Computer Anti-Virus Question

[Ann Marie]

I need help from the computer techies out there!! :blinking:

For the last year, at home, we've had the anti-virus software Kaspersky. We need to either renew or change to something else.

I'd like to get something that works well without problems (hate Norton!). Is Kaspersky the one I should still be looking at?

I'd be nice if I could buy the program and use it on a couple different computer (don't know if this is possible or not). We have several here.

Thanks!!

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

You might want to look at AVG. The price is reasonable and it is not very resource hungry. I discarded Norton a long time ago (uses way to much resources). I have used ESET, it is very lightweight but let some local Chinese virus in that I could not remove. McAffee was better, I ran it a year before it let some nasty virus in. It did remove them, but not before we passed along a present that keeps on giving to our friends.

So far AVG has been 100% (I run 3 computers on my desk 24/7 plus 4 more in the family) for the past 3 months.

 

[ekremer]

here is a good article:
2009 Anti-Virus Roundup : One-Stop Comparison for 14 Anti-Virus Titles

Avira won top nod from them, and I have used it and liked it on other pc's.

Also Microsoft has one I am running now:
http://www.microsoft.com/Security_Essentials/

It seems to work pretty well, but I have a beefy system, and am not sure how it preforms on lower end hardware.

 

[diversteve]

I switched from AVG to Microsoft Security Essentials. Since last summer I've had no issues with it. Both are free for non-commercial use. If you decide on the free AVG, download and install the free Comodo firewall also. Both are pretty unobtrusive.

 

[muddiver]

Ann Marie, I use AVG as my anti virus and Zone alarm for a firewall. Both come in a free version and they don't slow the computer down.

I tried McAfee and Norton and they slowed my computers to a crawl. Not worth the hassel.

The reason I use Zone Alarm is that it stops un-identified traffic go out as well as going into the computer. Other firewalls only work to deter outside threats from getting in. They do you no good if there is a key logger or other data mining virus that is trying to export information from your computer.

 

[SkimFisher]

F-Secure is not bad either.

 

[Ann Marie]

Thanks for all the responses! I really appreciate it. I know what I usually need to know to work on my computer, but once we start talking the techie stuff I'm lost!

 

[divinginn]

Avg has been protecting my computers for 3-4 years without problems.

 

[RAWalker]

I've been using Avast home on 2 of my computers and I'm satisfied with it's performance.
In the past I used AVG, Nortons and Mcaffee.

 

[rakkis]

Norton had a number of years where performance went to the stinker. But since 2009, and even more with 2010, it has been winning awards and dusting the competition in terms of performance.

I suggest you try the fully functional 15-day demo version. It takes less than a minute to install.

http://www.norton.com/nis10