Antivirus software recommendations

I have been using Avira free antivirus for some years now. It has always done a good job, was light and not that annoying. Until now, because the new version keeps popping up advertising and i can't stand that.

Also it is time for me to get a new antivirus, a decent one. I want the lightest possible, smooth, no advertising, FREE, you know the deal. Is there any kind of open source antivirus software?

Every software on my computer is pretty much open source at this point..

 

(i am running WIN7 x64, on Intel core duo @2.10GHz, 4gb ram memory and google as browser)

 

edit: besides what i already mentioned, Avira has been updating an awful lot lately!!

Edited August 19, 2012 by ruiagnelo

http://download.cnet.com/AVG-Anti-Virus-Free-Edition-2012/3000-2239_4-10320142.html

Microsoft Security Essentials. 10000000x better than shit like AVG.

this reminds me, is there a website that sorta reviews anti-spyware or malware, etc etc.? i would love to see consumer aggregate scores on all these different programs.

  On 8/19/2012 at 1:32 AM, GORDO said:

Microsoft Security Essentials. 10000000x better than shit like AVG.

 

microsoft? really?

but i am not an IE user...

Gotta 2nd Security Essentials. I had trouble believing it myself - I mean a Microsoft product that actually works, isn't bloated, and doesn't do shit you don't want it to - but our office IT consultant recommended it and it's kept my home laptop and work desktop clean for over 2+ years.

 

edit - it doesn't require you to use IE (stays running in background / notification area / systray)

Edited August 19, 2012 by Bob Dobalina

  On 8/19/2012 at 1:30 AM, BCM said:

http://download.cnet...4-10320142.html

 

I have used AVG before too.

I wonder how long will take them to turn into adverstising too, like Avira.

NOD32

 

edit: cracked NOD32

Edited August 19, 2012 by logakght

for free antivirus stuffs, i like avast!.

 

http://www.avast.com/en-us/index

security essentials 3rded, very handy software surprisingly

Malwarebytes. end of story. free and works great. saved my butt big time once or twice in my time. but in the end nothing beats prevention, if you know what to look for you never need antivirus software.

security essentials fourthed

 

malwarebytes isn't antivir, it's antispyware

But he said "end of story," kaini.

i use MSE and MWB but i never get viruses anyways

  On 8/19/2012 at 3:34 AM, kaini said:

security essentials fourthed

 

malwarebytes isn't antivir, it's antispyware

um yeah. it gets rid of Malware. and last time i checked viruses fall under malware along with spyware. why would they call it malwarebytes if it didnt cover all malware? besides, i had a really bad trojan a while back that it removed.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malwarebytes%27_Anti-Malware

 

maybe you should research before you comment.

Edited August 19, 2012 by Frankie5fingers

  On 8/19/2012 at 7:28 AM, Frankie5fingers said:

  On 8/19/2012 at 3:34 AM, kaini said:

security essentials fourthed

 

malwarebytes isn't antivir, it's antispyware

um yeah. it gets rid of Malware. and last time i checked viruses fall under malware along with spyware. why would they call it malwarebytes if it didnt cover all malware? besides, i had a really bad trojan a while back that it removed.

I think what he meant to say (possibly) was that the free version of Malwarebytes is more of a removal tool than an anti-virus shield.

 

Looks like I'm gonna have to try this Microsoft Security Essentials as well - Years ago I was on AVG but it got too bloated so switched to Avira Antivir but then moved to Avast due to the adverts (I know it's possible to get around that but you've got to do that everytime there's a programme update), now Avast is getting a little overgrown too so might have to switch.

 

EDIT: Actually I'm talking bum, just checked and Avast only has a 10mb footprint. So I'm still sticking with this for a while.

...

  On 8/19/2012 at 2:46 AM, Frankie5fingers said:

Malwarebytes. end of story. free and works great. saved my butt big time once or twice in my time. but in the end nothing beats prevention, if you know what to look for you never need antivirus software.

