Is AVG 7.5 FREE EDT enough for complete security?

[bushako]

Hi, im using a vista home premium which was pre installed when i purchased the laptop, it came with Norton Internet Security trial version...and now 60days are over and i uninstalled the AV. Based on other user experience i just need to know if i can actually rely on the Win firewall, defender? and simply install the Free AVG AV for full security...If not, then id appreciate anyone who can help me in keeping my PC secure...

 

[Brink]

Hi Bushako,

AVG is a great AV program to use to replace Norton. However to help keep clean, you should run a good anti adware, spyware, and malware program every once in a while to check for these. They are not always caught by a AV program.

Windows Defender is one, but these are alot more thorough. You can install and run one or all of them.

Spybot Search & Destroy
http://www.safer-networking.org/

SUPERAntiSpyware
SUPERAntiSpyware.com - AntiAdware. AntiSpyware. AntiMalware.

A-Squared Free
a-squared Free (formerly a² free) Freeware! A2 is a free of charge Anti-Trojan, Anti-Worm, Anti-Dialer and Anti-Spyware Software - optimal protection

Shawn

 

[.Joe]

Hi, im using a vista home premium which was pre installed when i purchased the laptop, it came with Norton Internet Security trial version...and now 60days are over and i uninstalled the AV. Based on other user experience i just need to know if i can actually rely on the Win firewall, defender? and simply install the Free AVG AV for full security...If not, then id appreciate anyone who can help me in keeping my PC secure...

Hey Bushako,

To piggy back on Shawn's advice (our resident expert), I'll point you to a short list of utilities which may be useful to you. The post can be found here: http://www.vistax64.com/software/139514-short-list-utilities-vista.html

I hope this helps.

 

[bushako]

Hi Bushako,

AVG is a great AV program to use to replace Norton. However to help keep clean, you should run a good anti adware, spyware, and malware program every once in a while to check for these. They are not always caught by a AV program.

Windows Defender is one, but these are alot more thorough. You can install and run one or all of them.

Spybot Search & Destroy
http://www.safer-networking.org/

SUPERAntiSpyware
SUPERAntiSpyware.com - AntiAdware. AntiSpyware. AntiMalware.

A-Squared Free
a-squared Free (formerly a² free) Freeware! A2 is a free of charge Anti-Trojan, Anti-Worm, Anti-Dialer and Anti-Spyware Software - optimal protection

Shawn

Hi Shawn,
I have downloaded the EDET smart security and am using it as a trial for these few days and if i find it helpfull il just purchase it. However, if im not satisfied il follow your advice and download the programs you mentioned above. Btw, if you have had any bad experiences with Nod32 id appreciate it if you can point them out. Thanks

Cliff

 

[Brink]

Cliff,

I have never used Nod32 since it is not a free program, but I have not heard anything bad about it either.

 

[AJTazza]

It all depends on how secure you want your PC bearing in mind that higher realtime protection standards such as Norton and Kaspersky have will reduce CPU performance.

I have made a list of the AV'S I have used over the years:

avast! - High detection rate and amazing realtime protection
AVG - Nice GUI, basically classed as a 'slimmed down' version of Kaspersky 7
Kaspersky 7 - High detection rate and some worthwhile premium features

Anyway, don't take my word for it, go out and grab the free trials and see whether you will suit a high detection rate AV such as NOD32 or Kaspersky or a free resource friendly AV such as avast!, AVG or Antivir.

 

[Saladyn]

I use AVG Anti-Virus Free and I think this program is really good. I have never had viruses in system with this soft. New version, AVG 8.0 is better because it has include antispyware. I think this is the best freeware antivirus :-)

 

[bushako]

It all depends on how secure you want your PC bearing in mind that higher realtime protection standards such as Norton and Kaspersky have will reduce CPU performance.

I have made a list of the AV'S I have used over the years:

avast! - High detection rate and amazing realtime protection
AVG - Nice GUI, basically classed as a 'slimmed down' version of Kaspersky 7
Kaspersky 7 - High detection rate and some worthwhile premium features

Anyway, don't take my word for it, go out and grab the free trials and see whether you will suit a high detection rate AV such as NOD32 or Kaspersky or a free resource friendly AV such as avast!, AVG or Antivir.

