AVG Free Least Troublesome?

It is obvious that every AV has some problems, with many it is the updates.

I used AVG free only briefly several years ago, and had no problems. I subsequently went with Avast free.

Most users that I personally know use AVG free if they do not use Norton or McAfee.
All of those AVG users are satisfied, and none has been infected. I don't think but a couple would have any idea what to do if they got asked questions or got infected, and AVG would not remove it. Updates or other problems seem to be very few and far between if at all.
Several have said that there was an attempt to infect their computers through email, but AVG caught and removed the malware in every instance.

AVG seems to be one that is definitely a second or even third tier AV. Yet is is popular, and users are satisfied in my limited experience.

I wonder if sometimes we don't make too much of ratings, including me, and unless one is a risky surfer any AV will offer sufficient protection. Evidently AVG free does.

What do you think?
Best,
Jerry

 

I think people calling AVG (free or paid) "junky" as is often heard, is a little dramatic. It has few false positives, low to mid 90's detection, is light and simple, and it works. For the average use it should be great.

Also - security freaks (like me!) relying on AVG probably wouldn't get infected ANYWAY - they know how to prevent it by safe surfing, sandboxing etc. So it's rather moot. I think for most of us experienced users we'd do fine with AVG - we're safe surfers, and we know safe hex etc - so arguing constantly about which AV is 0.5 or 2% better is stupid. They'll all work for us!

 

mainly for us security freaks the av is just protecting other people and not our selfs.

i have run so many scans and all they find is tracking cookies.

so av+firewall+HIPS is fine for me.

of course antivir already comes with firewall.

i just noticed that on av-comparatives that nod32 isn't really that far behind other av's which means its back in the running.

 

I just had a problem I posted about in the AOL AVS vs Antivir PE thread, and am currently using AVG Free, and like it. The latest version is improved, and no matter what some people think of West Coast Labs Certification, AVG has just passed the Level Two Testing for the first time. I may just keep it on board, and forget about Antivir PE and AOL AVS.

 

Yeah i've never had any troubles with avg, for me its always been the best av. I have it installed on most of my friends computers as its free, light, easy to use and doesn't interfere with their work.

 

For me, AVG Free is the lightest/most unobtrusive antivirus I've ever seen. AVG Free is extremely fast in real-time performance, high stability, it always works very well with all software/hardware on my machine. I haven't had any problems with AVG Free at all.

Can't wait to try the new AVG Free 7.5.

 

The only flaw I detected in AVG free is the update system. Is still troublesome or has it been corrected already?


Cheers.

 

If I understand your question correctly. Actually, there's no real automatic update in AVG Free (real automatic update is, e.g. check/update everytime/as soon as a machine gets connected, check automatically and periodically). AVG Free has so-called scheduled task to check/update at some specific time only once a day.


https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showpost.php?p=847341&postcount=15

 

One flaw is people think AVG is an antivirus that lets you download and forget, the update system in most computers (that I've worked with) is flawed. I go to peoples houses and it says their anti-virus is outdated and then i try to update and it won't work. So I eventually fix it (from a firewall problem or something)... Next time I come to their house the database is outdated again.... Which is why i usually get them some new programs that will let them install and forget for the most part...

Avast is more of a download and forget, I never ran scans with Avast (While I had it for like 6 months, now I have Kaspersky because I've become more risky) because they NEVER detected anything and always when it did find malware it was RIGHT on the spot from bad surfing, or the file scanner found it (which only happened ONCE when I FIRST installed avast on a friends computer... the IMMEDIATE second i removed avg and got him avast it found a virus). And that brings me to the 2nd flaw.

In a world full of viruses in terms to www.av-comparatives.org I would have to say STANDARD is NOT enough. When I go to other peoples houses because they say their computer is slow and crappy or some programs don't work I find SO many things of malware it's not funny. Now if people bought AVG IE security this would be different because of AVG anti-spyware built in and some more stuff, but they choose the FREE version and think they are protected because they HAVE an anti-virus... they just NEVER run scans and NEVER update thinking it does that for them. (Another advantage of avast, the file scanner and the auto-update)

Honestly my friend said he brought his computer in 3 times in around 6 months and they clean his computer and it's a pretty standard procedure for him. When I go to a friend who has atleast HALF a brain on computers (and im 14 for the record) and I explain what he SHOULD do after I install him a free anti-virus (avira or avast) and an anti-spyware or two, I never have to come to his house (to fix his computer) after I get everything working for ... well it varies depending on if they listen lol. But NEVER in under 2 months (unless they have NO computer experience until I came) And then I become clearer.

So honestly my favorite free anti-virus is Avast (For middle-risk surfers because it has good detection and lots of protection stuff), 2nd is Avira (which I've never used but installed on a few friends computers who are low risk surfers). You'd think I'd install Avira or Avast for middle-risk surfers because of better detection... But like I said before, for me Avast is basically install and forget, while Avira you may have to run a scan or two.

