A Free Anti-Virus Program

I have no idea why this information isn't better known. This is one of the best bargains I know of for Windows users, and yet most people have never heard of it.

First of all, every Windows computer needs an anti-virus program running at all times. If you are running a Windows computer right now without up-to-date anti-virus software, your system will become infected with a virus sooner or later. In fact, your PC may be infected right now without your knowledge. Yet there is a free and easy method of avoiding viruses.

If you already have an anti-virus program installed, there are several things you should know:

1. All anti-virus programs will slow the operation of your computer. This is inevitable. However, some anti-virus programs will slow your computer more than others. Generally speaking, the well-known, more sophisticated programs will slow the computer down more than the simpler ones. The free program I will describe slows a computer less than do most of its competitors.
2. Almost all commercial anti-virus programs cost money to purchase, and then you find out that the program only works for a year. In fact, every anti-virus program must be updated daily or every few days to make sure it is always prepared for new virus that have recently been found. After twelve months, most commercial anti-virus programs will ask you to pay another $30 to $60 for another year's worth of updates. (Some programs will not ask for two years.)  The free program I will describe is free to purchase and never asks for any additional money.
3. The better-known commercial anti-virus programs seem to suffer from "feature-itis." That is, the software producers keep adding more and more features to make the program do more and more. Common additions include anti-phishing features, anti-spyware, online identity protection, web site authentication, a firewall, anti-rootkit protection, and more. To be sure, some of these features may be very useful, especially for computer novices. Knowledgeable Windows users may find such features unnecessary since most of us can recognize phishing, spyware, and such things without additional software. Whether you deem these "extra features" to be useful or not, each adds bulk to the program, slows the computer down still more, and also probably increases the price. The free program I will describe is simple: it protects against viruses. However, the same software producer offers a free anti-spyware product and a free anti-rootkit product. In addition to the free products, the same company adds an even more sophisticated combination of features for a modest price, although not free.

NOTE: For more information on some of these terms, look at the following:
Virus - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virus
Spyware - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spyware
Phishing - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phishing
Rootkit - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rootkit

One free program can stop viruses from entering your Windows system. If your computer is already infected, the same program may be able to remove the virus (no program is ever guaranteed to be able to remove ALL viruses). Best of all, the program is available free of charge. The program is:

AVG Free Edition produced by GriSoft

AVG Free Edition is an excellent anti-virus program that stops viruses as well as most of the commercial products. Its effectiveness has been tested and verified by West Coast Labs, ICSA Laboratories and Virus Bulletin. I do not have proper virus testing capabilities, so I cannot test AVG myself. However, I will say that I have been using AVG Free Edition as the anti-virus program on one of my Windows XP systems for several years and have never had a virus on that system, despite the fact that it is exposed to the Internet and many web sites and e-mail messages every day.

Obviously, the best thing about AVG Free Edition is its price: free. You can download it right now and start using it immediately. The program updates its anti-virus rules every few days to keep your protection at the maximum level possible.

AVG Free Edition does have several disadvantages, however. You need to be aware of these limitations:

1. AVG is licensed for private, non-commercial, single home computer use only. You cannot use it on any computer being used at work or at any corporation or for any commercial use whatsoever. It also may not be used in schools, charities, churches, or governmental organizations. AVG sells a commercial version for computers not allowed under the Free Edition license.
2. You may use AVG Free Edition on a maximum of one computer. If you own two or more computers, you may only use AVG Free Edition on one of them.
3. There is no tech support available for AVG Free Edition. Full tech support is available only with the commercial version.
4. Downloading the program and/or the updates may be slower for AVG Free Edition than for the commercial version. This strikes me as a minor limitation.

