# I just couldnt stand it anymore



## sisterpine (May 9, 2004)

I had to dump AVG and get something different for virus protection. I tried for six months and my computer was so slow I was going nuts. Any one else have that trouble with AVG free?


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## RiverPines (Dec 12, 2006)

I stopped using all free anti-virus and firewalls. They all are unreliable as heck between missing things and false readings.

I now have Norton Internet Security 2010. Its great and I never like the older products but 2010 has proved to me to be a good program.
The firewall is perfect. The anti virus is perfect. Everything, attempted hacks, attempted viruses are stopped 'before' they get on/in. That's the key...stopping stuff before not finding it after the fact!
2010 Also keeps history of everything it blocks and encounters and I found that its very busy!!

Unlike older products 2010 hasn't slowed my pc's. In fact they run with it great. I also have win 7 on both and both have AMD processors, 4 core and dual core, with 4 gigs of ram so it takes a lot to slow my pc's.

I will never waste my time with freebies for important issues like anti virus. In that area I believe you get what you pay for.


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## Kung (Jan 19, 2004)

Actually, yes; be glad your computer was just slow. My father's computer updates from 8 Free to 9 Free, and after that we could no longer download programs.

Seriously. Well, we COULD download them, but they were NOT on the computer. We also couldn't right-click, and a host of other things. I spent countless hours troubleshooting it, and AVG's PAID support had no clue.

Finally I told my Dad "Look, in 4 hours I can have this reloaded, running fine, etc." We ended up formatting and reloading.


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## Windy in Kansas (Jun 16, 2002)

I had a paid version of AVG and when an update give issues I tried unsuccessfully for over to weeks to get more than an automated response from AVG and never did. Only after I uninstalled it did they contact me and then only to ask why.

I now use Avast and have had no issues with it at all. So far it has given nothing but peace of mind.


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## calliemoonbeam (Aug 7, 2007)

I have to have a heavy duty professional level security system as part of my work contract. I had tried several and finally was advised by several different techies a few years ago to use Trend Micro. It's about $60, but has coverage for three computers, and I've been very happy with it and upgrade very year. 

Like RiverPines said about hers, Trend Micro blocks everything before it happens and keeps a running log that I can refer back to at any time. I had a hacker persistently trying to get into my computer for several months, and it blocked them every time, plus it's blocked five different trojan horse viruses that caused total havoc for the people that did get them. It doesn't cause my computer to run any slower, except while it's running the scan (they all do that), and I just schedule that for a time when I'm asleep. I'm really happy with it and figure it's money well spent.

Kung, do you have any opinions on Trend Micro or anything you think would be better? You've given me some pretty good advice on several things in the past.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

sisterpine said:


> I had to dump AVG and get something different for virus protection. I tried for six months and my computer was so slow I was going nuts. Any one else have that trouble with AVG free?


Newer releases of AVG have a lot of overhead. I suspect you would be a lot happier with AVAST! free.


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## Saffron (May 24, 2006)

My computer is about 5 years old. I can not run AVG, Avast, Zone Alarm, or any of those because they eat up my computer and I can not do Anything on it.


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## Kung (Jan 19, 2004)

calliemoonbeam said:


> Kung, do you have any opinions on Trend Micro or anything you think would be better? You've given me some pretty good advice on several things in the past.


Well, let me preface this by saying that when I give advice, it's not just (or even) my personal advice. I give advice based on what I read in several tech magazines - so in essence it's statistical advice based on the 'personal' advice of thousands of people out there. That, and the lab/real-world tests of people who are paid to evaluate the software.

This being said, in all truthfulness, if one wants the 'best' software out there, there's not ever going to be one suite that you can buy one year and expect it to be the 'best' for years to come. 5 years ago there was no *WAY* you could pay me to put Norton Antivirus on ANY computer - it just plain sucked. Now it's not near as bad as it used to be.

And the tech magazines bear this out; in 2005 or so they said it 'did the job' but was too bloated, used too much memory, etc. Now it's #1 or #2 in the virus removal game.

