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Anti virus recommendations

jaread83
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Anti virus recommendations

For over 10 years I have used Avast but for the last year or so I have got tired and fed up of the fake warning popups to get you to buy the full version. Granted, it is a free anti virus and they can push it upon me all they want (I understand that are trying to make money) but it was getting too much with a popup every few hours asking me to buy the full version with messages making me think it got a virus but it was just a thinly veiled attempt to get me to but the full product. Not good! I am fully aware that there is a paid version but I have no intention of buying it.

Anyway, does anyone have any recomendations for a decent, free anti virus application that doesn't pester you constantly to buy it?

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RJM
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Re: Anti virus recommendations

I have always found Panda very good - and you have the option turning off notifications from them:

 

http://www.pandasecurity.com/uk/homeusers/solutions/free-antivirus/

The only reason I no longer utilize the programme is that I paid out for Bitdefender Security that just has a little more going for it.

SpendLessTime
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Re: Anti virus recommendations

On WIndows, the inbuilt Windows Defender

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Mav
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Re: Anti virus recommendations

I second the in-built Windows (Microsoft Security Essentials on W7) AV along with CCleaner, SpyBot 1.62 and Malwarebytes.

 

 

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jaread83
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Re: Anti virus recommendations

That was something I was considering @SpendLessTime but I wasn't sure if it was as much use as a chocolate teapot. I guess it would be sufficient for my needs, I don't click on any ads and am quite careful with my online activities. It has been so long since I have not had an AV installed, I remember that Windows Defender used to show a popup warning that no AV is installed. I guess this is no longer the case on W10?

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SpendLessTime
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Re: Anti virus recommendations

@jaread83

I've been using it on Windows 10 and its predecessor on Windows 7 for 4 years without incident.

On WIndows 7, you used to get messages all the time if you disabled MSE.

I've just disabled Defender and straight away the messages popped up saying I had no protection against virus & spyware so Windows 10 does check.

Check that you have the messages turned on at 

Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Security and Maintenance\Change Security and Maintenance settings

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jaread83
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Re: Anti virus recommendations

Cheers! I will check those settings when I get home.

Another reason I got rid of my AV was that it was blocking the installation of my nVidia graphic drivers and only half installing it! The installation would remove all the drivers and then attempt to install... only at that point it would fail and leave me with no graphics drivers. Spent countless hours researching how to fix it and all it took was disabling the AV when installing the drivers. After a few days of it switched off completely I decided to just be rid of it.

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bazinga_81
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Re: Anti virus recommendations

I've used kaspersky for years with no problems and get it free with having Barclay's bank account.
RJM
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Re: Anti virus recommendations

rongtw
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Re: Anti virus recommendations

Mav has the best combination Thumbs_Up cant go wrong Smiley

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jaread83
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Re: Anti virus recommendations

I will certainly give it a go using those applications. It has been a long time since using spybot!

@RJM, that's a really interesting website, I have bookmarked it for later!

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Oldjim
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Re: Anti virus recommendations

i should also look here - Real World Tests may be the best place to start http://www.av-comparatives.org/dynamic-tests/

Mav
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Re: Anti virus recommendations


@rongtw wrote:

Mav has the best combination Thumbs_Up cant go wrong Smiley


Touch wood, since using that combination I have never had anything untoward on my PC or laptopSmiley

 

I always recommend SpyBot 1.6.2 as 2.5 seems overly complicated and messy to use.

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ReedRichards
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Re: Anti virus recommendations

AVG, which was a good program once, is best avoided now.  It tries to sell you a plethora of add-ons of varying quality from the okay to the dubious.  Recently I saw someone that had been persuaded to buy an AVG Driver Updater after being told he had 24 out-of-date drivers.  Once purchased, this proceeded to install drivers and borked his computer by installing the wrong driver.    

St3
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Re: Anti virus recommendations

I tried them all over the years, most of the popular ones avg,panda,avast.. etc .. once more and more people downloaded their stuff they begin to add adverts and popups.

The best antivirus is Microsoft Security Essentials for w10, this is all i use and it never picks up on anything nasty. Its free with windows and you get no popups and no conflicts with anything on the pc... works like a dream Smiley