I am pleased with AVG Free Edition. I also hear good things about the product from others who are using it. In fact, a few months ago I needed to renew the subscription of a commercial anti-virus product I had been using in my other Windows computers. Since I was already using one copy of AVG Free Edition, I could not use it in my other Windows systems. Instead, I purchased the "high end version: of the AVG free program: AVG Internet Security Home Edition, which is licensed for installation in three separate computers. The total cost to protect all three systems for one year was $64.95. However, I chose the two-year option for $86.95. That works out to $14.40 per computer per year - a bargain when compared to the anti-virus programs I see at the local computer store.

If you have a single Windows computer that needs anti-virus protection, I'd suggest that you look at AVG Free Edition at http://free.grisoft.com.

If you have more computers to protect or need still more protection for a single computer, I'd then suggest that you look at the company's commercial products. They work well and are cheaper than most competitive products.

Comments

[Elaine O'Neill]

I've been using AVG Free for about 3 months now and love it! My son, the techno-geek recommended it and both you and he are absolutely right! I'll never use either of the two main Anti-virus programs again.

[Brian M Morley]

I have tried AVG Free but about 3 yrs ago I switched to another free antivirus program called Avast! Home edition by Alwil Software. It too updates the virus database frequently & also the program itself and it can be updated automatically. You can Purchase a Professional Version and they are nowhere as big as AVG. It does not slow your computer down very much at all.

[Phyllis Caldwell]

Thanks for your endorsement Dick.

I was introduced to free AVG when this program was first available, but somehow lost the contact with updating computers. I was reintroducded to it several years ago, when a friend suggested I try a better antiviral program than I then had on my computer. I began the purchased program so my husband could be relieved of his frustration with his antiviral program.
We both recommend AVG to our friends and associates.

[Maureen]

I also use Avast! I have it set to automatic update. It does slow down net access for a couple of minutes when it is actually updating, but otherwise, I wouldn't know it was there.

Never have had a problem (knock on wood).

A few years ago, when I got fed up paying the yearly fees for one of the 'others', I checked out both AVG and Avast! Both similar, both highly recommended. The tipping point --- I can have Avast! on both my desktop & laptop for free.

[Bettye Heinrich]

I have used the free version of AVG for the past 6 years. I like it better than Norton's or McAfee.
I have recommended it to several people and they reported back that they like it.

[Martin Tolley]

I started with AVG many years ago on the recommendation of a computer technician at my work place. It worked well on my home machine. I upgraded to a new super dooper confuser and it came with a commercial virus protector - free now, keep upgrading at cost on a yearly basis. For a year I had both programmes running at the same time on the same machine. One programme kept quietly in the background and the other (guess which?) kept stopping my machine, uploading updates, sending me important email announcements about how the world was coming to an end and how my virus protection (theirs) was probably inadequate to cope without being supported by extra expenditure and was my peace of mind, my valuable date worth . . . etc. AVG managed to trap three viruses that the commercial package didn't. When the commercial package did get one, I had to link to their site, read heaps of complex stuff that I didn't (and don't WANT to understand)and the help facility and information as to how to deal with it was so complex that I wasted a good day and a half pratting about. On the other hand the steps to renew your subscription takes about ten seconds and three mouseclicks. On a recent occasion AVG simply announced in a box that a virus had been detected and dealt with. Virus protection or protection racket? AVG for me.

[Joan McIlmoyl Cleghorn]

Way to go Dick! Our PC User Group, Big Blue & Cousins, has used the paid version of AVG for our lab computers for many years now and many of our members use the free version. I use Avast! and love it and several times over the years it has a caught a virus that other expensive programs took another several days to even recognize.....

Two great programs that far outstrip the 'protection racket' ones.

[David Larson]

To be fair, most of the well known virus packages can be updated yearly for free (after rebate) from several of the larger chains (Best Buy, Circuit City, etc.). As far as features continually being added, you are correct, but there are no requirements that all those features need to be installed. I have used a commercial package for years, with no upgrade outlay after the initial purchase, and have not installed anything beyond the core scanning software. Not once have I been dragged to their website, and even with heuristic scanning enabled I have not been bothered with upgrade popups or announcements.
If you are happy with the free software, and it works well, then go with it, by all means.

