Test PC Tools Antivirus Free Edition 2011?

[Cloud]

Has anybody test this AV? What are your thoughts/reviews on it? I've heard of it since I uncovered it's existence last week. I googled it after seeing the title "PC Tools Antivirus" on MRG. Seems like it fails every test, but I guess it doesn't matter since most of the AVs on MRG fail in their mini malware tests and they aren't officially certified AV testers (so I heard).

Those of you who haven't tested version 8 (2011) of this product, may you please test it and post back the results here?

[TheIgster]

I can test it here in the next couple of days. I'll post it on my blog. Most likely Monday.

[sm1]

If pc tools antivirus free is to be tested its default settings are not optimum. Option for PUPS detection should be enabled in real time protection. Also the antivirus database should be changed from compact to comprehensive as it will download another 100 mb of definition updates and the number of intelli signatures will rise from about 6 million to 10 million

[Cloud]

So you have used PC Tools Antivirus Free? How was your experience with it?

[sm1]

Originally Posted by WinDefend

So you have used PC Tools Antivirus Free? How was your experience with it?

The installation by default chooses trial version of Internet Security and so choose basic protection. On installation, it downloads updates and it is better not to cancel it midway as I have encountered out of date warnings if I cancelled and updated after a reboot. The AV is light even with comprehensive database enabled. I can't say anything about its detections as I don't test it with real malware. It installs browser defender toolbar which causes DEP fault while closing firefox as I have enabled DEP for all programs. After installation reboot is not necessary but manual reboot is recommended to get all components working. Browser Defender can be uninstalled separately but if you plan to do it make sure to reboot the system atleast once after the first installation. With PC Tools Antivirus free already installed, other free products from PC Tools like Firewall Plus won't install with a message that the firewall component is already included in Antivirus free and we have to activate it by purchasing a license for PC Tools Internet Security! The Free Version has no anti rootkit, HIPS so some other program like Prevx SOL or Spyshelter etc should be added to boost security.

[PC_Pete]

Prior to MS allowing commercial use of MSE, I knew of about 20 small business XP, Limited User PCs with v.7 installed, currently it's about 10, some with v.7 and some v.8. Once users get used to the ad banner and periodic report popups, it's absolutely vice-free with no conflicts with anything, probably because it's only got 1 "Tool" scanning files on access.

It uses the Spyware Doctor with Antivirus database but I didn't know that the default "compact" version contained fewer definitions.

[Cloud]

So it scans for rootkits on-demand but fails to detect them via on-access scanning? Somebody on the forum had asked if it scans for rootkits and the moderator said yes, so I assumed it scanned on-access as well.

Originally Posted by PC_Pete

Once users get used to the ad banner and periodic report popups, it's absolutely vice-free with no conflicts with anything, probably because it's only got 1 "Tool" scanning files on access.

v8 has no ad banner pop-ups, but still has scareware ads all over the the GUI and everywhere else. Threatfire is free, but they didn't intergrate the behavior guard into the free version?!

[sm1]

Originally Posted by WinDefend

So it scans for rootkits on-demand but fails to detect them via on-access scanning? Somebody on the forum had asked if it scans for rootkits and the moderator said yes, so I assumed it scanned on-access as well.

v8 has no ad banner pop-ups, but still has scareware ads all over the the GUI and everywhere else. Threatfire is free, but they didn't intergrate the behavior guard into the free version?!

It won't scan for rootkits even on-demand atleast seen from the scan options. The option to scan for hidden files is greyed out.

[sm1]

Originally Posted by PC_Pete

It uses the Spyware Doctor with Antivirus database but I didn't know that the default "compact" version contained fewer definitions.

I feel that a difference of 4 million is significant for a free av which has only signature based detection. But AV vendors calculate the number of signatures differently and won't match with actual number of threats they can actually find

[TheIgster]

Originally Posted by sm1

If pc tools antivirus free is to be tested its default settings are not optimum. Option for PUPS detection should be enabled in real time protection. Also the antivirus database should be changed from compact to comprehensive as it will download another 100 mb of definition updates and the number of intelli signatures will rise from about 6 million to 10 million

Problem is, how many regular, every day users out there would do this or know to do this? If this makes the product that much more effective, why wouldn't they have it setup this way by default?

[Cloud]

Originally Posted by TheIgster

Problem is, how many regular, every day users out there would do this or know to do this? If this makes the product that much more effective, why wouldn't they have it setup this way by default?

Maybe its because they mainly care about promoting Spyware Doctor and haunting us with scareware to upgrade to their paid products? I doubt they care much about their free users, the very limited functionality in the free version proves that.

[TheIgster]

Yeah, I suppose so. Well, I'm going to put this through it's paces later today and possibly test it with the default settings and then with the changed settings as noted here and I guess we can see how it does. The results will be on my blog later today for those interested.

[Cloud]

Okay, thanks. And yes, you should try doing an on-demand scan after the test in finished as AVs tend to detect some of the threats they missed (I don't know why, but they do).

[TheIgster]

Originally Posted by WinDefend

Okay, thanks. And yes, you should try doing an on-demand scan after the test in finished as AVs tend to detect some of the threats they missed (I don't know why, but they do).

Sure, but that's not really the point of the tests that I do. I do these tests to see if the running AV can protect the system from infection, as the infected items try to enter in.

[Cloud]

Oh, okay. Your tests are mainly focused on prevention/on-access detection. lol, stupid me.

[TheIgster]

LOL...no problem mate. I understand your point as well.

[Cloud]

So sm, do you use this product?

[sm1]

I used it for sometime. The absence of anti rootkit in the free version made me look for other products

[gery]

I have used it too but there are 2 things i did not like
first it was the lack of rootkit protection. Now tey say it has some ability but i do not find this to be accurate.
Second it si not really light and not really fast . Now what is the point of lacking some million of signatures?

[Ibrad]

I used it and if I remember correctly it now has basic anti-spy protection in it. I used it in the past and it was ok, its generic detection was pretty good and I had no FP's.

[Cloud]

I got this urge to try it out on my netbook, so I will. lol

Because of the lack of realtime anti-rootkit protection, it would be best to install threatfire, yes? It has a rootkit scanner in it and the program is a behavior blocker. I hope the v9/2012 release has more features, though. AVG used to be like this too, I think, except I don't remember it having the ability to scan for rootkits on-demand. Which setup should I try on my netbook? (Specs: Toshiba NB305 netbook, Windows 7 Starter, 1GB of RAM; Atom CPU N450 @ 1.66GHz 1.67GHz)

PC Tools AV + Threatfire + Windows Firewall
PC Tools AV + Spyware Terminator (w/o ClamAV integration) + Windows Firewall
PC Tools AV + Online Armor Free

I've had problems running COMODO Firewall and D+ for some reason, so I'd rather not use it.

[sm1]

@ WinDefend I will choose the third option and use a standalone rootkit scanner. But if you are starting with a clean system and answer online armor prompts correctly, you may not need other scanners

[Cloud]

Any experience with PC Tools Firewall Plus (v7)? I tried OA...didn't seem to work out for me.

[sg09]

Originally Posted by WinDefend

Any experience with PC Tools Firewall Plus (v7)? I tried OA...didn't seem to work out for me.

v7 is good. Give it a try...

[sm1]

PC Tools Firewall Plus won't install if Antivirus free is already installed in the system