Anti Virus

[admin]

Any recommendations? I recently tried Avira (Free) but it's nagging too much, and runs 6 (!) partly mysterious processes all the time.
PS: Avira also aggressively tries to install an addon in your browser. Even after uninstalling Avira itself. So it's official: Avira is evil. Don't use it!

What about ESET NOD32 Antivirus? I would pay for it, of course, if it's any good.

[Marco]

Why you need an antivirus?

[admin]

Paranoia.

[klownboy]

I used ESET NOD32 Antivirus, not the full package simply the anti-virus, and liked it very much. I'm not sure why I changed but for the last 2 years I've been using Norton (again just the anti-virus) and like it as well. I know what you could be thinking about Norton but for the last few years it has been streamlined and is very fast and transparent. I have my D: drive which contains my trusted and frequently used utilities like XYplorer excluded from scanning as I did with Eset. I have a couple of new unopened boxed versions of Eset I can give you one of them (I think they're valid for 3 computers). I believe the software is there for downloading on the site so I'm quite sure you could get them registered after installing with the serial numbers I give you from inside the box. The new serial may be for an older version so you'd have to install that version, but once registered you can freely update to newer version. Of course the virus definitions in any case would be up to date.

[sinilill]

Windows 8.1 already has Defender
I'm using MS Security Essentials on Windows 7 and had 0 problems in the last 5 years

[bdeshi]

Windows Defender has numerous chinks in the armor.

If I had to, I'd suggest Avast, as it's the only av I had ever installed.

I'd alternatively suggest Sandboxie + any good firewall .

[admin]

I used ESET NOD32 Antivirus, not the full package simply the anti-virus, and liked it very much. I'm not sure why I changed but for the last 2 years I've been using Norton (again just the anti-virus) and like it as well. I know what you could be thinking about Norton but for the last few years it has been streamlined and is very fast and transparent. I have my D: drive which contains my trusted and frequently used utilities like XYplorer excluded from scanning as I did with Eset. I have a couple of new unopened boxed versions of Eset I can give you one of them (I think they're valid for 3 computers). I believe the software is there for downloading on the site so I'm quite sure you could get them registered after installing with the serial numbers I give you from inside the box. The new serial may be for an older version so you'd have to install that version, but once registered you can freely update to newer version. Of course the virus definitions in any case would be up to date.

Thanks for the offer! I'll let you know if/when/after I checked the trial...

[Regmos]

Take a look at Bitdefender Free.

http://www.bitdefender.com/solutions/free.html

My favorite free solution. The most unobtrusive antivirus I've ever tried, with BitDefender's well known protection.

[Filehero]

Take a look at Bitdefender.

Does it still delete suspicous files quietly without any confirmation?

I was a paying BitDefender user as well, but once they switched to primarily address the "dumb" average Joe user I dropped it (3 years ago?).

For online "protection" I use Windows Defender combined with UAC at max (and brain).


Cheers,
Filehero

[highend]

ESET NOD32 Antivirus

Can recommend this, too. Used it on 10 TUI Notebooks. Rather lightweight on system resources and no infections on any of them in two years (and they get abused heavily :/)

[Regmos]

Does it still delete suspicous files quietly without any confirmation...

No, that was changed a long time ago. If it find something, it quarantines the item, with a message.
The quarantine is very easily managed from the tray icon, and I can't remember the last time I had a false positive.

My paid solution is BullGuard Internet Security. It contains a lot of very good components, including some Bitdefender stuff.
I can configure it as I like, or just leave it and use it as a "dumb average Joe".

[Filehero]

@Regmos

Thanks

[Stef123]

What about ESET NOD32 Antivirus? I would pay for it, of course, if it's any good.

Many false alarms and it deletes these files without warning if - and only if - it finds them on removable drives. This was years ago. Exluding the drives with U:\*.* etc won't help. Mailed them repeatedly about it, then called their German hotline. They finally acknowledged the issue, and yet it didn't get fixed. Last time I checked was last fall. Still the same problem.

BTW, their hotline recommended to download the free version of SpeedCommander - hate it. To ESET's defense I have to add that they wanted me to run trials with various archives that contain hidden malware. Considering FTP and archive support this may excuse their recommendation. Entering and comparing archives was easy enough, but they were not able to track it down, not even with their very own malware test files.

Bad surprise when you pack stuff onto external drives, then find parts of it missing when arriving at your client's office. On local drives those files remain untouched, the exclusion filter works, on removable drives they get lost.

[admin]

Thanks for the tips so far!

Interesting. I always saw the AV industry as digital demimonde rather. Kind of natural when you make your profit from exploiting fears.

At the moment only BullGuard looks immaculate in our little poll...

[jadinolf]

I use ESET Nod32 and June 6 will mark my third year.
I have it on 4 Windows 7 computers and barring any unknown problems, I will use it as long as I am around.

If you haven't tried it yet, I would suggest downloading and installing a trial version and see what you think of it.

I went thru the whole 30 day trial period and then bought bought licenses for all four computers.

I now have licenses through 2018.

Now it's FIVE computers.