AJTazza
Thanks for the info on different AV. However, i have been using ESET Smart Security for a month now as a trial and it works great, so i purchased it and am happily using it. So far i have managed to eliminate all the viruses that are up to my knowledge and it has good personal firewall which can easily be configured. The best thing about Eset Smart security is that, it uses very little resources. It seems to have little or no effect on my system perfromance. And i have also recommended about a dozen other people who were in need of security. And so far they dont seem to be complaining.

 

[bushako]

I use AVG Anti-Virus Free and I think this program is really good. I have never had viruses in system with this soft. New version, AVG 8.0 is better because it has include antispyware. I think this is the best freeware antivirus :-)

Saladyn thanks for sharing your opinion on AVG. Id have to disagree that its really that good. I agree on the part that it uses less resources of the pc and that its free. HOwever, i think it has a low detection rate. You know i was using AVG free edition for almost 1 year and a half since i didnt have much choice from all the good advice i got about it. While using it i had faced hundreds of problems with viruses and i had to manually remove most of the viruses. The funny thing is in the end one of the viruses even managed to easily disable the AVG and corrupt it. Last, i installed the ESET and it detected and eliminated all most 200 viruses and trojans.

 

[Asky]

ESET is Definately good.low on Resources and high detection rate.
I still maintain tho that if you are careful with what you put into the system(data) any basic AV / FW will work.

 

[Chappy]

Your choice with Eset's suite was a good one, their heuristics is the best in the industry and the resident scanning engine is fast with low resourcees and is also the top ranked AV product with Independent test labs for years. They also hold the record for most VB100% awards (44 and counting) and consecutive awards. Virus Bulletin's VB100% award is the industry standard and the most coveted award any AV product can attain.
I know many folks love AVG and lately they have actually been getting straight VB100% awards, but their recent history was rather spotty.

Actually, the most recent VB Comparative tests were the most comprehensive and the toughest in history with many polymorphic trip-ups, and a number of well known vendors Failed. Here's a list of the failures:
Agnitum Outpost Security Suite Pro
Ahnlab V3
Alwil avast
BitDefender AntiVirus 2008
Bullguard
Doctor Web Dr.Web
Hauri ViRobot
Ikarus Virus Utilities
K7 Total Security
McAfee VirusScan Enterprise
Norman Virus Control
PC Tools Antivirus
Quick Heal Anti-Virus Lite
Rising Antivirus
Security Coverage PC Live
Sophos Anti-Virus
Trend Micro Internet Security
VirusBuster Professional
Webroot Spysweeper with Antivirus
==========================

All the other top vendors submitted for this test and passed so if your's is not listed it most likely got the VB100% award.

One thing that always makes me snicker is when I see folks extolling some garbage product's virtues by saying they've never had an infection while using it....well, if the product doesn't actually catch any problems, of course they'll never know about it... will they

 

[nerve]

I think Ad-Aware 2007 is pretty good I use it and Ad-Watch catches a lot of stuff

 

[Janet Whitehouse]

AVG 7.5 will no longer automatically update after May 31st. I can't complete a download of AVG 8 - I'm getting the errorOx800704C8 message I've seen discussed elsewhere (operationcannot be performed on a file with a user-mapped section open). Any ideas, please?

 

[joel406]

When I have to settup a new system with a free AV(I recomend NOD32) I use Avira or Avast.

AVG has slipped to much in the last year to be trust worthy anymore.

 

[JonMCC33]

Hi, im using a vista home premium which was pre installed when i purchased the laptop, it came with Norton Internet Security trial version...and now 60days are over and i uninstalled the AV. Based on other user experience i just need to know if i can actually rely on the Win firewall, defender? and simply install the Free AVG AV for full security...If not, then id appreciate anyone who can help me in keeping my PC secure...

No, I had AVG 7.5 on all my systems until a nasty virus not only got through AVG but actually infected it too. I have since switched to Avast, which caught the same virus that AVG did not and switched all my systems over to Avast. I will never use nor recommend AVG to anyone ever again.