# McAfee, Norton or What??



## Wolf mom (Mar 8, 2005)

Seems that my computer "protection" (Norton) has expired. 

What do you suggest that's not too expensive? 

Read about Avast!, but reviews said they add/do funny things with your computer after a while.
reviews seem to be evenly divided between McAfee, Norton and Kaspersky (expensive).


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## backwoodsman7 (Mar 22, 2007)

Wolf mom said:


> Read about Avast!, but reviews said they add/do funny things with your computer after a while.


Could you point me toward those reviews? I wasn't able to find them, and I haven't observed that or had anyone report it to me.

All of the worst-infected computers I've ever seen were running Norton, so when a machine comes in with Norton on it, I always try to convince them to remove it and install Avast instead. Most do, but some say Norton has been working fine... even though they're paying me to fix their computer because it's so choked up with malware that it's almost unusable.

I've had good success with a combination of Avast and Malwarebytes. Those who occasionally run Avast's Boot-Time Scan and Browser Cleanup, and a Malwarebytes scan, and are very careful what they download and install, don't have malware problems. Those scans should be run at least monthly.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

Wolf mom said:


> Read about Avast!, but reviews said they add/do funny things with your computer after a while.


I install Avast Free on laptops I restore, and even use it on my own computer. I haven't observed any unwanted add-ons. It runs in the background without slowing the machine. I recommend it to everyone.


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## rzrubek (May 13, 2004)

AVG works well for me. It's free.


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## Shine (Feb 19, 2011)

I run Kaspersky Internet Security 2016 - bought the install disk and it lets you install it on 3 different systems. Searched the Internet, found it for 29.99


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## bjba (Feb 18, 2003)

I have had success with AVG and malwarebytes. Both are the best price of all, free.


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## Bungiex88 (Jan 2, 2016)

Do not waste your money with buyin use avast or avg it will cover your computer as much as the paid brands. Or do what I did switch your operating system to Linux and you will never have to worry about viruses. Linux is free and the operating system itself is a lot more secure that Windows


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## Bungiex88 (Jan 2, 2016)

Also ontop of using a antivirus download ccleaner and run it once a week helps clean up a lot of unwanted junk all in one program. It is also free


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

Bungiex88 said:


> do what I did switch your operating system to Linux and you will never have to worry about viruses. Linux is free and the operating system itself is a lot more secure that Windows


Linux desktops aren't nearly so mature as Windows. While Linux is probably more secure than Windows, it's still has viruses and vulnerabilities. Updates & scanning software are still necessary.


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## Alice Kramden (Mar 26, 2008)

Have used the free Avast for years with never a problem. Would be happy to pay for the next step up version, but have no credit card, plus I don't really see the need to change.


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## Kung (Jan 19, 2004)

I use McAfee on my home computers, but that's because I get it for free from where I work. If I had to pay, I'd go with either Bitdefender or Kapersky (in that order) for antivirus, and I'd supplement (and do already) with Malwarebytes.


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## Declan (Jan 18, 2015)

Why not just use the windows defender?


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

Declan said:


> Why not just use the windows defender?


Windows Defender alone is not considered to be comprehensive protection. Check this out.

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2480487,00.asp


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## tree-farmer (Jul 5, 2015)

rzrubek said:


> AVG works well for me. It's free.


I like AVG Free as well.


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## Heritagefarm (Feb 21, 2010)

Buy a Mac. I do not run antivirus on any of my Macs.


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## arabian knight (Dec 19, 2005)

Heritagefarm said:


> Buy a Mac. I do not run antivirus on any of my Macs.


Well I run a virus protection on my iMac. There ARE some bad things out there that CAN get to Macs, and HAVE.


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## Declan (Jan 18, 2015)

Nevada said:


> Windows Defender alone is not considered to be comprehensive protection. Check this out.
> 
> http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2480487,00.asp


Okay. I have been running windows defender since I bough this computer a couple years ago. On a whim I installed AVG. Didn't find anything, so defender must be doing something right. I now will uninstall it. I have always heard running two anti-virus programs at once is bad jou jou.


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## Heritagefarm (Feb 21, 2010)

arabian knight said:


> Well I run a virus protection on my iMac. There ARE some bad things out there that CAN get to Macs, and HAVE.


Very rare. I had to get rid of a virus, but it was the only one in the 6 years I've had Macs. My Windows machines would get tons of viruses every year, so I don't consider it necessary to have antivirus on the Macs.


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## Kung (Jan 19, 2004)

Heritagefarm said:


> Buy a Mac. I do not run antivirus on any of my Macs.


You should. Macs are not quite as popular as PCs are, and therefore not quite as targeted, but as an IT specialist with 20+ years of experience, I can tell you for a fact that a) they can be infected, and b) I've seen them infected.


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## piro222 (Jul 27, 2015)

I use McAfee for AV and free Malwarebytes for mal/spyware ... no problems in several years with that combo ... 

Also keeping kids off my computer helps ... I don't get mal/spyware anymore with the free game downloads ... kids now have their own computers to mess up. I also keep the stuff I want to keep secure (like my taxes and other info that I want to keep private) on a separate computer that is hard-wired to the router/modem and only hooked up to the Internet one day a year for tax program install and upgrades ... otherwise I keep that computer unplugged from my home network and internet the other 364 days a year. As a well-known Computer Security Company advertises ... "If it can't be seen, it can't be hacked" ... I'm still vulnerable as someone could steal the whole computer ... but with so many decoys in the house, how would they know which one to steal???


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## bradw (Nov 9, 2011)

We use Avira from germany. Rock solid with built in anit malware. Read the reviews and give it a try. I tend to stay away from US based applications. Auslogics for cleaning windows registry found 890 errors that ccleaner missed. Cleaned them up and pc is lightning fast. For cleaning the system I use bleachbit. Cleans way more than CCleaner. All of the recommended apps are free and available for linux and windows machines.


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