AVG free questions

I used to install Avast free for all my friends who wat a free AV. It,s installand forget. But recently I am seriously thinking to switch to AVG free because I think AVG is progrssing very rapidly while Avast seems static. Moreover there is no hassle of a key etc. Also I am not sure if it,s true but on Jotti I see more and more samples picked up by AVG but not Avst. Seems Avast laga behind in addition of sgnatures.( Antivir is not an option due to update problems on dial up though I am hoping that might change in future as I read in next version there will be option for choosing signature update and program updates separately).

Anyway I have installed AVG free on my laptop just to see how good it can be for dummies. I have few questions:

1- Is there an option for invisible updates
2- How to schedule scans? During install it gave me an option for daily scan but I refused as I wanted monthlyor weekly scans. Now I am lost in the GUI and don,t find any such option.
3- How big are updates, are they OK for dial up users.
4- By default does it update only signatures or also the software( program as a whole)?
5- Seems there is no option for automatic malware handling without user interaction. Am I right?
6- Are default settings OK for dummies?

Thanks for any help.

 

AVG indeed doing better on Shadowserver, see pic

edit WEAK has to be WEEK, sorry

 

AVG performing better than AntiVir ? I'd trust these "results" as much as cop would trust an ex convict...

 

I use to use AVG then switched to Avast. I went to the eclair test page and AVG let me down load the file. Avast blocked it as soon as I clicked on it. Also I downloaded a known trojan from Limewire and AVG just sat there unless I scanned it. Avast stopped it in its track as soon as the file was done downloading. I don't remember much about AVG but I do know you can silence the updates and also change the schedule cause I use to to that all the time. Its right there in front of you if you look around.

 

you should try enabling on-close scanning in the resident shield.

 

I don't think thats an option in the free version.

 

I don,t believe AVG detecting more than Antivir.

 

Eicar was caught by Avast web shiled and AVG has no web shield, so totally OK behavior by AVG.

BTW I did feel AVG a bit slow in detecting malware in real time as compared to Antivir. Not sure though that it can lead to any harm or not.

 

Go to shadowserver http://www.shadowserver.org/wiki/pmwiki.php?n=Stats.Viruses Scroll down and click stats. You will see that on the yearly stats Antivir is doing well (95,54%), AVG less (85,23%) and Avast worst (74,91%).

I believe that they measure these statics, no idea on the thoroughness or reliability of their test methods.

Regards K

 

Are they testing AVG Free, Pro, or Anti-Malware?

 

My experience: AVG let a trojan through. Avast had a false positive. Neither did harm to my system. The trojan did not activate, don't know why (research indicated it needed something else to jump start it) .

The trojan was discovered and killed by the little Red Umbrella AV.

I currently use Avast on PC 1.

 

You can enable it in the free version.