In my opinion, if you get any of the top 3 or 4 paid antivirus programs, you'll be alright, IMHO. I WILL say, however, that if you value tech support when something DOES go wrong, factor that heavily into your consideration, as many companies give you email support only. As decent as Norton's Antivirus engine is, their tech support (last I checked) sucked. LOL

Right now, the top 4 antivirus programs out there are:

- G-Data Antivirus
- Norton Antivirus
- Kapersky Antivirus
- Bitdefender Antivirus

They all got 4.5 out of 5 stars. Your Trend Micro was #7 in the test.

I got my information from here; full reviews can be found here as well.

As far as free goes, I'd say the 'best' would probably be Bitdefender Free, being as it's the only company that offers a version of its antivirus program for free, and it's in the top 4.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

Saffron said:


> My computer is about 5 years old. I can not run AVG, Avast, Zone Alarm, or any of those because they eat up my computer and I can not do Anything on it.


Sounds like you are short of resources. Probably memory.


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## calliemoonbeam (Aug 7, 2007)

Thanks Kung! Yes, I developed a very strong dislike for Norton years ago, lol. I'll go check out your link. Thanks again!


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## OntarioMan (Feb 11, 2007)

And for Kaspersky, it appears to be available at many of the "big box" stores, and is often at a "special" price. Often under $20 or so, and around the holidays, its basically free.

I've never tried Kaspersky, but I'll probably grab a copy the next time the price is low.


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## artandcyndi (May 15, 2010)

This PC (mine) has been online for a long as eight months 24/7, running as many as five browsers, 21 windows and 123 tabs along with anywhere from 2 or 3 to 20-something other softwares simultaneously, and with absolutely no "security" software other than an outgoing firewall. I have never had any sort, any sort, of virus, rootkit, trojan, anything.....
My wifes laptop, while not subject to such usage "tests", has never had any sort of infection ever either...
And, we don't do "de-frags" or "registry" repairs either....
You could do the same, but you gotta give up MSWin operating systems, and get yourself a Linux distro suited to your usage style....
For a "regular" PC user/abuser..... I would suggest you burn and install you a copy of either LinuxMint9 or SimplyMepis8.5 and permanently resolve your AV and security woes.
We have both heard all about how Linux can't ........ Odd that we listen to music watch vieo's draw stuff, and do everything any MSWin and/or Mac user does, while being told regularly (by people with ZERO Linux knowledge or experience) that we can't do this that and/or the other. Amazingly enough though, we do anything any body using a Win or Mac OS does, except for AutoCad, which 99.999 percent of all PC users will never have any use for
Anyway.....Good Luck with your issues


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## backwoodsman7 (Mar 22, 2007)

artandcyndi said:


> You could do the same, but you gotta give up MSWin operating systems, and get yourself a Linux distro


Careful -- the Windoze-philes can get a little testy when you suggest there's a better way than constantly fighting with virus problems and all the rest of Windows' problems, idiosyncrasies, and ridiculously high hardware requirements. They say it's too hard to make the switch to Linux, they won't be able to run their favorite app, etc., etc. -- then they go right back to spending huge amounts of time, money and aggravation trying to keep their Windows boxes usable.

Seriously, folks... Have you ever stopped to consider how much time, money and gray hair Windows has cost you over the years? I've never understood why so many people will go through all that, when they could invest a couple hours and solve most of their computer problems once and for all, for FREE!



> For a "regular" PC user/abuser..... I would suggest you burn and install you a copy of either LinuxMint9 or SimplyMepis8.5 and permanently resolve your AV and security woes.


There are a number of really good Linux distributions available that'll do the job just fine. I've been using PCLinuxOS for several years. Those switching from Windows will feel more at home with a distro that uses the KDE graphical interface, rather than Gnome.


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## arabian knight (Dec 19, 2005)

Yuppers that is why I now have a Mac and that now will last for years and years and years, without adding $'s to it lol


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