“Best” virus scanning program?

True. Thats why you need a backup, and other protection too.

 

That is ********! You're exaggerating. [edited for language - BlueZannetti]

 

The first link in my previous post is the download for a free 30 day trial of KAV 4.5. This is courtesy of The Mul who has posted the link several times here in various threads. This free 30 day trial is from Kaspersky UK or you can buy it right now from England. But you should trial it. You might have a different experience than I have. Some find that it slows their computer terribly no matter how they configure it so just because I didn't experience that doesn't mean that it will work as well for you. You need to try it before you buy it. After your trial, you can just purchase the key and continue to use the software you already have. The Mul wrote Kaspersky and asked how I could 4.5 personal as it is no longer available on the KAV main site. This is a portion of the email he got back from Kaspersky:

"We have an appointed partner in the UK who specialises in selling Kaspersky home user products providing the software either as electronic download, on CD or full boxed version so they would be able to supply your friend version 4.5.

The company is called NEST (New Edge Software Technology) and can be contacted by telephone 0871 222 1545 or by email jo@nest-soft.co.uk"

So, you can purchase it this way or if you are in the USA you can purchase (and probably get a free trial first if you email or call) several US resellers including ICE http://www.useice.com/kav_main.htm If you get it from ICE then tier 1 tech support is from them.

Lisa (KAV tech support) said in another thread here though that you can just buy the key for 4.5 personal on the KAV main site and continue to use the trial 4.5 software you have after the 30 days trial is up. I don't see a key though for 4.5 personal on the KAV site. So, I think she was mistaken as the only key is for 4.5 pro and I don't need the extras in the pro version (or the higher price). So, the choices are to buy from the England or the USA resellers.

 

If you like the v4.5, and it suits your system, then this is no problem. ONE SIZE FITS ALL!

The key-file sent can be used in my personal experience both in AVP 3.0, and 3.5, and the KAV Personal versions 4.5 & 5 without any problems.

Further, the Personal key-file MAY be able to be used in the new KAV 5 PRO version but obviously the additional features will be switched off. However, Kaspersky need to confirm this point.

Therefore, if you purchase KAV 5 Personal you can use the key-file sent for KAV 4.5 and update, within the 12 month license period, whenever you wish.

 

Ahhh...ok, are you sure? (When I am ready to buy, I can write Kaspersky and make sure). That, of course, would be the easiest way. I might even want 5.0 EVENTUALLY when the problems with system restore/rapid fragmentation and the ADS tagging are fixed. Although I found 5.0 to slow my computer somewhat and I didn't see that with 4.5. But I didn't use 5.0 very long so it did not have a chance to use the ADS tagging to its advantage. I hated the lack of configurability. I don't particularly like the gui for 4.5. Whoever chose such a tiny font has to be very young with perfect accomodation for near vision. I have to get right up close to my 19" flat panel monitor and strain to read it. So, I would like the 5.0 Gui (although I don't like the gigantic buttons) as long as the configurability was there from 5.0 Pro without the extra features which I don't need.
So, yes, if I can buy a key and use it on 4.5 or 5.0 that would be ideal. (I understand 3.5 is now too old and you must upgrade). I know Schouw has said we can probably get the Pro configurability, but none of the features that are only in 5.0 Pro, so I hope that will happen.

 

One antivirus I don't think has been mentioned is ETrust. They used to have a free promo of their enterprise edition version 7 that used the InoculateIT and Vet engines. I don't have the address, nor do I know if that promo is still in effect. I used it for a while and was very happy with it. I still have the .exe file saved, figuring some day I'll get the urge to try it again.

 

Yes, I am sure as I have used the same licensed Personal key-file on AVP 3.5, KAV 4.5 and 5. In fact I have only just switched from AVP 3.5 to KAV 5 on one of my boxes here.

AVP 3.5 is indeed an old version but still available from Kaspersky's Swiss site. They continue to offer support on this old horse, unlike Kaspersky themselves. It uses the same definitions database as the new version but heuristics and the unpacking engine may be slightly behind KAV 5 now.

However, AVP is still a top-notch product, particularly on older, slow computers as it only has one running process taking up less than 2Mb memory.

Further, you would have liked it even more as it had no specific email scanner

 

I've been a long time user of KAV and yes, the key files can be used on 3.5, 4.5 and version 5 personal though. It works on the pro as well but you don't get the extra features that the pro key has.
I tried version 5 and scrapped it after finding out about the ADS files, went back to 3.5 but I think I will switch to 4.5 as it is a little newer than 3.5.
I did like 5 but like some of you, I will be waiting for the fixes for it or maybe use the pro version instead.

 

Yeah....I don't use email scanners so I would have liked it!

It was a friend who just a few days ago could no longer use KAV 3.5 which he has a backup scanner on one of his older boxes. He said Kaspersky told him no more definitions for it. So he was forced to upgrade. I don't know where he got it from originally...I guess not the Swiss site.

This raises the question of how long will Kaspersky support 4.5? Is it better to get it from a partner site rather than KAV itself? I want the phone support though (I probably won't need it...but I want it in case I did sometime need it) so I would either need to buy from KAV site itself or from ICE in the USA which provides tier 1 support by toll free phone. If I bought it from the UK site then the phone support is not toll free. This all gets confusing. It is very unfortunate that 5.0 personal has so many drawbacks as if I liked 5.0 it would be simple. Just buy from the KAV site directly. If I wait until closer to my expiration of my current av license then 5.0 Pro should be out and 5.0 personal should have some of the problems fixed. Plus, I could see what 5.0 personal users will get in the way of configuration if they use that part of the pro version with their personal key. But I didn't think it was positive that 5.0 personal users will be able to do this (use the configuration from the pro edition but have the extra features in pro disabled).

 

If you do decide to switch AV, I would go with ICE in the USA for their free phone support.

In addition, for any major problems I would contact support@kasperskylab.co.uk who give advice and support to all and sundry, irrespective of which country you purchased KAV.

Incidentally if your friend wants to continue using AVP 3.5, uninstall the present version, download the Swiss version from here; http://www.avp.ch/E/dlwin35.stm, then install the old key-file and definitions will be updated without any problems.