AOL AVS vs Avast Home

What the heck I already did an Active Virus Shield verses Antivir and CA, so now let's see how many Avast fans are out there.

 

After 2 weeks of evaluation, I decided to dump Active Virus Shield and get back to avast! Home. Active Virus Shield may be good for brutal detection (it's Kaspersky), but I found it's a bit obtrusive, slightly slowed my machine down, and I didn't like the way it worked.

avast! Home is more smooth, unobtrusive, I like the way it works, avast! Home just works best for me.

 

Thats what is nice about antivirus programs there are enough of them that everyone should be able to find one they like and their computer likes.

 

I don't like how we don't know if AVS will be free for more then a year. I hate uncertainty when it comes to program lisences. I bought Antivir premium to stop myself from hopping from prog to prog. I'm happy with it.

On the subject though I think even with AVS detecting better, Avast is a nicer choice.

 

I like Avast's Web Shield and IM Protection, and the Custom Installation feature. (I never used E-mail Protection or P2P) However, I like the way AVS has the three types of scans that can be scheduled almost anytime for Start Up Objects, Critical Areas of the PC, or the whole Computer. Avast simply doesn't offer this versatility. As far as updates they are tied in my opinion as far as being unnoticed, but AVS definitely has more of them. I also have to add that as far as my PC goes, AVS seems to allow programs to open a little faster than Avast did when I had it installed just two versions ago. One major thing though about Avast that is missed now with AVS, is the great and friendly Support Forum that Avast users have access to.

 

No using here AVS, but the only thing I hate of Avast is that the Web Shield slows Internet surfing a lot. If you put on top of that that one uses Opera (we all know the issue that Opera doesn't render well certain pages) and Proxomitron! The fast surfing becomes an issue.

Solution: Switch the shield off. But that means disabling one layer. And I'm not very happy with that.

 

Well, it does (you can schedule scanning of start-up objects, whole computer, or any other area you wish at any time) - just not in the free version; you need the paid version of avast! for that.

 

I will add that I'll bet the AVS Spyware Protection and Detection is better than whatever Avast may protect against, or detect.

 

Hi all, I have used for about two years Avast, and I am trying AOL AVS and I see this works fine for me with Jetico v1, great protection with both of them, and I have one doubt, how long is it going to be free? for how long is it going to work with the free key they send to us?. Thanks, what a great antivirus!!!
I have 512 mb of ram, and no problem here, application open here quickly:

 

Hmm...I have an AV for viruses and a Spyware program (Windows Defender) for spyware. I wouldn't rely too much on an AV to do this kind of job.

When it comes to AV detection there is hardly any difference with the top positions. It's just 1/100 difference. However, I've to admit that I wouldlove to install AOL AVS in this machine, but I am suspicious about the free licence being offered after that period. I have the hunch it's not gonna happen. Otherwise I'd install it asap.




I know I got hit with a boot sector virus 3 days ago but that could have happened with any AV really. Freaking bad luck and stupid of me leaving a CD on reboot. Damn!


Regards.

Image removed as av-comparatives prohibits the posting of it's results. see screen shot.==bigc

 

LOL sounds like you need to get a new machine . No seriously if your computer cant handle and slows down then that definitely sounds like a need of an upgrade. I have AVS its great no slow downs, and yes I'll agree with the obtrusive part , that is why I use the scanning engine only, and disable the auto update, shield etc...used Ice Sword 1.18 and noticed alot of hooking into the kernel, I didnt like the fact there was about 10 other hooks into areas not identifiable or indexed by Icesword over kill mayb ? As a scanner only The other feautres I would defintely question

 

Again I use AVS, and on my 512MB of ram PC it runs light with everything activated along with Comodo Firewall. I have heard it will remain free, and even have heuristics later on this year.

 

It's already have heuristics, will just a new receive better version.

