# decent free anti-virus software



## ste2425 (Mar 11, 2009)

hey guys i think ma xp's mashed. I keep geetin allot of error messages saying programs have failed to initialize then a code and it says click of to terminate, and another common one is services.exe has stoped working sorry for the inconvience send error report or dont send message. Im using windows defender and AVG and to be honest for many years ive had this setup with no problems what soever and as this is a fresh install of xp im guessing its viruses so can anyone recomend decent free software?
cheers


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## oli_ramsay (Mar 11, 2009)

I got fed up with AVG's update issues and switched to avast! a while ago.  Great AV IMO.

http://www.avast.com/eng/home-registration.php


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## alexp999 (Mar 11, 2009)

+1 Avast has to be the best free anti-virus IMO, I always put it on newly built PC's.


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## Kursah (Mar 11, 2009)

I've used Avast for years, it's treated me extremely well on multiple PC's, for a free AV imo you can't get any better! I've used it in 2000, XP x64, x86, Vista x64, x86 and W7 x64, x86 all without issues. Doesn't seem to affect gaming, as I said I've used it for years and am very content.


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## ste2425 (Mar 11, 2009)

ok cheers its just every 5 mins a little box pops up saying avg has found a trogen when ive done a full scan it come sup with jack so ill try avast cheers guys


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## russianboy (Mar 11, 2009)

There's always avast, then there is one not too many have heard of. 

I don't care how many people have or have not heard of it, though. It got rid of my virtumonde when everything else failed, and one of the few antiviruses that can get rid of that bugger. Good stuff. Malwarebyte's antimalware.


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## Kursah (Mar 11, 2009)

Yep I primarily use Avast for AV, Spybot S&D and Malwarebytes for the malware part of it, I let Windows Defender do it's daily scan at like 3AM...I've been sitting very solid and safe for a very long period of time, I can't remember the last time I've been hit hard by a virus or malware attack, doesn't mean it can't happen still...as we all know the safest route is power off or unplug the internet connection. But these free programs do a good job of bringing peace of mind for those of us that want to enjoy our Pc's and our internet!


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## russianboy (Mar 11, 2009)

Kursah said:


> Yep I primarily use Avast for AV, Spybot S&D and Malwarebytes for the malware part of it, I let Windows Defender do it's daily scan at like 3AM...I've been sitting very solid and safe for a very long period of time, I can't remember the last time I've been hit hard by a virus or malware attack, doesn't mean it can't happen still...a*s we all know the safest route is power off or unplug the internet connection.* But these free programs do a good job of bringing peace of mind for those of us that want to enjoy our Pc's and our internet!



Or you could forgo limewire and porn sites.

Wouldn't be all that fun then.


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## technicks (Mar 11, 2009)

I use AVG Free but with a key to activate it.
I never have any problems with it and rarely have the update error.


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## MilkyWay (Mar 11, 2009)

Spybot S&D and Malwarebytes and avira antivir personal edition (free)

used to use like avg years ago but scrapped that for avast but even i got fed up with that and use avira antivir


avg is bloated and uses a lot of system juice, avast is okay but i think avira is the best free one, the best paid for is nod32 nothing gets past that

dont go on pirate sites and download nod32 tho just use a free one

nod32 is good if you have a lot of data and for networks and servers but free stuff is good for home pcs

spybot and malwarebytes are the best nothing beats them, firewalls are annoying i just use the windows stuff, if you wanted max security a firewall would be the route to go but you need to add exceptions and ports argh to much hassle when a good combo of anti virus and anti spyware does ME FINE(may be different for other set ups)


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## EviLZeD (Mar 11, 2009)

I also stopped using AVG and went avast for a good while now no issues at all uses little resources, it also has a convenient settings where it checks for any full screen application like games before it pops up with update messages etc.


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## PVTCaboose1337 (Mar 11, 2009)

I use nod32 no doubt!  

Can you spot it!  







Anyway, NOD32 has never done me wrong, but for freebies on my other machines I use Avast.  NOD32 if you are super serious, and it is worth it, Avast if you don't want to buy.


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## LittleLizard (Mar 11, 2009)

avast, avira or avg 7.

the new avg sucks monkey balls


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## paulm (Mar 11, 2009)

Avast for free, Avira Antivir for paid.

NOD32 doesn't do crap against anything.


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## ste2425 (Mar 11, 2009)

well ive avg 8 an its been fine on other installs but i recently went from 7 to xp an now every five min the box at the bottom opops up saying its found a trogen but i scan completally with windows defender and avg an they dont find out. Ill give all the stuff you mentioned a try when i get back from college cheers guys


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## Dice (Mar 11, 2009)

set avast to do a boot scan, always worked for me.


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## hat (Mar 11, 2009)

bit defender online scanner. just make sure you set it to notify only so you'll at least know what/where they are and nuke em in safe mode. I've had it delete trainers for video games before


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## CheetoLover (Mar 11, 2009)

currently using symantek endpoint protection but

free antiviruses i trust.