In conclusion get Kaspersky. (Oh snap!)

 

Yeah i wonder if they will release a free version of 7.5. I'm thinking maybe the free version will remain 7.1 for a while to try and get people to pay for 7.5.

 

Well, AVG, avast! and AntiVir are all very unproblematic AVs.
They generally work very well, they don't have extreme uninstall problems like others, they're free and they simply work. Tech support is on avast!'s side but other two also offer certain level of support (though not as big as avast!). Choosing either of these is in the end up to what you prefer.
For me avast! and AntiVir are the best choices.

 

I agree.

Actually AVG's detection rate against those most important nasties, trojans, is only a bit more below NOD32, than NOD is below BitDefender, so there is nothing to be worried about.

http://www.pcwelt.de/news/sicherheit/59058/index.html

Maybe all these were happened after AVG acquired Ewido. Only a couple of years ago AVG looked quite crap in detection.

Right, actually less even than Kaspersky, BitDefender, NOD32 or Avast etc, according to Av-Comparatives 2006-05 test.

http://www.av-comparatives.org/

If their update delays are as fast as they are with ewido 4.0 (now AVG Anti-Spyware 7.5), AVG av seems to be very fast to correct False Positives. My FP with ewido 4.0, scanned in VirusTotal, were removed within less than 20 hrs. Some other av:s are not even close to this. More about AVG's capability to add signatures against the new nasties as a whole, you can find in the two latest Av-Comparatives On-Demand report PDF:s. There AVG 7.1 (5:th place among single engined av:s) was just behind Norton to add NEW sample detections after the 2006-02 test.

Best regards,
Firefighter!

 

AVG is a grand antivirus, I know many people you use it, both the free and paid versions, without a problem. I have used the Pro version myself and found it to be quite nice, very effective and a solid program.

I view all antivirus tests with skepticism, their ratings are their opinions, and I have found that most of the top tier av's according to them are the least functional to me in a real world enviroment. I'll stick with the little guys, they have always done a fantastic job for me and are constantly improving their software and not just their detection rate of test set samples , once you learn to separate the wheat from the chaff in security newsgroups, you will see that a properly updated antivirus, top tier or not, will provide pretty good protection regardless of some published test results, millions of AVG users prove this everyday.

Don't get caught up in all the av test accolades and hype, AVG stands on firm ground as an antivirus solution and improves with each new release just like other av programs. It's all a matter of personal preference. I have my personal favorites like everyone else when it comes to software, but I put function and performance, before gloss and glitter...

 

I've used Norton, (shudder) Avira, AVG, and now use Avast. Avira was great but I wanted the email protection which is unavailable in the free version. Last year I got a trjan (Zolob downloader) which AVG i/d'd, but couldn't clean.(Don't know if Avast would've cleaned it or not.) Ended up re-installing the O/S after a bit of a battle. Later changed from AVG to Avast after reading a few user reviews, and it found all sorts of remnants of stuff. Lots of people say they hate Avasts interface...counterintuitive, quirky, dated.... I actually like it having got used to using it.
So now I'm using a 2 tier defense based around Avast, a realtime antispyware (ST), and at least once a week using on-demand scanners to catch anything missed, AdAware, SAS, Asquared, Spybot.

 

Avast is my favourite free av. Then Avira.. But I don't really count AVG sorry to say, not from tests, not from reviews, from personal experience like I explained above. It just doesn't make the cut.

 

Avast uses too much resources for my likeing. Antivir and AVG use far less which i prefer.

 

I liked Avast too, but it did slow down my PC when when opening programs or when logging onto FireFox, although surfing didn't seem slower. AVG Free doesn't do this or Antivir PE, and I'd use either one of them over Avast at this time. It does bother me a little bit to think there is a possibility with AVG Free, that I could get a Virus as described here earlier and AVG can't clean it or it didn't prevent it to begin with. And with Antivir there's a lot going on when it updates with the Notifier Window popping up and the Icon disappearing. But at least for me, a fast PC with enough protection for the Average Home User is more important. I now use Comodo Firewall, surf safely and use FireFox with McAfee Site Advisor, but even when I only used Windows XP Firewall and AVG Free I still never got a Virus. I am now however, using AOL AVS and it seems almost perfect. It uses Heuristics that makes it's detection better than Avast, and all but equal to Antivir's, runs almost as light as AVG Free, and unless I check I don't even know when it has updated. Add in the versatility of the various scan settings it has, the E-Mail Protection, the Spyware Protection and the fact you can set it to Quarantine infected files it finds, or delete them with a back up file made, and you have all three rolled into one. (And no Spam or E-Mails from AOL) As grand as all that is to me at this time, I can honestly say though, that AVG Free would still be my second choice. Simple to use, (I even like it's Interface) better protection than I believe it gets credit for, and an even speedier PC. Also I never had one problem with installation, or using it with another Program. (I had some conflicts using AVS with ZA Free Firewall and also later with SKPF)

 

Hi Targ,
Regarding email and Avira Classic you might want to take a look at this thread.
http://forum.antivir-pe.de/thread.php?threadid=13352

I had that concern, but have decided it is just as safe, and am using it on my laptop.