[G. L. Esterson]

It seems that with AVG, the program makes a daily check of the entire disk for viruses, and that the user has no control over the frequency, date, time, or other parameters of this check. If your central processor is slowish, this check (which can take up to an hour, depending on the information on the hard disk), basically slowing the computer down to a very slow pace. Furthermore, not everyone wants or needs such a daily long check.

Other than this, we have been very pleased with AVG.

Does anyone know if other options are available to control the disk check, or if the user can otherwise have control over this aspect of AVG?

[Al Calkins]

If your AVG makes a daily check automatically it is because you set it up that way. Change your settings. I have been using AVG for several years. It only checks the entire disc when you desire.

[John Mainprize]

The free AVG program scheduler is time ajustable but that is all. I have mine set to run every day at 3AM, but then my machine stays on all the time so it can run the distibuted program to analyze folding proteins.
This program is called Folding@home and is used by Stanford University for "protein folding" which is a tool used to help fight disease. To better understand what it is and does, check the following web link: http://folding.stanford.edu/

[Hal Whitmore]

Sounds especially good for us Mac users who are seldom online with our Windows alternatives.

[Dino (All Dino, All the Time)]

Dick,

Thanks for the info on AVG. That is one product that I've always wondered about but have never gotten around to looking into. I currently use McAfee and am pleased with it, but when renewal time comes around I'll test AVG.

As I said, I'm happy with McAfee but I only run the anti-virus part and nothing else. I guess that I do this because my father-in-law swears by Norton. Talk about bloatware! Whenever he is having problems the first thing I do is shut down all of the Norton 'protection' modules. Of course, we see an instant improvement in system response time (I was going to say 'decrease in system response time' but figured that would cause a lot of posts like "Well, if response time decreases turn it back on" - not realizing that a decrease is a good thing.) Also it has this 'crash protector' that (I swear) randomly sends messages to the user that it has intercepted a system crash and it is giving the user to save all of their data.

One other good piece of advice for people who are on DSL or Cable is to go out and buy a router to put between your computer and the DSL/Cable modem. Even if they only have one PC hooked up, a router will eliminate a lot of malicious/suspicious Internet activity. It won't stop nastiness if you click on something, but it will stop a lot of port scanning, etc.

I happen to use Linksys, which is inexpensive, well-built, very easy to install and automatically configures itself. A snap to get up and running. There are other router makers out there but all of the people I know with Linksys are extremely pleased with htem.

[Regina]

I've been using AVG free for several years now. Great program! Never had a complaint! Don't forget to check-out their free spyware and free Rootkit programs as well.

[Gen]

I have been using AVG for years as well and I love it. A previous poster mentioned that you can set times for updates and scanning and it's relatively easy to set up. I've used both McAfee and Norton and, to me anyway, I prefer AVG. Norton takes up so much space on your hard drive and then when you're subscription is up - it still doesn't go away, with constant reminders to re-subscribe and you can never completely uninstall the program once you are done with it. McAfee has it's own problems too with reminders and stubborn uninstalls - but also I was running McAfee and the subscription ran out, so I installed AVG and it immediately caught 4 different problems that McAfee had missed! As long as Grisoft offers AVG (even for a price), I'll be using it.

[Gen]

I forgot to mention that I also run other anti-spyware programs with AVG. I use AdAware, Spybot Search and Destroy and Spyware Blaster. All of these programs can also be downloaded for free at www.savemybutt.com (also a great site to go to if you are having computer problems and need to research the reason why!) There are very helpful people in the forums and the owner of the site is wonderful and very helpful - Mike DeMichael.

