Free Virus Protection?

rodfish · Post by **rodfish** » Mon May 19, 2008 2:57 pm

I've been using AVG for a couple of years now, and like it, but I just received a notice that their free updates will end May 31st, which means that the program will sooner or later become useless.

The "upgrade" to AVG 8 is about 55 bucks so I'm looking for something else in the FREE range.

Any suggestions from you computer whizz's?

Rod

Jayhawk · Post by **Jayhawk** » Mon May 19, 2008 3:15 pm

There is an AVG 8.0 free...the email just isn't really clear about that. Google AVG FREE 8.0 and you should be able to find the page (it's not easy).

Eric

rodfish · Post by **rodfish** » Mon May 19, 2008 3:35 pm

Cool! Thanks, I wasn't aware of that!

Rod

kkrell · Post by **kkrell** » Mon May 19, 2008 3:35 pm

While on the topic of Anti-Virus software, is there anything still out there (free or otherwise) for Windows 98SE?

Kevin Krell

MTGuru · Post by **MTGuru** » Mon May 19, 2008 4:15 pm

kkrell wrote:While on the topic of Anti-Virus software, is there anything still out there (free or otherwise) for Windows 98SE?

Yes, free Avast! Home Edition should run fine on Win98 (or Win95!). It's a nice full-featured program to boot, with frequent updates.

http://www.avast.com/

jlunt · Post by **jlunt** » Mon May 19, 2008 4:17 pm

Speaking of AVG 8 free, my page load time seems to have slowed considerably on Firefox and Opera since upgrading to version 8 (from 7.5). Has anyone else noticed a slowdown or could I be - gulp - wrong in my diagnosis?

kkrell · Post by **kkrell** » Mon May 19, 2008 4:17 pm

MTGuru wrote:
kkrell wrote:While on the topic of Anti-Virus software, is there anything still out there (free or otherwise) for Windows 98SE?
Yes, free Avast! Home Edition should run fine on Win98 (or Win95!). It's a nice full-featured program to boot, with frequent updates.

http://www.avast.com/

Thanks, trying to revive an 8-year-old notebook (128 MB Ram, 4 GB disk).

Kevin Krell

cowtime · Post by **cowtime** » Mon May 19, 2008 6:44 pm

jlunt wrote:Speaking of AVG 8 free, my page load time seems to have slowed considerably on Firefox and Opera since upgrading to version 8 (from 7.5). Has anyone else noticed a slowdown or could I be - gulp - wrong in my diagnosis?

Yep it's slow here. And slower still is the start up, the daily updates take a really long time. I've gotten so I just turn the thing on, go do something else for 15 to 30 minutes because it will take that long. I thought maybe I needed to clean up stuff, but no, the computer says it's fine. Maybe it's the new AVG???

rodfish · Post by **rodfish** » Mon May 19, 2008 7:49 pm

With my dialup it seems to take FOREVER to boot up the ole computer, so I usually turn off AVG until I'm done and then I let er run for awhile. The thang wants to scan my computer every day. But I try to only complain under my breath because the cost is just right.

By the way, thanks again Jayhawk, I got version 8 downloaded so I'm set to go.

Bothrops · Post by **Bothrops** » Mon May 19, 2008 7:50 pm

I use NOD32 and I like it quite a lot. It upgrades many times per day (automatically)

s1m0n · Post by **s1m0n** » Mon May 19, 2008 7:59 pm

Frustrating slowness being the inevitable flipside any AV program, I've finally settled on installing the Sygate Personal Firewall (freeware for non-commercial use), keeping a very wary eye on the traffic it catches (you'll be amazed at what on your computer is constantly phoning home, checking for updates to nag you about, etc) and practising good email hygiene.

With SPF, you can choose between allow, block, and ask for every program that's trying to connect to the net. There's a ton of stuff that isn't a virus but shtill has no damn business hyjacking my Inet connection, It catches the traffic, and asks me about it. If I reply with "block", I never hear about it again unless I got and look at the logs or the block lists.

Something like an HP or Kodak printer driver should not be phoning home every day, but nearly all programs like them do.

Jayhawk · Post by **Jayhawk** » Mon May 19, 2008 7:59 pm

The slowness issue is a known problem according to the AVG board. The easiest fixes are:

1) Make sure your firewall has any file starting with AVG or that has AVG in it set as an exception.

2) Turn off the add-on AVG Safe Search in IE and/or Firefox (in Firefox it's in the dropdown tools menu, add ons, and disable AVG Safe Search & in IE it's in the drop down tools, Manage add-ons, and then select disable AVG Safe Search). AVG Safe Search is a theoretically good idea that scans every link in a search engine search and every link on every page you ever access to make sure it's not like a virus/trojan/very bad thing...unfortunately, every page is so filled with links that this eats memory like a horse eats hay. You don't really need it, never had it before if you had AVG, and you'll be just as safe with it disabled.

By doing these two things, I'm zipping through the net like before.

Don't those fixes sound nice and easy? If they work for you, feel free to send cash, free whistles, keyed flutes, etc., because I spent hours digging through all sorts of forum tips, FAQs and all trying to figure out how to restore my prior performance...it was a pain in the a*& and involved two evenings worth of research and trying different things (like uninstalling and reinstalling, hitting the keyboard, swearing and other techie techniques like imbibing several beers and prayer).

Eric

jlunt · Post by **jlunt** » Tue May 20, 2008 3:49 am

Jayhawk wrote:Turn off the add-on AVG Safe Search in IE and/or Firefox...

Thanks, that made a fairly significant difference. Your cash and whistles are in the mail.

rodfish · Post by **rodfish** » Tue May 20, 2008 7:56 am

Jayhawk wrote:The slowness issue is a known problem according to the AVG board. The easiest fixes are:

1) Make sure your firewall has any file starting with AVG or that has AVG in it set as an exception.

2) Turn off the add-on AVG Safe Search in IE and/or Firefox (in Firefox it's in the dropdown tools menu, add ons, and disable AVG Safe Search & in IE it's in the drop down tools, Manage add-ons, and then select disable AVG Safe Search). AVG Safe Search is a theoretically good idea that scans every link in a search engine search and every link on every page you ever access to make sure it's not like a virus/trojan/very bad thing...unfortunately, every page is so filled with links that this eats memory like a horse eats hay. You don't really need it, never had it before if you had AVG, and you'll be just as safe with it disabled.

By doing these two things, I'm zipping through the net like before.

Don't those fixes sound nice and easy? If they work for you, feel free to send cash, free whistles, keyed flutes, etc., because I spent hours digging through all sorts of forum tips, FAQs and all trying to figure out how to restore my prior performance...it was a pain in the a*& and involved two evenings worth of research and trying different things (like uninstalling and reinstalling, hitting the keyboard, swearing and other techie techniques like imbibing several beers and prayer).

Eric

Thanks again; I'm back up to speed. (I'll be sending cash.)

buddhu · Post by **buddhu** » Wed May 21, 2008 9:49 am

For those who use pop3/smtp email with clients such as Outlook or Outlook express, you might want to check 'cause I heard that AVG Free 8's email protection expires after a trial period. If that is indeed the case, then I'd suggest considering a change to Avast.

If you use webmail (gmail yahoo etc) it's not such a biggie, as they tend to have some protection built in at the service provider end and your on-board AV doesn't have to work on them unless you actually download a file or click through to a malignant site.

Of course if you abandon Outlook and go to webmail instead you could also stick with AVG Free.

Disclaimer: I don't know if the email expiry thing is completely right. I use mostly gmail, so I haven't bothered to check.