Posted: 6/10/2006 9:56:00 AM EDT
|
My subscription to McAfee is up this month and it seems like the last revision really slowed my computer down. I've heard this is a problem with McAfee in particular and need to reconsider my anti-virus program. Does anyone have recommendations? Do I need it with or without a firewall? I'm currently using a 2 computer home network with digital cable connection through a router. If you need any other information please let me know. Thanks, 
|
From my experience, avast is better than AVG (AVG should be all you need if you are not using P2P programs, though). I use avast now to clear up infected machines for people. AVG has missed stuff in the past that avast got. Both are very stable and do not hog up system resources like Norton crap. Neither AVG or Avasta are anything more than virus scanners, so you should install a firewall app too (or just use the built in XP firewall, which is primative, but works). Make sure your if your router has a firewall, it is turned on (often they are turned off by defualt). Free AV software: AVG Avast Free software firewall: Zone Alarm |
|
I recently used McAfee Enterprise with ZoneAlarm but I got sick of all the damned performance hits and whiny nature of the applications so I dumped them. I started beta-testing Windows Live OneCare earlier in the year afterward and liked it enough to subscribe to it when Microsoft launched the product. $49 for 1 year, which covers 3 computers. Only works with Windows XP Home/Professional SP2 though. (As a beta tester, I got in for $20 for the year...  )Review of OneCare Microsoft's website for OneCare It rolls together antivirus, antispyware, auto-backups, an enhanced bidirectional firewall, and it keeps your PC "tuned up" by running the built-in applications that users neglect (like defrag). All-in-all, I'm an IT professional, and I really like the package. Performance is good too since it isn't a huge memory hog. Management is tied through a single window that's clean and easy to use. That's my recommendation. |
Sounds Interesting. |
+ 1.I don't know how many people I spoken to that had norton on their computers and it stoped them from getting their email with Outlook. Remove Norton problem goes away. Mcafee is just as bad. Let the subscription expire and you no longer connect to the internet. Remove it and you're free to surf all you want. |
It is, I think you can try it for free for 90 days so I can't hurt to give it a shot. I talked with one of the programmers that worked on the AV engine, and they are pretty proud of their work. The Windows Defender Antispyware component it uses is available as a free-standalone product as well--I like it enough that I rolled it out (even in beta) to our corporate network and dumped the other applications we were using. Microsoft really has a strong product here, and the price is extremely reasonable given what you get. I dislike the home-user McAfee "security center" products because they are bloated garbage. Too much graphics, too much user-cuteness, too much junk. I can't recommend them to anyone. Symantec has gone the same way too. Those programs use so many system resources that it hurts just to use the computer. ZoneAlarm is also pretty good about locking your system up when you go to a fullscreen application (like a 3d game) that's querying the network; ZoneAlarm locks the traffic waiting for your response to "is this ok" while you are stuck in a window you can't necessarily alt-tab out of easily. OneCare doesn't have the same lock-prone effect. Is OneCare perfect? I dunno, but I've been using for several months now and I'm extremely happy with it with no major complaints. I play with the fancy crap at work, like Cisco PIX firewalls and enterprise managed AV solutions, but I want something way, way easier for home. Hunting ducks with a tank, you know?
|
exactly what i was going to post 
|
IMO not good advice because of exploits that require minimal user action such as ones where a user just opens a .jpg file or views a website and there is some exploit that is unpatched, but still detected by the AV software. |
This would be good advice if you never went online ever. However, internet viruses can come from the most unexpected places. Having an anti-virus program such as AVG is just basic commen sense and security. |
I'm running that with Vista Beta 2 and it doesn't work at all, it shuts itself off on boot up after the tray device self destructs.  I use AntiVir on my XP computer, and Avast on the XP 64 bit one. Both work 100% for me.