[Fran Anderson]

I've used another free anti-virus program for a couple of years: Avast! I've been quite pleased with it, after getting fed up with McAfee which seemed to want more money every year and slowed my computer down greatly. I'm glad to know about AVG and will give it a try if I'm ever discontented with Avast! (I first heard about Avast! when Consumer Reports reviewed anti-virus programs.)
Fran

[Fred Arnold]

I have used AVAST for a few years without a failure. I love hearing the "voice" pop up and say "Virus database has been updated". Call me nuts, but I like simple and works well. Avast for me. Fred Arnold

[Roxie]

Independent tests of anti-virus software show that AVG detects only 3% of new, previously unidentified viruses. That compares with 18% for Avast and 53% for Avira's AntiVir. AVG's success rate in detecting viruses on demand was 91.7%, compared with 92.0% for Avast and 99.5% for Avira's AntiVir. See:
http://www.av-comparatives.org/

I use AntiVir, but have no commercial or other interest in the product.

[Bev Anderson]

I have an excellent local phone company for my ISP (great tech support personnel on the other end with a local phone call, too), they scan all incoming and outgoing email with their antiviral program, and they have a spam filter for each person to add unwanted email addresses. When my last (paid for) antiviral program expired and I discovered the Norton version I bought would not let me install it without 'upgrading' to XP or Vista (I have Windows 2000, all the software I've added runs great with it, so I don't plan to change anything because I use it for restoring genie photos, making photos from old negatives, and other programs for graphics on my web sites), I called and talked to someone at my ISP. They are the ones who recommended AVG, and I've been happy with it.

While AVG's default setting is to run an entire system scan every day at 8 a.m., I can elect to stop the daily system scan by opening the menu and cancelling the system scan. Sometimes I let it go (takes an hour and a half), but if I'm busy and don't want to wait a few seconds with delays or a system slow-down while it's running, I just cancel the daily scan. The thing is running in the background all the time anyway.

While I may not "need" the double incoming and outgoing antiviral scanning of emails (since my ISP has a different antiviral email scanning program) and I can disable that feature on AVG if I want, with all the genealogy stuff on my PC I feel a tad bit more secure knowing two different programs scan all emails. I figure if there's a new computer bug I've never heard of that one of the programs may zap it before it gets to me. I also run anti-cookie anti-spyware programs.

When it comes to genealogy data and genealogy photos and the like, I've allowed myself to be paranoid about computer bugs. AVG's antiviral program has worked great for me, and the price is right: free. (I can use the money I would have spent on any other antiviral program to obtain more genealogy "stuff." :-))

[Pamm]

I have used AVG for many years and always trusted it with many updates, almost daily. Another program to check out that works as well as AVG, but doesn't use as many resources is Avira AntiVir and it offers a free personal edition as well. Check it out at: http://www.free-av.com/

[Yvonne Strong]

I am not what you would call "computer savvy" to the degree that I think most of you are. But, if you will indulge me, may I ask a question? I recently downloaded the new version of Norton and am going nuts at how slow my computer is now working. Until I can read up and understand the AVG and Avira AntiVir virus protection, can I turn off the Spyware and Phising Protection in hopes of speeding up my Computer(I am using XP)without causing myself big problems? I appreciate learning about these other programs not simply because they are free but because of the problems I am experiencing with Norton. Thanks so very much!

[Ken]

I agree, AVG is a great anti-virus FREE program and I've never had any problems. Avast is another great FREE program that I use on my 2nd computer with WIN ME. I could not get System Restore to work with WIN XP sp2 using Avast.

[Rosanna]

I, too, recently purchased the newest version of Norton and am frustrated at the slowness of my computer. Is there any problems I need to be aware of with AVG & Norton being on the same computer at the same time? Will they clash or cause any problems, or do I need to totally uninstall Norton before downloading AVG? Thanks for your help. I'm just a beginner.

[Dick Eastman]

I do not know about the specific combination of AVG & Norton being on the same computer at the same time. However, I will point out that most PC experts recommend that you not run two or more anti-virus programs at once. The two programs can easily conflict with each other.

I know that many people have done it and things seem to work but it is still not recommended.

Besides, if one of the programs seems to slow the computer significantly, adding still another simultaneous anti-virus program is only going to slow it further.

- Dick Eastman