Surfinusa
Premium
join:2001-02-08 |  Best Truly Free Anti-Virus Program still out there???
I hear AVG 8.0 email scanning cuts off after 30 days in the free edition.
Is there any good free Anti-virus program left out there?
Anyone know any good ones that still are free and have email scanning built in ???? |
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jerry666
join:2002-12-12
Piedmont, QC
clubs:
edit:
May 7th, @11:34AM
| email does not stop after 30 days with AVG free , that is AVG trial .
I've used AVG for about 10 years and have switched to avast as they let you turn off features without the your system is vulnerable warning |
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Grail Knight
Who Dares Wins
Premium
join:2003-05-31
Erie, PA
 ·Verizon Online DSL
| reply to Surfinusa
I just started using Avast again after a few years away from it and it is a fine program.
An AV programs resident scanner should be able to handle email by itself IMO but I have resident scanning and on-access disabled and the email scanner active.
It depends on each user and how they set up their AV program options.
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"When the questions get tough the tough pull a MuMu". - unknown |
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sded
Premium
join:2002-11-04
San Diego, CA | reply to Surfinusa
Avast! 4.8 free does antivirus, antispyware, antirootkit and does email scanning just fine. I use it on 4 computers. |
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Bubba1
Less is More
Premium
join:2006-09-21
| reply to Surfinusa
Well, I'm new to Avast. Installed the free version less than a week ago, getting a taste of their paid Pro (60 days) now. Very impressed thus-far.
Too, there is Avira's Antivir.
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"Fast is fine, but accuracy is everything" --Wyatt Earp |
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poppster
Tell the truth and then run.
Premium
join:2003-12-23
Midwest
clubs:
 ·Mediacom
·Verizon Online DSL
| reply to Surfinusa
Use the site's search function, it will bring up loads of information about this question, (a very frequent question).
»/nsearch?q=Fre···42881773
But we are always here to help those who have queries. 
Try Avast 4.8. Everything you need, plus rootkit detection.
Goodluck!
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What else would you do?
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There is hope! |
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bellgamin
Kachunga
Premium
join:2003-01-12
Ewa Beach, HI
| reply to Surfinusa
By actual tests, Avira-free has THE best detection. However, it does not cover spyware in the free version.
Avast is just a hair behind Avira-free on tests, plus Avast DOES cover spyware. Ergo, if you do not plan to run a stand-along antispyware app, then I recommend Avast. If you do intend to run an antispyware app, then Avira-free is the better choice. |
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Surfinusa
Premium
join:2001-02-08 | reply to poppster
Thanks all. Sounds like most of you like Avast in here.
If anyone else has any other suggestions. Love to hear them.
Thanks again. |
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jadinolf
I love you Fred
Premium
join:2005-07-09
Ojai, CA | Let me jump on the avast! bandwagon.
I have it on 5 computers and am extremely satisfied with it.
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This post printed on 100% recycled bytes |
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Trel
Good Evening
Premium
join:2002-10-08
Hillsborough, NJ
 ·surpasshosting
| reply to Surfinusa
I'm an Avira user and it's the best scanner I've used.
I used to use Avast, but there's a downside in which you can't run an unattened scan because when it finds something it prompts you every time with no option to have it carry out a default action.
--
/chown -R us:us /yourbase |
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antivir
@optonline.net
| reply to Surfinusa
Antivir is a much cleaner and well-coded engine. Also: as a side benefit it has BETTER DETECTION RATINGS.
I find the Avast and Grisoft software bloated and unwieldy. Neither have been able to figure out how to simplify and organize their programs properly. No serious complaints against their similarly great detections, though. |
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alamarco
Rin
join:2003-06-18
Windsor, ON
clubs:
·Cogeco Cable
| reply to Trel
Hearing of AVG 8 woes I decided to try out Avira AntiVir. It was light weight, but the constant ad turned me away. Almost every time I logged into my PC I'd see an ad from Avira.
Right now I'm using Avast and so far I'm pleased. The only thing I dislike is the rotating system tray icon. I turned off the option to rotate, but it still rotates. Might need a restart, which I haven't done, but besides that Avast seems to be the next free antivirus for me. |
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La Luna
Surviving Ashraful
Premium
join:2001-07-12
Hewitt, NJ
clubs: | reply to antivir
said by antivir :
I find the Avast....bloated and unwieldy....
You're kidding, right? Please explain how Avast is "bloated and unwieldy". |
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Surfinusa
Premium
join:2001-02-08
| reply to alamarco
said by alamarco  :Hearing of AVG 8 woes I decided to try out Avira AntiVir. Interesting what woes have you heard With AVG 8.0? |
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Surfinusa
Premium
join:2001-02-08 | reply to bellgamin
Is this ad supported? Are there pop up ads? And if so how do you disable them?
Thx |
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Trel
Good Evening
Premium
join:2002-10-08
Hillsborough, NJ
·surpasshosting
| said by Surfinusa :Is this ad supported? Are there pop up ads? And if so how do you disable them? Thx said by alamarco :Hearing of AVG 8 woes I decided to try out Avira AntiVir. It was light weight, but the constant ad turned me away. Almost every time I logged into my PC I'd see an ad from Avira. Avira displays an ad for its pro version when it updates.
