Anti virus/malware suggestions

[Kev Williams]

for the past 3 months my three Win7 computers have slowly been turning into WinME slugs. During a virus catch (by MS security essentials) I found out that MS has been forcing updates onto my 7's even though I have updates turned OFF. My kid showed me how to stop this crap by disabling updates thru group policy. So far so good, but I decided that even though I've always liked Security Essentials, it needs to go bye-bye.

SO, I decide maybe it's time to actually pay for an AV/AM program. Did some research, and "TotalAV" came up as good. Now, a BIG reason I don't like free AV's is because of the daily popups wanting to sell me the better version. So I gave TotalAV my money.

Holy crap. The AV works fine, but this company is the hands-down king of popup ads! No less than once every other hour an upgrade popup invades the lower quadrant of my monitor. They also sell ad blocking (ironically) and VPN,s and virus vaults and they just lost me as a customer...

So a big deal with me is NO POPUPS!!

That said, I know Malwarebytes is good and they've been around forever, but I don't know their 'intrusiveness' factor.

I've used in the past AVG, Avast and Panda. Panda's problem was the popups. AVG and Avast I liked, but they eventually took over my computer, so those three I want to avoid...

That said, any suggestions welcome! :)

[Wade Lippman]

I have MWBT, paid on one computer and free on two, and it is wholly unobtrusive. But it is not an antivirus; just malware.

I like Bitdefender. I don't know how well it works because I haven't had a virus in about 15 years. Back then it was found by the free MS software, but it couldn't get rid of it. Super Antispyware was able to fix my system. I still run free SAS scans, but it has not found anything in 15 years.

[Chris Parks]

I use whatever is in WIN10 and if a virus gets through a full format sorts it out. In nearly 20 years of using the internet I have not had one and gave up using a virus program years ago. All my files are kept on an NAS so there is no problem formatting the computer drive.

[Aaron Rosenthal]

Like Chris, I use the windows 10 defender software and a NAS for the data files - I'm partitioned up the ying-yang.
I had endless "conflicts" when I had shareware or even paid security software.
Im also looking at a password protection program.

[Chuck Wintle]

for the past 3 months my three Win7 computers have slowly been turning into WinME slugs. During a virus catch (by MS security essentials) I found out that MS has been forcing updates onto my 7's even though I have updates turned OFF. My kid showed me how to stop this crap by disabling updates thru group policy. So far so good, but I decided that even though I've always liked Security Essentials, it needs to go bye-bye.

SO, I decide maybe it's time to actually pay for an AV/AM program. Did some research, and "TotalAV" came up as good. Now, a BIG reason I don't like free AV's is because of the daily popups wanting to sell me the better version. So I gave TotalAV my money.

Holy crap. The AV works fine, but this company is the hands-down king of popup ads! No less than once every other hour an upgrade popup invades the lower quadrant of my monitor. They also sell ad blocking (ironically) and VPN,s and virus vaults and they just lost me as a customer...

So a big deal with me is NO POPUPS!!

That said, I know Malwarebytes is good and they've been around forever, but I don't know their 'intrusiveness' factor.

I've used in the past AVG, Avast and Panda. Panda's problem was the popups. AVG and Avast I liked, but they eventually took over my computer, so those three I want to avoid...

That said, any suggestions welcome! :)
I use Spybot (free and no popups) the paid version of malwarebytes and finally Panda(which had popups but I have not seen any lately. As for updates I do all updates manually and never allow it to go automatically. My experience with the forced upgrade to win10 forced me to do updates manually.

[Jim Becker]

My Windows VMs use the built in Microsoft solution. It works just fine and has for years. I use Sophos on the MacOS side.

[Robert Engel]

My computer guy installed Avira on all the computers on the network.

Free and seems to work fine.

There is an occasional advertisment to buy the "full" version, but he said you don't need that.

Whatever you do, do NOT use Norton.

[Bill Carey]

I've used Bitdefender for the last 5 years and like it a lot. Unobtrusive, no adds. I have it on my computers and phones. I can lock or wipe a phone remotely if I lose one. Can also locate a phone. Has built in VPN.

[Barry McFadden]

My computer guy installed Avira on all the computers on the network.

Free and seems to work fine.

There is an occasional advertisment to buy the "full" version, but he said you don't need that.

Whatever you do, do NOT use Norton.

Just curious why you are against Norton. I use Norton 360 and have for years. It alerts me to potential problems with websites or files that the built in defender that comes with Win 10 never does.

[Jerome Stanek]

The last time I used Norton it slowed my computer to a crawl like going back 10 years

[Tom M King]

Back when we were using Norton, we had viruses twice, and each time, Norton wanted about a hundred bucks to get the viruses off. The last time, I just booted in safe mode, downloaded Spyhunter, and cleaned it myself. Needless to say, Norton was never renewed again. Been running Spyhunter on top of the Windows one since, and zero problems.

[Roy Petersen]

Back when we were using Norton, we had viruses twice
I was called once to remove an infection, and the source was the the Norton updater itself. We never had much luck with Norton, but that was before the 360 version.
We've been using the Eset Internet Security product here for quite a few years. Firewall, AV and a lot more, and it just quietly does it's job.

[Barry McFadden]

The last time I used Norton it slowed my computer to a crawl like going back 10 years

Mine boots up from off to ready to go in about 45 seconds.... and runs programs as quick as I can click on them.....

[Mike Henderson]

I've been using AVG free for quite a while.

Mike

[Kev Williams]

Thanks for the replies all :)

FWIW-- many years ago, maybe 15, my sister worked with me, and I got her a shiny new E-machines computer. She proceeded to install Quickbooks, AOHell, Norton Securities, and McAfee..! -About 2 months later I needed the computer one Saturday morning to print an invoice for a waiting customer. I pressed the ON button, and it took 22 minutes for the taskbar icons to finally show up, and another 2 minutes for Quickbooks to load... Right now that exact same computer with the same exact never re-installed XP. is sitting next to me with 4 of my engraving machines connected to it. With all that crap removed, it boots up and is totally useable in 28 seconds, and works like lightning compared to my win7's...

So McAfee and Norton can be added to my blacklist ;)

As for TotalAV, I just have to show y'all this...

Screenshot of the email I sent them:
396651

this is the email I received:
396652
--AAGGGHHH!!!!!! What part of cancel my account is so dam hard to figure out????
And note the freebie will be billed NEXT year at the regular price! GAWD I hate companies that pull this crap!

Rant all said, Rob Engel's Avira caught my eye, I liked their website, downloaded the AV and a couple other freebies, installed, rebooted (several hours ago) and haven't seen a thing about it on the computer-- I just this second opened it up to make sure I did the install right, and I find it's already ran a scan and gave me a clean bill of health!
so far,a definite http://www.engraver1.com/gifs/thumbsup.gif