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Anti Virus

petlew
Pro
Posts: 7,416
Thanks: 110
Fixes: 2
Registered: ‎30-08-2007

Anti Virus

As a "life long" user of Norton ISC, and finding myself short of another licence to install a 4th time. I have downloaded the Free version of AVG. Must admit it does seem very good. My question is; is it worth upgrading to the full paid for edition with all the bells and whistles?
Experience; is something you gain, just after you needed it most.

When faced with two choices, simply toss a coin. It works not because it settles the question for you. But because in that brief moment while the coin is in the air. You suddenly know what you are hoping for.
22 REPLIES 22
Midnight_Caller
Rising Star
Posts: 4,167
Thanks: 15
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎15-04-2007

Re: Anti Virus

No stick with the Free version.  Wink
Denzil
Grafter
Posts: 1,733
Registered: ‎31-07-2007

Re: Anti Virus

Agreed. The paid for version gives you extra features, but it won't make any difference to the virus detection.
shutter
Community Veteran
Posts: 22,206
Thanks: 3,769
Fixes: 65
Registered: ‎06-11-2007

Re: Anti Virus

Stick with the free version.... I have been using it since AVG6 came out, and have not had a virus attack, I think it must be at least 4 or possibly 5 years..... seems like forever, and the automatic updates save a lot of hassle too..... they also have an anti spyware which is free too.... get both..... I think you have to do a manual update on the antispyware though....
Well Recommended  Thank you AVG for keeping my computer safe.  Smiley Smiley Smiley Grin Cheesy Smiley
petlew
Pro
Posts: 7,416
Thanks: 110
Fixes: 2
Registered: ‎30-08-2007

Re: Anti Virus

Thanks guy's, since I didn't have enough licenses to install another Norton on a new laptop, I followed advice and installed AVG and the AVG spyware both seem excellent.
So in the rather odd position of running Norton on my desktop and AVG on the laptop. The Norton (v2008) still has over 300 days to run, but when it expires I shall certainly not be renewing it and going with AVG on the desktop as well, if I thought I could get some credit for it, I'd probably ditch it now!!
Between the 2 computers I have around 5 different spyware running + MS defender (I'm a bit paranoid about them I suppose) it never ceases to amuse/mildly concern me though, they can be run one after the other, and all can come up with different answers after scans, which is one of the reasons I keep so many in use.
Experience; is something you gain, just after you needed it most.

When faced with two choices, simply toss a coin. It works not because it settles the question for you. But because in that brief moment while the coin is in the air. You suddenly know what you are hoping for.
hulls
Grafter
Posts: 1,699
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Anti Virus

When it comes time to uninstall Norton, it's probably worth checking the internet to see the best way.  I know other people have had problems.
John
chalbury
Grafter
Posts: 54
Thanks: 2
Registered: ‎23-12-2007

Re: Anti Virus

One of the benefits of 'paid for' AVG is that you can specify which folders are checked with a 'User Defined Path', this can be an advantage if you have more than one drive or partition with lots of data that is never changed. I find that the 'update' emails useful, others seem to resent them as 'nagging'.
petlew
Pro
Posts: 7,416
Thanks: 110
Fixes: 2
Registered: ‎30-08-2007

Re: Anti Virus

I could well be wrong, as I'm not using the PC with AVG on it to check this but, I think my free AVG has an option to scan specific drives and folders, I've not used it as I always do a full scan. But maybe this is different to that you're describing Chalbury?
Experience; is something you gain, just after you needed it most.

