Bitdefender Antivirus Free - English GUI

After having had issues with several other solutions I decided to try the solution with issues.
So far so good. It's light (according to Process Hacker) and it works (according to tests). There are also no browsing slowdowns. I miss the many options of others but the essential is there and the Logs button is functional.
As usual time will tell, fingers crossed.

 

So i am not the only one to observe the buttons working.
Web protection is also strong ,trying to enter EICAR website blocked me instantly ,so it should work for real threats as well.
It s a good free choice ,but let s not hype it ,as BD may kill it fast to keep the profits up

 

Last time I used it several weeks ago, the logs button worked fine for several days.. then all of a sudden, it was broken again. I won't be convinced until everyone says it works for at least a few weeks without problems...

 

Same here. I think it's nearly impossible to replicate and fix it at the moment.

 

The strange thing is that I have used it on numerous occasions, but never had logs buttom problems..

 

It's so funny, they make one of the highest detecting AV's and then one trivial Logs button makes them such immense problems

 

Suggestion: They should completely remove the logs button and replace it by a pop-up if something is detected.

 

Well, it does make baloon popups on malware detection already...

 

The logs button is useful; it's the only thing in the program similar to a settings button. I want a record of activities and wouldn't use the app if there wasn't one.

 

I have taken a quick glance at Bitdefender Free now and I must say it is actually the only Bitdefender product I would even consider recommending to other people at all. Certainly not the bloated monstrum like the paid products.

 

The logs button is a strange phenomenon. On my laptop running win7 64, I've been using this AV since Dec 2012. Never had the logs button issue. On my pc at home running win7 64, I've had this logs button issue off and on. Yesterday it worked, today it doesn't. The quick way for me to get it to work is logging off and on again. That seems to fix it for me. I'm not sure when, why or how. I can see the aggravation here on both sides. The developer is dealing with different hardware/software combos and us users dealing with it not working. I can live with the finicky button since they do have a very good AV under the covers.

Ice

 

I just installed this AV to give it a whirl and to be completely honest...I'm a bit surprised.

Its really light on my system even when im running on demand scans the computer is still extremely responsive. The logs button has not been a issue even after multiple reboots. I only wish the on demand scans were a bit faster...

But all in all I think I may have a keeper here...for now.

EDIT: I just ate a few of my words.

After just now completing a on demand scan of a folder BDFAV says it detected 8 infected items yet the scan log says nothing was detected and nothing was added to the quaratine....

This isnt a game breaking issue to me but it could prove to be a annoyance.

 

Actually "Logs" button behaves like a Logs/Quarantine button. Since BD doesn't actually move the files but rather restricts access to them, yous till need the button...

 

Gave it a try (again), because BD causes the lowest delay of the free AV's (together with Ad-Aware) when starting IE.

 

Does that mean it has your recomendation?

 

Not possible, for Iran, France and Netherlands there is no English version available, therefor recommending free versions of Panda, Avast or Fortinet to friends.

Logs button issue arises when I deny the user interface application internet access. Randomly the logs button does not work. Re-booting often solves the issue.

Free version seems to include Windows Firewall driver when looking at the logs. Looking at autostarts confirmed this. Disabled BD FW driver, now the logs button is not working anymore (at least that is consequent behavior).

Enabling FW driver to load and allowing GUI application to go outbound, made logs button work again. Maybe others with logs button problem could check whether they have denied internet access for GZIFACE.EXE.

Noticed that GZSERV.EXE is not ASLR enabled. De-installing for Ad-Aware, same engine, same low overhead, same unnecessary firewall driver loaded

 

The thread needs a more appropriate title to reflect the discussion so far. How about "The adventures of BD Free and the Logs button - Users Be Warned!!!"

P.s. Juz kiddin'

 

No Dutch free version either?

 

Actually i don't think it's unecessary. It's using HTTP scanning and for that it does need a networking driver.

 

Rezjor,

You are right, it does HTTP scanning. Because the free with UK GUI is not available in Holland, I get routed to the paid products so I missed this.

Regards Kees

 

For what it's worth, I haven't had an issue with the Logs button so far after about 6 months of use, checking the Logs almost daily as well as following this thread here on Wilders. I'm running Windows 7 SP1 64-bit. The issue seems to be very sporadic though for those that experience it, not much reasoning behind it which certainly makes it more difficult to reproduce. It is ridiculously silly that they haven't fix it yet though.

All in all, I definitely like it. I appreciate that Bitdefender makes a 64-bit edition as well. It's too bad though that they haven't been visiting Wilders for a while now.

 

Considering the early hostility from posters, and the lack of significant and clear information on the part of the vendor when there was a representative here responding, I would say it was quite expected that communication would cease like it has.

 

Problems get resolved by:
a) complaining over things
b) less praising stuff blindly
c) listening to users
d) fixing what users complain about

This involves both sides. If we weren't complaining here, BD wouldn't fix anything. But if their man left this place because they couldn't stand complaints, well, that's idiotic. They did fix things through our complaining, and BD Free in current form is a very capable and non problematic AV. But it wasn't like this when they released it. It was very buggy back then. Only thing that i don't like about it is the requirement to register, so it's not exactly useful for instalaltion to other ppl's computers. But then again same applies to my favorite (avast!) so...

 

Well, this morning my machine spent a good two minutes showing me a dark screen before asking for the password, it's usually 1 sec.
Then it tells me it's preparing the desktop and finally I'm presented with a safe mode type screen and a message saying some file in System32 could not be found.
I reboot and the same happens.
So, Macrium rescue USB, previous image.

I can't be sure it has to do with BD but it's the only change I made to the system.
It really is a shame, I quite liked the program.

 

Do not use BD free if the log button doesn t work.
Buy the full version ,it s affordable
Stop complaining about the free stuff ,say thanks instead.