Best,
Jerry

 

i think antivir premium is worth the cash since its so cheap. but the free version is still very good

 

Do you live in the USA ?
I am asking because Norton and McAfee are extremely popular/used from the average/home user there. This home/average user can't understand that there is no 100% perfect software and when their antivirus software fails , they just go mad . I had the chance to work with American people and from what I have seen in 1 and a half year , I think that the so called average user knows only Norton and McAfee , nothing else . So... when their AV fails (because of many many different reasons) , they go mad , call the IT specialist , (s)he manages to fix the machine with lots of tools (combinations) or reinstall and then it comes , Norton or Norton NOT , McAfee or McAfee NOT ...Norton or Norton NOT , McAfee or McAfee NOT ..... The IT guy (typical American person) say Symantec and McAfee fail , see this is something much better , FREE , small ->>>> AVG . I have no problems with it so that's it !
The average user takes it , installs it and forgets about it . Then here we come , AVG is faster , smaller , lighter , sometimes detects something that Norton/McAfee misses and the user is happy . However , there are many times when AVG misses something , the user is still happy because (s)he just can't realise the problem , cos ther are no pop-ups .

I don't know even a single person who use AVG here in Bulgaria , I also don't know even a single person who use AVG in Europe .

As I said , these people are satisfied because it is just better than what everybody knows -> Symantec and McAfee . The matter of being infected is something completely different . You can have no antivirus/antispyware , no additional stuff and still not getting infected . It is all about surfing habits nowadays !

About problems , last year I used AVG for a month in combination with my previous Panda TruPrevent Personal .As you know Panda TruPrevent is just real time addiotional scanner and can work in combo with any other so while I was having it , I changed my main AV very frequently . I was making tests on some sites , AVG didn't detect anything , thanks it was Panda just behind it to stop the malware . AFAI can remember , AVG wants an exception to my firewall , Windows Firewall , so that it was able to update . But don't take into consideration the one (about the detection) because we can in no way compare free AV product and small company like Grisoft and paid AV product and big company like Panda .


Well , that is my opinion

 

I also want to add that Grisoft has understood their main problems , their stand alone is poor with trojans and none when dealing with spyware stuff and it is excellent they now have AVG+Ewido => AVG AntiMalware .
AVG is something different from AVG free so I think AVg AntiMalware is excellent . Unfortunately , it is paid and cannot become as popular as the free AVG

I also want to add that people here at Wilders are very smart people so if they use some software not so good , they will manage to avoid infection just because they are smart!

 

Hi,
Yes, I live in the US. Most that go to AVG start out with either Norton or McAfee, and in time get tired of paying for annual subscriptions.

AVG free, is a "word of mouth" thing, and they go for it and do not change.

I started out with Norton and kept it for about 3 years. I did not have any issues with it, but wanted to try something else.

Then I went to Bit Defender for over a year until the conflicts with other anti-malware applications caused BSODs. I found that the BD support folks did not want to work with me, but wanted me to remove almost all other anti-malware applications. I was not willing to do that and ditched BD.
I doubt I would ever go back to BD, as I like several others better now that I have tried them. For my own use I would rather have Avast free.

I used Avast free, NOD32, KAV6, F-Secure, and now have Avira on my laptop.
I liked NOD so well on both machines that I almost did not try KAV. However, I settled on KAV for my desktop, but would not take anything away from NOD.

I have liked Avira and think it is probably the best buy for me, since it runs well on my machine and is less expensive than NOD or KAV, and while I trialed the Premium, I think I will stay with the Classic, but that remains to be seen.

Best,
Jerry

 

Hey Hi Tech boy,
My experience with AVs is very similar to JerryM and I live in the USA too. I have swapped around with the freebies too as well as CA EZ AV paid and free for 12 months. I have not used Avast! yet. NOD has made huge inroads here in USA I believe. You are correct that Norton and McAfee are most popular.

Finally there are many of us attemping very hard to get the word out there are other AVs, you have other choices.

Clearly no question in my mind AVG free is tops in USA among freebies. I have used it and think it gets pounded on unfairly. Like I said I have used it and have nothing bad to say about it.

Remove the question mark from the title of this thread and I would say, " Right on"

 

ok

 

I certainly think it is the least troublesome of the free anti-virus programs. I use AVG Free on my XP and W2K systems and recommend it to my friends. It gives me exactly what I want, an decent active scanner, once a day scheduled system scans and scheduled daily updates.