Opinions on AVG please???

[slim]

Hi,

I have got a choice to make regarding what antivurs protection to use on my computer. Basically I have got a copy of Norton anitvirus on my computer which is about to expire (ie live updates). So I have been testing a free copy of AVG 6 and I am impressed by what it has offer.

But I do have a couple of questions

1. Does it provide the same sort of protection as say Norton??
2. Is there any time restrictions on usuage?
3. Has anyone found any program or security bugs?

Thanks

Slim

[mjc]

1. No, it doesn't provide the same protections as Norton. None of the AV programs do, they each have differing protection levels. It does supply adequate protection, without all the bells and whistles that Norton has, hence it has a smaller footprint while running. It has a background monitor, basic email scanning and an on-demand scan. It can be configured to use heuristics and auto-update.

2. There are currently no time restrictions, but that may change when the next version is released.

3. It sometimes has a problem identifying the updates correctly, it shows up that the update is too old, but really it isn't. It will use those virus definitions, but it will just issue a warning that you need to update.

Overall, it provides a very good level of protection at a very resonable price (free), the pay version does offer a few more "bells and whistles", is more configurable and has at least one year of tech support (the free version support is handled through various FAQs, forums and some email responses).

[kayofcircles]

I have an older setup...98, IE 5, etc..but had no problems installing AVG over a year ago. No difficulties with it whatsoever, free updates every month..paid for a year of tech support in beginning (think was $20), but never needed it. Haven't ever gotten any viri, so not totally sure how it works when that happens, but have been happy and pleased with it. My husband ran Norton on his for awhile, but had difficulties with receiving email, and other problems, and ran out of time..so was to paying again, which truthfully, I think is a bit weird. Seems to me that when you pay for a program, updates ought to be free for the program..but I admit to being a bit cheap.

Haven't had the problem mjc alluded to, but I also don't have the "Resident Shield" (think that's what that's called for the hard drive) activated. I can manually scan anything going into my puter via floppy or CD, and so just wanted the email/online protection.

[Fruss Tray Ted]

My resident shield is ON and I think that was default for the installation.

Kay,
Have(do) you check(ed) for spyware occasionally along with the manual virus scans? Leaving the resident shield disabled and doing a manual scan once in awhile, to me is like leaving a back door unlocked on my house and assuming if I check it once in a while that I'll be safe from intruders.

No A/V software is completely foolproof and using only part of them is even more risky. Exe's from malicious sites can install in an 'instant' and will run in the background without your knowledge. Sometimes they make it past your (brand of) A/V and once in, they are not recognised as harmful even with updates.

I always run 2 (that's two ) A/V's simultaneously plus a firewall and is what I recommend as well. I've had mostly Norton's popup "virus like activity detected" more often than AVG's has but this is not to assume that it would have been gotten by AVG, just that it passed by Norton's first.

BTW,
quote: No difficulties with it whatsoever /quote
I haven't had one tiny reason to complain about Symantec's Systemworks EVER! Maybe it is a resource hog but it hasn't been noticeable to me (esp. going from my old pc to the current faster one). Next time I format I plan on putting in just the A/V to see if there's a difference, but it ain't broke, you know the rest... :)

Mjc,
Did you leave out AVG's bootscan? If for a reason, why?

[mjc]

Ooops...must be blocking it out of my mind, I have stared at it so many times I hardly notice it anymore.

[koko]

i use AVG almost 1.5 year,and it find many troyan and
other viruses.and i had no problems all this time.
i dont even think to change AVG.I Make manual update ones in month.i like its ease to use and user friendly interface.:)

[kayofcircles]

Fruss : Yes, check for spyware regularly..not to worry, but thanks for asking. :)

And some..quite a few actually..have had some problems with System Works, including my husband. In fact, just read a thread this morning about not getting email and was kicking myself mentally because I had forgotten that my husband had that same problem with Norton long ago. Do you remember that post months ago about CRS?:D

[Paul Komski]

AVG, a text-reading mail client and scan all attachments on a standalone single-user pc has made me a very happy bunny. :D

[trapper]

I am extremely happy with AVG Free Version.
It does the job without being a resource-hog like Mcafee and Norton.
And, the price helps too!
I've found that updates have been coming out every 10 days or so.

trapper.
:D

[hawk7771us]

avg great free program have nortons also, like them both

[papertech]

Norton came with my system (now two years old). I've kept up my subscription. Did notice email hassles early on - turned that part off. Norton detected and fixed one virus.

A few weeks ago, something changed the settings on Norton and it no longer started up on its own. I finally realized a reinstall was necessary.

Before doing anything else, went to AVG and tried Housecall. (I use it regularly on customer systems - proving to them that they need protection.) Housecall would not scan, reporting something about Norton being present.

I uninstalled Norton, ran AVG Housecall (online) and was clean!(?) Anyway, still planning to reinstall Norton, but still visiting AVG every few days.

Frussy: Did you have problems getting both installed on the same system?

I have since been using Adaware and now Spybot which of course catches malware with every scan.