 

So that's the advanced technology detection that's mentioned on the AOL Active Virus Shield's download site. Thanks Don. By the way, how good do you think AVS is at spyware detection compared to some of the better known or even freeware AS Programs? Take care.

 

I honestly do not know what they mean with that.

Regarding the adware detection, i think they compliment eachother, but many will not need anything beyond AVS with Superantispyware free, Spybot etc, i for example have unsafe habits at times, have both Spy Sweeper + the free version of SAS and none of these have ever found anything (unless deliberately thrown at them) that Kaspersky (+ a hostfile) didn't take care of, so for some it will be a good idea, for many others it will be a lot of unnecessary scans finding zero stuff. Just my opinion.

 

Maybe the Advanced Technology is the Heuristics? I got to say I really like this program. I had planned on someday going back to Antivir and use Spyware Terminator for real time spyware protection, but now I'm just not sure. As I have said I used and have always liked Avast too, but I like having one GUI. With Avast you can just click the icon to choose which ever GUI you want, (The Shields or the Virus Scanner) but I like the way both AVS and Antivir have their Interfaces laid out better.

 

Come on everyone, people are asking about this stuff.

 

About what?

 

Hey Don, just trying to fuel a debate on the best Free AV out now with this and my other verses threads. . However, I was also referring to the thread here about someone asking if they should change from using Avast and try AVS or Antivir. Take care.

 

Well maybe when the free year is up on AOL AVS I will finally...finally get around to giving Avast a try.

 

AOL AVS using kaspersky works very well and it's pretty light on my computer (avp = 7,324k) in my mind their really isn't a reason to use another av until this AOL product either goes in shareware or isn't made anymore. Kaspersky alone is a very quality product and with very detection and for someone to use another av that most likely will not compare with Kaspersky and is most likely alot heavier on the computer is quite foolish.

If you are a tester or something along that matter then I'm wrong on this issue but for most of us pc users, advanced or beginner kaspersky is more than enough.

You can feel pretty safe no matter what sites you visit along with a product that consumes very little memory (AVS).

I don't see a comparison at all.

 

Does anybody know why the Kaspersky engine is so slow in AOL AVS?

I am not familiar with Kaspersky.

On my system McAfee 5100 engine takes roughly 8-10 minutes to do a full scan, all files, all drives, archives, heuristics, ntfs streams, spyware and all that good stuff.

Avast! takes around 14-16 minutes using similar settings.

AOL AVS (with default settings) took 32 minutes...

Keep in mind that, other then scanning speed, I am quite pleased with what AOL AVS has to offer. It's a pretty decent program.

So does anybody know why it takes Kaspersky so long to do something that others can get done more efficiently?

 

try changing your scan settings , more so the "Scan new and changed files only". If you are not sure about how there is a suggestion http://www.drtweak.com/index.php?topic=157.0. you should find it only takes a few minutes to complete a full scan. If you also do a search here on this forum you will find similar suggestions .. however there is a wealth of info at the Kav forums http://forum.kaspersky.com/index.php?showforum=4

 

My results are similar to yours. I do not know why it takes so long. This is not an issue for me start the scan take a bath see what the kids are doing come back in 30 minutes it's done no need to baby sit it.

I do also have some appreciation for what TAP has said too. It does not really silently and in the back ground monitor, it is a lively active AV. Grinding away hitting the floppy drive and so on.

I think it always comes back to what BigC says get the AV that suites you, what you like, there are plenty of flavors to pick from.

 

I just want to add that I have AVS set to scan Critical Areas once a week, and My Computer set for once a month. It of course scans Start Up Objects much more often. I also have the first two scans I mentioned set to scan all files, but new and changed ones only as I did the more thorough scan when first installing it. I have recently scanned while using the PC too, and didn't notice too much drag, which I believe I read is supposed to be a feature of AVS as well. I really like this program, and I feel my PC runs faster (like programs opening, and logging onto FireFox)with AVS than it did with Avast.