|
+1 for a great program, I have been using it for several years. |
|
Besides AVG and other Anti-Virus Software.. www.download.com has lots of free utilities, etc. |
|
I often use a still-photo capture program that takes photos from digital video (digital 8mm, mini-digital, etc.) When the last update of McAfee came out, the captured photos (jpeg files) would often be streaked and/or blurry, especially if there was a lot of detail in the background, like a brick building. Or if there was a lot of motion in the video but still was capable of capturing invividual frames in NTSC standard 29.97 frames per second. Anyway, the pictures began to suck because they were so blurry. This had not been a problem since I had begun using the same program 4 years ago. Hopefully, it was the antivirus program that was dogging-down the speed and capture quality. |
well daa because norton doesn't catch it norton = tHe SuCKaGe mcafee sucks too |
|
Ive been using Norton for years, and havent had any viruses, and its easy to use, but its a major system hog. I just staterd using Trend Micro Pc Cilliand., and REALLY like it a lot. Cant say enough about it. My PC starts up much quicker. I did a lot of research on it on differnt PC sites and all rated it very good, many of them rated #1.. Ive never heard of AVG before, amybe ill check it out, but too be honest im really happy with TM for now anyway. |
Big +1 for Trend Micro PC-Cillin |
| I get the message "Cannot find 'http://trafficsolution.com/bc/adrotator.php'. Please make sure path or internet address is correct." This pops up every 5 minutes, AVG wont stop it, just did a full scan with it followed by Norton with no results. IE is terminally ill, and this pop-up is on Mozilla Firefox, which I thought was safe. I now get pop-ups left and right on Firefox, although not as bad as when I used IE. I would shoot the comp if I didnt feel a reformatting would be cheaper and smarter to do. |
That is spyware or malware, not a virus. You need to get the following programs and run them all: * Adaware * Spybot - Search and Destroy * HijackThis You should install a firewall (not XP) in order to prevent outbound connections from trojans or other spy/mal-ware. I am running Sygate Personal Firewall (free). I chose it ober ZoneAlarm because the free version of ZA did not have the same level of protection and it seemed like bloatware. I'm currently blocking most outbound traffic from applications attempting to "call home" (Windows Media Player, iTunes, etc). |
scan WITH logfile and then copy and paste to this page hijackthis.de it will analyze and tell you about the files and what to remove |
| I used AVG free for a while, then bought Norton Security off ebay for like 20 bucks. It's like 60+ at Wal-Mart. My computer is 3 years old and still runs like it did the day I took it out of the box. It's a hoss. So my recommendation is NORTON SECURITY which has antivirus, antispam, no popups, etc. |
To each their own, I suppose, but the first thing I usually do when people are complaining about how slow their computers are is remove Norton security and install AVG, Spybot and Zone alarm. You coudn't pay me to have Norton Security on my computers... |
Amazon has a subscription of One Car for $19.99 www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FA36WY/qid=1150050921/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/104-4214790-3088732?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance&n=229534 Looks pretty decent, and that it can be installed on up to three computers is nice. |
AVAST, I support close to 250 computers where I work and they use Norton enterpise. I have had several problems with norton not catching viruses or it will put them in quarantine and not let the virus be deleted. Every time this happens I uninstall norton and install AVAST to fix the problem. I also contract on the side and all of my clients get AVAST it is free for personal use and is better then mcaffe, norton or anything else I have used. It updates automatically and all you have to do is register once a year and you will be good to go. You fill out an online form and they email you a key no spamming. If you are weary about personal info the only thing that has to be valid info is your email address. I would never pay for personal antivirus software as long as AVAST is around. Download here AVAST |
| Oh and by the way just remember you can get a virus on your computer no matter what kind of firewall or antivirus software you use. It all has to do with user habits and having common sense about what you do on the Internet. There are ways arouns every security device, every anitvirus program I have encountered used a virus definition database which will not catch every virus known to man, some used more sophisticated methods but still there are ways around everything. |
Thanks, will do. |
|
My low-cost (free) security suite: AVG ZoneAlarm (going all the way back to 1st public release) Spybot Search'n'destroy AdAware Never have had a problem. ETA: Microsoft produces professional (?) grade spyware |
+100 Norton/Symantec Corporate Edition I have this on my home computers and on all the network computers at work that I support. Never had a virus get through. It runs a very low profile, no bloat. I never notice it even being there. This is very different than the Norton Home editions or Systems tools which are very resource intensive. |
|
AV is just one part of an entire protection suite a home compter should have. You also want a tool that addresses spamming, spyware/malware. My recommendatio would be a commercial product from the big three, Symantic, McAfee or Trend Micro. Personally use Trend Micro on all my home pcs....their PC-illin Internet Security 2006. It is a relatively easy product to use and install for the novice user. |
| AVG if you've gotta go free, I guess, but it has/had its own bugs. Symantec Corporate AntiVirus is just about the best commercial one I've found. Much smaller and more robust than its Norton equivalent, the latest versions of which -- like McAfee -- are virtual pigs. |