internet with either the ones that heal- panda, fsecure, cureit and some other which i can't remember. Unfortunately, m:D c:D a:D f:D e:D e:D does not seem to offer disinfection....:-[ But there is the free offer! ;D