Need Opinions on Virus Protection

[AVE0SAM]

Don't know much about which brand is good for the money, I just know I need it for my desktop since it cost an arm and a leg and doesn't have any. So what's your advice on which to get?

[mikedudley17]

i use Antivir. its free. only downside is no spyware protection. but its a good basic free antivirus.

[khan4rtist]

dont ever skimp on virus protection, get the new norton internet security 2009, its really light and installs quickly without hogging system resources, it also updates its malware definitions every 5-15 minutes.

[xiaogary]

I using AVG free from www.download.com

It updates virus definition everyday automacically the moment I turn on the PC.

[AVE0SAM]

yea I was thinking of getting norton...does it do viruses, spyware, and malware? I want everything to be covered and def don't want to skip out. In the past year we have had two desktops and my laptop go because of viruses. I don't mind spending the money considering the desktop package I had to buy for the architecture program I was going into (Dell Precision T3400 with a bunch of bells and wistles) was between like $2500-3000, but did not include any software installed because the school was going to format and add that software like virus protection. Then a week after I got the comp in the summer I decided I didnt want to do architecture or go to that school so none of that got installed

[AVE0SAM]

dont ever skimp on virus protection, get the new norton internet security 2009, its really light and installs quickly without hogging system resources, it also updates its malware definitions every 5-15 minutes.

another question I had is say something like spyware, malware, or virus has already gotten in the system, will norton security be able to remove that?

[Ravenne]

In my opinion, Avast has worked the best

http://www.avast.com/eng/download-avast-home.html

It's free and doesn't worm itself into your system like Norton does. Norton is almost like a virus itself. Comes with a lot of 'stuff' and is almost impossible to remove from a system. McAfee is right up there with Norton, system hogs.
Just because you pay for something doesn't necessarily make it better. Symantec, McAfee, they're main goal in life is to make money for their product.

There's also AVG, I have no experience with that one directly http://free.avg.com/download-avg-anti-v ... ee-edition

Malware protection you can use Ad-Aware free version http://lavasoft.com/single/trialpay.php

There is also Spybot search and destroy http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/

I use a combination of both, what one doesn't pick up the other will. And they're both free programs.

There's also Windows Defender http://www.microsoft.com/windows/produc ... fault.mspx

[y2dgone]

I use spybot and norton.

Hey Sam, I know the best protection for you...STOP DOWNLOADING PORN!

[khan4rtist]

dont ever skimp on virus protection, get the new norton internet security 2009, its really light and installs quickly without hogging system resources, it also updates its malware definitions every 5-15 minutes.

another question I had is say something like spyware, malware, or virus has already gotten in the system, will norton security be able to remove that?

if you already have some malware in your system (malware being anything from viruses to spyware) then norton would be no good until you remove whats already infected your computer, if you need to remove some malware, use spybot and adaware from lavasoft.

Norton has been completely redisegned for 2009, it no longer holds your system hostage like previous versions have. How do I know this? because i use it myself and as a pc tech, i have seen tons of antivirus software being used, and none of them come close to the speed and reliability of norton IS 09

[AVE0SAM]

dont ever skimp on virus protection, get the new norton internet security 2009, its really light and installs quickly without hogging system resources, it also updates its malware definitions every 5-15 minutes.

another question I had is say something like spyware, malware, or virus has already gotten in the system, will norton security be able to remove that?

if you already have some malware in your system (malware being anything from viruses to spyware) then norton would be no good until you remove whats already infected your computer, if you need to remove some malware, use spybot and adaware from lavasoft.

Norton has been completely redisegned for 2009, it no longer holds your system hostage like previous versions have. How do I know this? because i use it myself and as a pc tech, i have seen tons of antivirus software being used, and none of them come close to the speed and reliability of norton IS 09

ok so if I download spybot and/or adaware from the links ravenne provided, I should be able to remove something that I might already have? I am not sure if I do I just wanna make sure and having something til I decide on Norton 2009. The only reason I am suspicious is that every once and a while when I am on this forum and I open a link into a new window, multiple windows keep popping up and I can't stop them except from turning the computer off. It is weird because I believe it only happens when I am on this forum and not everytime

Dan, I have tried that lol