What Antivirus should I use if I only have 512 MB of RAM?

Discussion in 'other anti-virus software' started by DraghoneoxpaR, Apr 7, 2010.

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  1. DraghoneoxpaR

    DraghoneoxpaR Registered Member

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    Hello.

    I installed Comodo Time Machine, Sandboxie and USB Disk Security. Is this enough or What should i do for good security? (512 Mb laptop/AMD Sempron 3600)

    Thnx.
     
  2. doktornotor

    doktornotor Registered Member

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    Avast 5 Free should run nicely there... (or Avira 9 if you can get your hands on it. Avoid v10 like plague).

    Plus LUA/SRP/SuRun comes free as well and uses almost no system resources. :)
     
  3. Zyrtec

    Zyrtec Registered Member

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  4. dr pan k

    dr pan k Registered Member

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    u could also try panda cloud av free. very lite on resources
     
  5. Brocke

    Brocke Registered Member

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  6. doktornotor

    doktornotor Registered Member

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    Or ClamAV/Immunet... That's almost invisible wrt resource usage. Would strongly recommend the LUA/SRP stuff if you decide to go this way though.
     
  7. Jarmo P

    Jarmo P Registered Member

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    My first XP machine had only 512 MB and it did very well well with realtime antivirus protection. Those days the antivirus programs did not use as much RAM or the other programs as in my current system, also XP (Pro).

    It must have appeared that much more processes now need to run to accomodate various other Vista, Windows 7 op systems too and i have now 4 MB memory. The progs too might take advantage of that, but sure it is a bother to see something like 700 MB memory been taken just having surfed for a half day and nothing more, and my security is light. When this computer first came with XP and display card and all other stuff it had already installed, just for the hardware, it was a question in my mind why so much memory usage, but as told, perhaps cause of the 4 MB memory? Never bothered to try reduce, since that can be also handicapping the system.

    With Sandboxie you really dont need anything else than an on demand scanner. But question is if current antiviruses allow disabled very much memory less if disabling the real time scanning?

    I never liked Comodo firewall much. Too many glitches happened like loosing rules I carefully built. Nowadays might be better. Just Windows firewall should be ok. Not for you perhaps since this is a paranoid security forum. I myself run old kerio 2.1.5, the lightest firewall just about.

    Best wishes and you dont really need a real time antivirus with Sandboxie.

    Jarmo
     
  8. ALiasEX

    ALiasEX Registered Member

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  9. BoerenkoolMetWorst

    BoerenkoolMetWorst Registered Member

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    My sister still has a very old notebook with a (i believe) 1 ghz single core processor, 256MB ram and a 4200 rpm HDD, Avast 5 free runs fine on it. But I didn't install any other realtime security as the notebook itself is already quite slow, but it didn't feel slower with avast on it.
     
  10. zfactor

    zfactor Registered Member

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    norton is a bit slower on older low ram systems. i would personally recc avast this time because i regularly use it on customers systems that are older with very little ram i have had no complaints and have not seen and real impact from it on those systems
     
  11. Triple Helix

    Triple Helix Specialist

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    Prevx 3.0 with SafeOnline very light and there whole Database is in the cloud!

    TH
     
    Last edited: Apr 7, 2010
  12. ALiasEX

    ALiasEX Registered Member

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    I have experience with it on old CPUs and 1GB of RAM.

    If that's the case then I also recommend Avast! 5 Free.
     
  13. trjam

    trjam Registered Member

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    Eset, Panda Cloud or MSE, all are very good and light
     
  14. luciddream

    luciddream Registered Member

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    I have a Dell Dimension desktop with 512 MB of ram and it's quite fast. Depending on what you use it for (i.e. general use), and how much unnecessary crap (i.e. services) you have running 512 megs can be perfectly sufficient. I run Avira 9 on it and you can hardly notice it's there.

    In fact Avira 9 would be my recommendation regardless of specs.
     
  15. tgell

    tgell Registered Member

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    I am running avast! 5 on a Pentium 3 - 448 MHZ with 384MB of ram and I do notice somewhat of a slowdown but no dealbreaker. Runs pretty smooth and that's with 4 shields running. Avira 9 should be okay also, but like what was mentioned in a previous post, I would stay away from 10 for awhile anyways.
     
  16. ratwing

    ratwing Guest

    As aptly said by doktornotor,LUA/SRP/SuRun.
    Keep Sandboxie,ditch comodo,try Shadow Defender.

    Look into a site such as BlackViper that can advice you as to which unneeded services to disable.

    A browser like firefox,with the default skin,will cut RAM use as well.
    (You would be shocked how much RAM certain eye candy themes pull down.)

    Problem here,is where is the antivirus?
    Answer,with the 1gig and more of RAM machines that that can comfortable run it.

    (I know razor runs Avast 5 on fumes,but that is a miracle.)

    a couple of on-demand scans,or even a visit to an online scan,and you are fine.

    For that matter,forget ShadowDefender.

    With Sandboxie,LUA/SRP/SuRun,you are more secure than most

    rat
     
  17. gery

    gery Registered Member

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    i am running ZA free and AVG free in my old desktop at home and i only have 512 mb ram. I really don't see any lags or slow downs at all
     
  18. iravgupta

    iravgupta Registered Member

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    I would suggest avast! Free with only File, Web and Network shield running. I am yet to find a more resource friendly antivirus.
     
  19. AvinashR

    AvinashR Registered Member

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    My Suggestions-

    Go with Panda Cloud AV !!
     
  20. coolbuy

    coolbuy Registered Member

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    Avast 5 would run smooth in your PC.
     
  21. adik1337

    adik1337 Registered Member

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    avast 5 and sandboxie should be enough :)
     
  22. xxJackxx

    xxJackxx Registered Member

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    This would be a good bet for that amount of RAM.
     
  23. Saraceno

    Saraceno Registered Member

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    Panda Cloud, I'd say is the lightest, even when copying files etc.

    Panda Cloud and Sandboxie, solid and light setup.
     
  24. Escalader

    Escalader Registered Member

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    Hello:

    Before answering your question please provide some additional information.

    Are you running xp sp3?

    How many windows services are you running?

    Are you behind a router?

    Are other pc's sharing that router?

    Do you have imaging software so you can restore your PC?

    When you installed:

    1. Comodo Time Machine what security functions did you get?
    2. Sandboxie what security functions did you get?
    3. USB Security what security functions did you get?
    What is your www risk profile, for example do you surf on the wild side?

    What do you use for email?

    Do you do on line banking or tax preparation?

    Do you purchase items on line via credit card?


    I don't just want to fire back my setup as your solution.
     
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