When faced with two choices, simply toss a coin. It works not because it settles the question for you. But because in that brief moment while the coin is in the air. You suddenly know what you are hoping for.
petlew
Pro
Posts: 7,416
Thanks: 110
Fixes: 2
Registered: ‎30-08-2007

Re: Anti Virus

Ref: hulls reply. (back on the laptop with AVG) this new laptop came bundled with a time limited Norton ISC (60 day cut down v2007) which required large amounts of cash to update to full use. It was after some pondering and advice from PN users that I decided to "break out" of the Norton trap and go to AVG.
To return to your point (that'll make a change!!) the uninstall of the bundled Norton -in the first instance I had installed it- was fairly painless if rather long winded. It took several "searches" of norton or symantec to track down all the entries. the entry in add/remove programs (or whatever it's called in Vista) being particularly resistant. I wouldn't mind taking a bet there are still "bits" of it lurking around somewhere though. Anybody know if it's likely to be in the bundled recovery partition, or should that be strictly Windows only? 
Experience; is something you gain, just after you needed it most.

When faced with two choices, simply toss a coin. It works not because it settles the question for you. But because in that brief moment while the coin is in the air. You suddenly know what you are hoping for.
Midnight_Caller
Rising Star
Posts: 4,167
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Registered: ‎15-04-2007

Re: Anti Virus

Quote from: petlew
I wouldn't mind taking a bet there are still "bits" of it lurking around somewhere though. Anybody know if it's likely to be in the bundled recovery partition, or should that be strictly Windows only? 

Windos backs up all the Software on your computer.
petlew
Pro
Posts: 7,416
Thanks: 110
Fixes: 2
Registered: ‎30-08-2007

Re: Anti Virus

Thanks for that Gary, er! can I then edit the contents of the recovery partition to remove Norton or indeed any other unwanted software?
Experience; is something you gain, just after you needed it most.

When faced with two choices, simply toss a coin. It works not because it settles the question for you. But because in that brief moment while the coin is in the air. You suddenly know what you are hoping for.
petlew
Pro
Posts: 7,416
Thanks: 110
Fixes: 2
Registered: ‎30-08-2007

Re: Anti Virus

The observant may have noticed I have two semi-related posts going at the moment (kept separate to avoid disenchanting the moderators...again!!) however they're starting to obliquely come together; If I removed some of the shipped "junk" that came with the laptop...including Norton and others BEFORE I attempted the recovery disks, would this have anything to do with the failure of verification? actually I suspect not, as I think verification is to do with the actual writing of the disk not it's content, but I'm quite willing to be told otherwise.
Experience; is something you gain, just after you needed it most.

When faced with two choices, simply toss a coin. It works not because it settles the question for you. But because in that brief moment while the coin is in the air. You suddenly know what you are hoping for.
firefly2
Grafter
Posts: 265
Registered: ‎16-11-2007

Re: Anti Virus

has anyone had problems with norton 360 auto-protect keep being turned off.? have been to support many timed but prob persists. also for anyone wanting complete removal < go to chat room and ask them for removal tool to be employed. they have done that for me Angry
God
Grafter
Posts: 1,112
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Anti Virus

I have used free and paid for anti virus solutions. I have installed AVG free on many PCs and it is very good, although at the moment I am using Avast free version which I prefer.
I have to sort out a new laptop for some relatives next week and the first thing I will do is take the Norton bloatware off and put Avast on! Norton is not the best, but buys its way on to machines and makes itself a pain to remove. Maybe they should be up for an anti-trust / monopoly legal action!
petlew
Pro
Posts: 7,416
Thanks: 110
Fixes: 2
Registered: ‎30-08-2007

Re: Anti Virus

Right at the top of this post I mentioned that I had run out of licences on the newly purchased Norton v 2008 (used 3 times and couldn't load again for a 4th time)
I didn't give it much thought at the time, but now my curiosity is pinched. Why? should this be, how does a presumably read only software disk (the Norton) know that I've used it 3 times on 3 different computers? Presumably it's not as first thought a read only disk and, has some RW element in it.
Does this mean that if I'd simply added an (available) non-RW CD/DVD player only to the PC and used that, switched off the internet connection during loading, said "no" or "later" to any update/registration options etc. I could use the Norton disk an unlimited number of times?
Experience; is something you gain, just after you needed it most.

When faced with two choices, simply toss a coin. It works not because it settles the question for you. But because in that brief moment while the coin is in the air. You suddenly know what you are hoping for.