FREE Anti-virus software suggestions

Zoomzoom

Zoomzoom

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I am running the free version of AVG which has now annoyed me one time too many. Entirely gatvol with it doing WTF it likes downloading updates when I'm in the middle of something and throwing random popups at me to buy the full version which I am NEVER going to do, even if I had the money (which I don't) because it is so blasted annoying.

So is there a FREE anti-virus out there, that isn't as annoying as ----, and which I can specify when it updates (like during free data time not during the blinking day chowing all my paid data and just generally driving me insane).

Pretty please.

Oh and said anti-virus also needs to download an off-line installation, not mess up Windows (been there done that) or generally cause conflicts, slowness, pain in the buttness of any kind. It needs to do its thing quietly in the background, not chew up too much RAM ('cos I ain't got a lot to share) and keep my PC safe from evil things that want to infect its brain. Too much to ask?

Oh running Win 7 (not the nasty pooh yuck keep it away it away from me Win 8 or worse Win 10).
 
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Rickster

Rickster

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Avast Free

You must be mad to think Win 8 is better than 10, absolutely bonkers.
 
Conack

Conack

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The two above are indeed your best bet.
Edit: Not really ticking the boxes of what you want it to do exactly, but they're the only decent ones worth using from my experience atleast.
 
Geoff.D

Geoff.D

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Zoomzoom said:
I am running the free version of AVG which has now annoyed me one time too many. Entirely gatvol with it doing WTF it likes downloading updates when I'm in the middle of something and throwing random popups at me to buy the full version which I am NEVER going to do, even if I had the money (which I don't) because it is so blasted annoying.

So is there a FREE anti-virus out there, that isn't as annoying as ----, and which I can specify when it updates (like during free data time not during the blinking day chowing all my paid data and just generally driving me insane).

Pretty please.

Oh and said anti-virus also needs to download an off-line installation, not mess up Windows (been there done that) or generally cause conflicts, slowness, pain in the buttness of any kind. It needs to do its thing quietly in the background, not chew up too much RAM ('cos I ain't got a lot to share) and keep my PC safe from evil things that want to infect its brain. Too much to ask?

Oh running Win 7 (not the nasty pooh yuck keep it away it away from me Win 8 or worse Win 10).
Click to expand...

No man, bury the hatchet and install WIN 10. It is really much better than you think. Then go for Windows Defender. .....
 
M

mister

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*cough*

Windows 10 Pro with built in Windows Defender, and EMET (Creator's Fall Update)
 
Zoomzoom

Zoomzoom

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Geoff.D said:
No man, bury the hatchet and install WIN 10. It is really much better than you think. Then go for Windows Defender. .....
Click to expand...

My daughter was given a hand-me-down laptop (ex-touch screen with a crack in one corner so no more touch, but everything else works) with Win 10 "kindly" installed (let me update it for you before I give it to you) ... and NO! Honestly I swear Microsoft thinks the world is getting stupider or something. You can do NOTHING with it. Every time there is a problem (daily) and I think OK let's find the setting and change it to stop it doing X - no freaking way! FYI there is no universe in which Windows anti-virus things are considered remotely adequate. If you are relying on them, please consider something that actually works.


After reading some reviews it looks like AVG is still one of the better ones out there, Bitdefender also rates highly but the 1.5GB RAM requirement worries me about how much space it takes up in the background. I only have 2GB RAM so this is an issue. Looks like I might be stuck with this annoying piece of (apparently good) ..... SIGH.
 
HunterNW

HunterNW

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I've got Win 10 with all it's woofers, tweeters and bling. Recently my Google chrome got infected by some mallware that went through all these windows gadgets, undetected. Had to download an anti malware program to get that sorted.
 
Zoomzoom

Zoomzoom

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HunterNW said:
I've got Win 10 with all it's woofers, tweeters and bling. Recently my Google chrome got infected by some mallware that went through all these windows gadgets, undetected. Had to download an anti malware program to get that sorted.
Click to expand...

yup you usually need an anti-malware as well as an anti-virus. Malwarebytes is highly recommended but there are issues with conflicts with anti-virus software. SuperAntiSpyware is also good and so far so good on the conflict issue.
 
Zoomzoom

Zoomzoom

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AlphaJohn said:
And here I thought you wanted to get rid of viruses and malware?
Click to expand...

hey ... what can I say, my sister has a license and offered it to me. Beggars 'n all that.

I'm sticking with AVG. It might be as annoying as all .... but it is one of the better free versions out there (which is why I installed it in the first place). I'd just REALLY like to be able to schedule the updates around my daily download time from 5 - 7 am, but as I said before beggars etc.
 
SauRoNZA

SauRoNZA

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Zoomzoom said:
FYI there is no universe in which Windows anti-virus things are considered remotely adequate. If you are relying on them, please consider something that actually works.
Click to expand...

You came in here asking for advice on an Antivirus.

Then discredit one without knowing anything about it because of who made it.

Similarly applicable to your comments on the OS which you spent 5 minutes with.


The best antivirus is simply the "Don't be a Retard" one. If you apply that you don't need much else.

Windows built-in jobbie does the job perfectly, doesn't take additional resources and requires no additional input...resolving your worry about the 1.5 GB RAM entirely.
 
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