Best recomended anti virus/spyware package

Johnny|lucidcomposure · 22 Jan 2009 at 22:01

for use under windows vista 32bit and takes the least resources while running in the background.

PCDave · 22 Jan 2009 at 22:06

Kaspersky and nod32 are the best reccomended although i have heard that norton 2009 has made significant improvements on previous versions of norton. not sure how it compares to the other two though

Deathwish · 22 Jan 2009 at 22:09

I have made the jump from NOD32 to Norton Anti-Virus 2009. So far so good. Lightweight and unobtrusive.

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showpost.php?p=13143560&postcount=15

Ratbag · 22 Jan 2009 at 22:12

Avira Antivir. Use Firefox with adblock, or Opera. Run the odd scan with Malwarebytes or Superantispyware. All free.

Johnny|lucidcomposure · 23 Jan 2009 at 00:10

Well I have just moved to Opera.
I have been using AVG antivirus. What are your opinions on that?
I also just downloaded avast but are unsure wether or not to use it. I basically want the best going. I used to use nod32 ages ago so I will look into that. As for Norton, it was a bloated pig last time I used it although I always assumed it was the best for being the most aware of threats.

Kennysevenfold · 23 Jan 2009 at 00:12

Avast

Ratbag · 23 Jan 2009 at 07:23

Avast, and especially AntiVir, comprehensively outquaff AVG and indeed 99% of payware AV's.

As for Norton, it was a bloated pig last time I used it although I always assumed it was the best for being the most aware of threats.

It's not as bloated these days, but it's never had the best, or worst, detection rates. Its all the bells and whistles that lead a lot of people [well, the PC World brigade] to assume it must be good.

prescott28 · 23 Jan 2009 at 10:07

Having used AVG and Avast but just with Windows firewall, I moved to Kaspersky which is both firewall and anti-everything. My desktop has had kaspersky for nearly a year and there has been no problem, though of copurse I don't really know what it blocked.

Admiral Huddy · 23 Jan 2009 at 10:11

I've been running Avast for years with no problems. Keep my security upto date, run ccleaner often and being behind a router helps.

jasonmorris · 23 Jan 2009 at 10:43

I use Vipre from Sunbelt software which also include anti-spyware.
License is pretty cheap for multiple PC's and use's hardly any memory.
http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/home-home-office/vipre/

Django x2 · 23 Jan 2009 at 10:49

Try DriveSentry. Quite a new product, free, and has won multiple awards over the likes of Norton, Symantec, NOD and McAfee.

http://www.drivesentry.com/

sajtion · 23 Jan 2009 at 12:47

avast and spybot

Ratbag · 23 Jan 2009 at 13:48

Lucero said:
Try DriveSentry. Quite a new product, free, and has won multiple awards over the likes of Norton, Symantec, NOD and McAfee.

http://www.drivesentry.com/

Hmmmm, uses whitelisting technology so I guess it could be like the much-despised defence+ feature of comodo firewall. Might use it on my USB stick though.

-)G(-Sawyer · 23 Jan 2009 at 16:26

Avast for years now with zero problems.

Jamesj · 23 Jan 2009 at 16:44

Avast free is great.

sswats · 23 Jan 2009 at 17:27

installed Norton 2009 on a customers computer and OMG what a massive difference. it took less than a minute to install, and loaded up quickly and smoothly and barely affected windows speed. I guess i can stop talking people out of buying the norton products we sell.

Both kaspersky and NOD32 have given me problems. as have Avast, avira and AVG.
So I can fault all of them but of the lot i prefer Avast and NOD32

tonyf1971 · 23 Jan 2009 at 17:48

Avira or Kaspersky, both light with great detection and removal

i would also add a on demand scanner such as SuperAntispyware and/or MalwareBytes

Tiger33 · 24 Jan 2009 at 09:56

gotta say im loving the new norton 2009

installs in no time

very good detection

not a resource hog (u dont even know its there )

highly recommended (and this is coming from somone who was a long time kaspersky and nod 32 user)

theheyes · 24 Jan 2009 at 10:36

To those with Kaspersky, KIS 2009 in particular, do you find it slows your PC down a lot when running a full scan? I use Kaspersky Enterprise 6 at work which is fine (and why I decided to use Kaspersky at home) but KIS 2009 seems to really bog my system down. Vista, Q6600 with 2GB RAM so it's not a slow computer.

Rainmaker · 24 Jan 2009 at 11:31

theheyes said:
To those with Kaspersky, KIS 2009 in particular, do you find it slows your PC down a lot when running a full scan?

Yeah I've noticed that. I switched from Avira AntiVir Premium to KIS2009 for a bit while I'm on Win7 (I have licenses for both) and have really noticed this effect. CPU usage is 100% during a scan (and I'm running an E8600), but I'm guessing there'll be something in the (massive) list of options somewhere about priority. Don't forget to tick to only scan new and changed files also, it saves a ton of time once the very first scan's out of the way