Avira AntiVir this is the best of the bunch according to http://www.av-comparatives.org/  less faulse positives and better detect rate(last i checked)

Avast

Comodo this includes a very good firewall, and is 100% free

those are the best FREE av's, Nod32, Kav(kaspersky) and norton2009/symantek endpoint protection are the best pay av's, I also like f-prot(good price for 5 licences if u check their site)

also theres http://www.clamwin.com/ it dosnt have a real time protector but its handy, and its helped me clean off 2 systems that where infected.


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## ste2425 (Mar 11, 2009)

> what/where they are and nuke em in safe mode


i aint the most competant person on a computer how would i do that?


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## PVTCaboose1337 (Mar 11, 2009)

paulm said:


> Avast for free, Avira Antivir for paid.
> 
> NOD32 doesn't do crap against anything.



NOD32 is amazing!  How long did you use it for?  You probably downloaded the uber pirated copy and failed it hard.  Go out and buy the software like a good person, and see how it works then!  Very good AV.


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## CheetoLover (Mar 12, 2009)

PVTCaboose1337 said:


> NOD32 is amazing!  How long did you use it for?  You probably downloaded the uber pirated copy and failed it hard.  Go out and buy the software like a good person, and see how it works then!  Very good AV.



it is a good/great AV software, and u can get free trials, he probbly got a hacked pirated copy and is blaming nod32 for his mistake.

I will testify that after alot of testing symantec/norton have pulled one out of their hat thanks to MS forcing them to rebuild their engine from the ground up(for vista) it works every bit as well as nod32/kav but has very little performance impact on the system(same or less then nod32) 

i even setup SEP on an old duron 900 system thats using pc133 ram and it had no perf impact!!!


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## ste2425 (Mar 13, 2009)

well guys heres the latest, i got avast an it asked me to do a scan upon boot after i restarted which i did an it scanned my whole comp before it would let me log on, im guessing thats the scan in safe mode?, well anyway it found a load of stuff everything else missed an half of it was in my windows folder, me bein dumb clicked delete so when i loaded it up it wouldnt load properly an i tried to use my windows repair disk but dont no how to use the commands so reinstalled windows, bugger. But i no avast, it all works an is all good. I gues my system was buggered before i even asked for help. Now im fully re-installed got avast and everythings running beautifully, would avast be good enough to use on its own tho?


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## spearman914 (Mar 13, 2009)

avg is crap, it's just popular. Avast/AVIRA.


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## DRDNA (Mar 13, 2009)

I use Avast ...I use to use AVG but it was having issues....I combat with Malwarebytes and CCleaner and Unlocker and several root kit detectors.....I have never in my home been beatin by a virus of any kind..... worse case scenario I slave it and clean it ...but yes Avast  is really good for a free app.


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## The Haunted (Mar 13, 2009)

Have been using Avira Antivir for quite some time and i can say its one of the best.
It have a very small footprint on the system performance and one of the best performer (if not the best) on av-comparatives.org


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## Urbklr (Mar 13, 2009)

PVTCaboose1337 said:


> I use nod32 no doubt!
> 
> Can you spot it!
> 
> ...



I can, lol. 

I use Avira and Spybot, they seem to do me well. I quit using AVG when it became bloated, as did many others.


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## Hendo (Mar 24, 2009)

I'm currently running AV free, but Avira is a solid choice and worked great when I was using it.


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## Haytch (Mar 24, 2009)

One things forsure.  An Avast scan on 4Tb of data would take over 24 hours.
If your an avast user, you should stay well under the 4Tb storage limit, otherwise you will be stuck in an endless scan-loop.

AVG, Trendmicro, Avira - blah.

Like you said, your after a free solution, and thats what you will end up with.
You dont need much to stay alive in the battle of life, so armour up soldier!

AVG out of all of them probably has the best x86/x64 custom firewall/adapters section with efficient and accurate scans, but its free and still a software based solution.  The trick is to cancel the packet handshake before it gets to your box.

Mmmmm box's.


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## Hayder_Master (Mar 24, 2009)

what about free kaspersky


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## Bokteelo (Mar 24, 2009)

I've heard a lot of good things about BitDefender 2009 and Shield Deluxe 2009.

Personally I went out and paid for BitDefender after my Win32/Sality incident. If I ever run into that virus again, BD will blast it back to the degenerate who created it. ^_^


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## DonInKansas (Mar 24, 2009)

Avast, yo.

Can we sticky a free antivirus thread to the top since we have these threads every week or two?


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## ste2425 (Mar 24, 2009)

yea that would be a good idea then just edit the first page with a sumary of every software u guys have offered so people can cheack it out then read about it in the later posts


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## SkyKast (Mar 24, 2009)

Malwarebytes is your best bet!


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## Josh81 (Mar 26, 2009)

Kaspersky is great. Theres trial resetters out there (not providing a link, haven't been here long not sure if I'm allowed)


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## 95Viper (Mar 26, 2009)

Avira (first) or Comodo (second).

Read here;http://www.tipandtrick.net/2008/avira-antivir-premium-8-free-download-and-6-month-license-serial-key/ and get a 6 month key to Avira Antivir Premium. Legally. And it works with the latest version.

IMO Avira is the best.


SkyKast> Malwarebytes is my backup, I use it once a week on full scan or if I suspect something is awry.  Figure two is better that one.


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## SkyKast (Mar 27, 2009)

looks like the consensus is Avira although I have had the most luck with Malwarebytes


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