Using more than one AV program?

I've seen postings in which folkes state that they are using more than 1 AV program, apparently, on the same system?

Which AV programs can be installed concurrently on the same system?
Can more than 1, at the same time, have automatic scanning enabled?

 

Re: Usomg more than one AV program?

One resident running full time and one as an on demand scanner.

 

Re: Usomg more than one AV program?

If the Real-Time Monitors of two different AV programs are used simultaneously, conflicts may result. The computer's performance may be slowed down, it may become difficult to access files, and the computer may crash or show BSOD.

But you can install several AV's as long as only one is used as a resident on-access scanner.

However, not all AV's can be installed as secondary scanners, and some AV programs will not load, such as KAV 2006 beta and VirusChaser, unless all previous AV's are uninstalled first.

Further some AV's, such as Dr Web, prefer to be installed first on a system as they are very sensitive to previously installed AV's.

IME, F-Prot for Windows, KAV 4.5, BitDefender 8 are good backup secondary scanners to a main AV and seem to be stable.

But some computers may become unstable with more than 1 AV installed, even when only one is installed as a primary scanner.

But there are alternatives to installing several AV's on the same computer and therefore reducing the chances of system conflicts. There are a number of on-line scanners which will give you a second opinion and Dr Web's CureIT does not even have to be installed to function as a backup scanner.

 

I realized that only 1 could be active, but given the track record (and MSFT's DLL Hell) of the software industry, I have my doubts that one can rely on two AVs peacefully co-existing.

I've never felt that it was worth the trouble to experiment.

 

"Experiment" is the key word; it is hit or miss, and probably depends on your system {software mix}. I have BitDefender 9 and KAV 4.5 running as manual backup to NAV 2006 which is my realtime monitor. KAV 4.5 and BD allow you to do a custom install and choose not to install the realtime components -- seems to work well on my system but your mileage may vary, and your point about not wanting to experiment was well taken. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!

 

Hello,

I don't mean to divert this thread from the subject a bit, but I wondered if the recommendations should also apply to anti-spyware programs because I notice a lot of users have more than one running resident. Wouldn't the detection of spyware from multiple anti-spy programs conflict as well as the detection of a virus from multiple anti-virus progs running resident?

 

Well i can confirm that avast! and NOD32 can co-exist with all realtime modules enabled (avast! and NOD32 appear to be extremely forgiving for other AVs co-existing with them). Only thing that you have to use in just one or another is HTTP scanning feature and email scanner if you use any POP3/IMAP email clients.
Set some exclusions and you're ready to go.
Technically NOD32 will intercept everything before avast! (must be a driver thing). But if NOD32 misses something, avast! will jump in action.
Also avast!'s Network Shield works as additional layer of protection.
Performance impact is unnoticeable on my machine (AXP 3200+,512MB RAM and 200GB 8MB cache HDD at 7200RPM). Why not

 

It is all too easy for products to conflict, in large part due to DLL Hell and the registry.

Not to mention, some products, intentionally or not, make it difficult to peacefully co-exist.

Fortunately, as systems become more .NET-ized, this problem will rapidly diminish.

 

I have NOD32 resident & KAV 3.5 on demand. It's a great combo!

Edit: Just read your comment about .NET. Have to strongly disagree. Imo .NET is to be avoided at all costs. Security concerns are just the start of .NET problems.

 

One reliable resident AV is enough, then multiple on-demand virus scanners will be ok for back-up and for more peace of mind.

 

i was talking about dll hell and the registry, not security.

i avoid .net if only because one cannot protect one's code.
with vb 6, i can compile a dll or exe and folkes cannot get at my source code, .net does not protect source code.

 

I run NOD32 as resident, and F-Prot as on-demand. I notice that when I run the F-Prot on-demand scanner that the AMON module of NOD32 scans all the files that F-Prot scans.

Sometimes I run F-Prot with AMON disabled, but, aside from perhaps lengthening the time for the scan, is there any problem with running F-Prot scanner with AMON activated?

It seems to me that I'm essentially getting the benefit of running two scans at the same time. I never get any hits, so I don't know what would happen if both scanners found something at the same time.

 

i thought u also had to disable one of their resident scanners as well or else it would conflict. or has this changed in the latest avast?

 

Basis?

 

Then why would MS use it for Office?

 

Office is not coded in .NET.

 

If an AV is going to be weak in anything, it would be trojans and/or spyware.. I don't know that another AV will really give you that much better protection. IMO it's much more worth it to go with something like Ewido or BOClean that specializes in what AVs often lack, including the technology (memory scanning), and that is made to be compatible with your antivirus rather than risk system instability.

 

Office 12 is.

 

I'm currently using the Vet antivirus built in to Zone Alarm Security Suite as resident, and the free Bitdefender 8 for on-demand scanning. No problems at all. The best thing is that Bitdefender, even though it is not resident, updates automatically.
G Data's Antiviruskit 2006 uses two antivirus engines -- Kaspersky and Bitdefender -- simultaneously. It's supposed to be very good.