This. Saved my computer from formatting it once.

 

I also use Microsoft Security Essentials, but I'm kinda confused if it's actually doing anything. Still, it won't hurt.

I dunno. I really get angry with all the advertising, but Avira does the job. Never had any trouble.

It's surprising to see so many people recommening a Microsoft antivirus software. I am not sure if i really want to try it...

  On 8/19/2012 at 2:49 PM, ruiagnelo said:

I dunno. I really get angry with all the advertising, but Avira does the job. Never had any trouble.

This is what I did to remove the full version nag screen - http://www.elitekiller.com/files/disable_antivir_nag.htm (not sure if the new release uses a different method for advertising though)

  On 8/19/2012 at 7:37 AM, mcbpete said:

  On 8/19/2012 at 7:28 AM, Frankie5fingers said:

  On 8/19/2012 at 3:34 AM, kaini said:

security essentials fourthed

 

malwarebytes isn't antivir, it's antispyware

um yeah. it gets rid of Malware. and last time i checked viruses fall under malware along with spyware. why would they call it malwarebytes if it didnt cover all malware? besides, i had a really bad trojan a while back that it removed.

I think what he meant to say (possibly) was that the free version of Malwarebytes is more of a removal tool than an anti-virus shield.

 

precisely. something like MSSE will prevent you from getting a virus. malwarebytes is generally used after the fact when you've fucked up and already have one.

 

and anyway trojans aren't virii either - they can be the payload of a virus, but they lack the self-replication feature that is the defining feature of virii.

 

tl;dr maybe Frankie5fingers should research before he comments

Edited August 19, 2012 by kaini

Also recommend Security Essentials. It's the most unobtrusive I've used and seems to do a decent job.

  On 8/19/2012 at 5:38 PM, kaini said:

  On 8/19/2012 at 7:37 AM, mcbpete said:

  On 8/19/2012 at 7:28 AM, Frankie5fingers said:

  On 8/19/2012 at 3:34 AM, kaini said:

security essentials fourthed

 

malwarebytes isn't antivir, it's antispyware

um yeah. it gets rid of Malware. and last time i checked viruses fall under malware along with spyware. why would they call it malwarebytes if it didnt cover all malware? besides, i had a really bad trojan a while back that it removed.

I think what he meant to say (possibly) was that the free version of Malwarebytes is more of a removal tool than an anti-virus shield.

 

precisely. something like MSSE will prevent you from getting a virus. malwarebytes is generally used after the fact when you've fucked up and already have one.

 

and anyway trojans aren't virii either - they can be the payload of a virus, but they lack the self-replication feature that is the defining feature of virii.

 

tl;dr maybe Frankie5fingers should research before he comments

lol.

yes, it is an after the fact program. but thats all you need. seriously, if your getting viruses all the time that you need active protection then you really shouldn't be on the internet in the first place (or at least stop looking at porn).

That's what I used to say until i got some virus from a USB flash drive that I used on another computer.

 

Also many times you don't know you're infected unless you run a scan or your system is already fuckt up beyond repair. So i find software like Malwarebytes generally useless.

Edited August 19, 2012 by GORDO

  On 8/19/2012 at 9:08 PM, GORDO said:

That's what I used to say until i got some virus from a USB flash drive that I used on another computer.

 

Also many times you don't know you're infected unless you run a scan or your system is already fuckt up beyond repair. So i find software like Malwarebytes generally useless.

Malwarebytes isn't useless at all.

 

My good old desktop computer from 2003 or something once died completely. I couldn't do anything since my mouse and keyboard took MINUTES to react to input, and my CPU usage was stuck at 100% because of all kinds of weird exe files running on start-up. The only thing that worked was the on/off button. it was super crazy scary.

 

So, I launched Windows in safe mode, installed this Malwarebytes software which quickly identified the issue, and then my computer was back to normal. So don't say it doesn't work. It totally does.