(I find that a very small price to pay for the best Antivirus I've used) |
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Mele20
Premium
join:2001-06-05
Hilo, HI
| reply to antivir
said by antivir :
Antivir is a much cleaner and well-coded engine. Also: as a side benefit it has BETTER DETECTION RATINGS.
I find the Avast and Grisoft software bloated and unwieldy. Neither have been able to figure out how to simplify and organize their programs properly. No serious complaints against their similarly great detections, though.
I agree that Avast and AVG are too bloated (and always have been) but then Avira 8, except for the free version, is also getting bloated but still not nearly as bloated as Avast and AVG and the free version is not at all bloated.
The one problem with Avira, and it is a big problem, is the large number of False Positives. It detected a new, free program from DiamondCS two days ago as being a trojan.  Then today it detected Javacool's ver1 of his Eulalyzer as being a trojan. Avira detects about ONE FOURTH of the programs in my Downloaded Programs folder as FP's. I have submitted so many FP's in the 16 months I have used Avira that I have lost count. All FP's from other antivirus applications that I have used over the years put together would not equal even one fourth of the FP's from Avira. I submitted both of these and yesterday, I got back an email saying Oops! Sorry, the DiamondCS file is clean ...we will remove detection. It's too soon to hear back about Javacool's file but since I have had that file for two years, and it was never detected until after the new engine update yesterday, I know it is an FP. I hate it when Avira updates the engine as I know that means I will see FP's. Both these files were detected on the basis of the packers used. (The current Eulalyzer file -ver2- is not detected and it uses different packing from ver1).
It's ironic because I have Avira mostly so I can scan newly downloaded programs before executing so I can't exclude the Downloaded Programs folder and it is a hassle to exclude items in Avira. Avira is arrogant about fixing that also. They want Avira to be only for newbies and users who know nothing about using an antivirus program, thus, they refuse to make it so that one click from the detection popup would exclude the file with all paths to that file. I had constant FP's when Avira had Applications and Security Privacy Risk checked by default under Extended Threats. They changed that last September and removed those from being checked by default because of so many FP's. But I still get way too many FP's. I have to turn Guard off anytime I want to enter my Downloaded Programs folder. I probably wouldn't believe Avira if ever did find a real virus because it has cried "Fire" in a crowded theatre too many times when there was no fire and has never found a real virus (I have submitted a few that it did NOT find that were real viruses and other AV were detecting and Avira could not because its unpacking is not that great for real detection but is hyper for false detection).
--
"The same ferocity that our founders devoted to protect the freedom and independence of the press is now appropriate for our defense of the freedom of the internet. The stakes are the same: the survival of our Republic". Al Gore, The Assault on Reason |
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Grail Knight
Who Dares Wins
Premium
join:2003-05-31
Erie, PA
·Verizon Online DSL
| quote:
Mele20, They want Avira to be only for newbies and users who know nothing about using an antivirus program, thus, they refuse to make it so that one click from the detection popup would exclude the file with all paths to that file.
Mele20 do you have any links to prove what you say is nothing more then your interpretation of things?
quote:
I probably wouldn't believe Avira if ever did find a real virus because it has cried "Fire" in a crowded theatre too many times when there was no fire and has never found a real virus
So are you hoping for a virus just so you can see if Avira works? 
The goal is not to have a virus infect your computer.
Your whole post from what I can decipher reads like a cautionary note to:
1. Stay away from Avira as it has a lot of issues.
2. Avira is slow to respond or does not respond at all to user requests.
BTW when was the last time you tried out Avast and if you think it is bloated why because I have run all sorts of AV programs including Avira, AVG, and Avast and Avast is no more bloated then Avira.
I do believe that AVG 8 is not an exemplary release and does consume a tad more memory over AVG v7.5 but you will get that with software from time to time and AVG can correct any short comings in an update.
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"When the questions get tough the tough pull a MuMu". - unknown |
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bellgamin
Kachunga
Premium
join:2003-01-12
Ewa Beach, HI
edit:
May 8th, @09:23PM
| reply to Surfinusa
said by Surfinusa :Are there pop up ads? And if so how do you disable them? Thx When updating, Avira-free manifests a pop-up (filename "notifier.exe", as I recall). You can easily block notifier.exe if you are running a HIPS such as System Safety Monitor, or Prosecurity, or Comodo Firewall's Defence Plus. Otherwise, just bear with the pop-up -- it takes 1 second to clear the pop-up each time.
P.S. I have used Avira for several years, with heuristics set at medium level. False-positives are VERY rare. |
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Kerodo
join:2004-05-08
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
| reply to Surfinusa
I like Avira best also, although I'm using the Premium version right now. The 2 drawbacks to the free version are rather flakey update servers, by that I mean it's sometimes difficult or impossible to update unless you do it at the right time of day. And 2nd, the nag screen, which, as Bellgamin mentions, can be disabled, just use any HIPS or program which prevents "avnotify.exe" from executing.
Avira Premium doesn't have the above issues, and I have no FP issues with it either, just using it stock, out of the box, and it's fine.
I'd take Avast second I guess, and AVG last, especially since I got a BSOD during install of AVG 8 Free just recently. Seems quite buggy at this point. |
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