AVG 7.5 versus the rest

[JackFoligie]

Greetings all at pcguide!

I'm looking at someone's office machine at present (basic P4 with Windows XP, not sure about service pack history). It's got AVG 7.5 installed, which I updated today. A few questions...

1. Is AVG 7.5 (Free Edition) as good as any other free anti virus software, or is this simply a matter of taste/opinion? Can anyone offer any better alternatives?

2. Regarding the machine, it freezes up for no apparent reason, which incidently also happened when running a complete scan of the system. The owner had suspected a virus, but knows nothing about computers, so this may not be the case. When I first looked at the machine, it wouldn't get past the first startup screen. I enabled Virus Warning in the CMOS and for some reason, this allowed me to get into Windows (with no virus warning). Everything seems to be running fine, except for the freezing up which doesn't happen all that much. It may be a hardware issue, bad RAM chip or something. I still need to run Everest or some equivalent to check this. Any other ideas?

3. Going back to AVG 7.5; I'm having a problem installing the latest updates to another machine I'm working on. It's a P3 with Windows98SE, and yes, I know it's not quite the latest, but it serves its purpose. It's not connected to the internet directly, but it needs some protection when moving stuff from one machine to another via flash or CD. AVG installed fine, but after downloading the update binaries from AVG Grisoft, the program can't see them. I'm guessing it's a Win98/XP compatibility issue, but not sure. I've tried putting the question to AVG Grisoft, but had no response. Any advice welcome.

Anyway, thanks in advance

Jack

[classicsoftware]

Greetings all at pcguide!

I'm looking at someone's office machine at present (basic P4 with Windows XP, not sure about service pack history). It's got AVG 7.5 installed, which I updated today. A few questions...

1. Is AVG 7.5 (Free Edition) as good as any other free anti virus software, or is this simply a matter of taste/opinion? Can anyone offer any better alternatives?

I think that Avast is a better free AV than AVG. The automatic update is excellent and it has a web-mail scanner as well as an IM scanner. I think which one you choose is also a matter of taste/opinion. Kaspersky rates very high in most reviews. And some products update faster. How important that really is I can't say for sure.

I'm looking at someone's office machine
Office PC's are NOT eligible for free versions. There are for home users only.

2. Regarding the machine, it freezes up for no apparent reason, which incidently also happened when running a complete scan of the system. The owner had suspected a virus, but knows nothing about computers, so this may not be the case. When I first looked at the machine, it wouldn't get past the first startup screen. I enabled Virus Warning in the CMOS and for some reason, this allowed me to get into Windows (with no virus warning). Everything seems to be running fine, except for the freezing up which doesn't happen all that much. It may be a hardware issue, bad RAM chip or something. I still need to run Everest or some equivalent to check this. Any other ideas?

You need to see if it freezes in safe mode. You need to test the memory, test the hard drive, scan for infection etc....

3. Going back to AVG 7.5; I'm having a problem installing the latest updates to another machine I'm working on. It's a P3 with Windows98SE, and yes, I know it's not quite the latest, but it serves its purpose. It's not connected to the internet directly, but it needs some protection when moving stuff from one machine to another via flash or CD. AVG installed fine, but after downloading the update binaries from AVG Grisoft, the program can't see them. I'm guessing it's a Win98/XP compatibility issue, but not sure. I've tried putting the question to AVG Grisoft, but had no response. Any advice welcome.

I've never tried to do this with AV. With the Anti-spyware, you click on the download and it installs itself.

Anyway, thanks in advance

Jack[/QUOTE]

[JackFoligie]

JackFoligie wrote:

I'm looking at someone's office machine


to which classicsoftware replied:

Office PC's are NOT eligible for free versions. There are for home users only.


I fully understand what you're saying and understand the value and importance of paying for what you use. In this case, however, the owner is a semi-retired architect who works from home. Combine this with the fact that he's still does 99% of his work with pencil and paper, and is still trying to figure out how to use a mouse and what an email is, I think it's ok to at least start him off on a free AV package. You are 100% correct with regards to office machines, but I'm looking at it this way: if you've ever received an email or done anything for a work-related issue on your home PC, this would mean not being allowed to have a free AV package installed. Perhaps my view is faulty. If so, I'll work on it.

Anyway, if he really gets into doing everything online (which I really DON'T see happening) then I'd recommend that he get a commercial package with support, for his own safety if nothing else.


I think that Avast is a better free AV than AVG. The automatic update is excellent and it has a web-mail scanner as well as an IM scanner. I think which one you choose is also a matter of taste/opinion. Kaspersky rates very high in most reviews.


Many thanks for the info, I'll have a look at Avast. Perhaps I can even persuade him to bite the bullet and go for Kaspersky or some other commercial AV package.

Cheers,

Jack

[Paul Komski]

but it needs some protection when moving stuff from one machine to another via flash or CDIf you are accessing such a PC, that doesn't connect to the internet or a LAN, then it becoming infected with newish viruses and spyware is unlikely other than by installing an infected package manually or by an appropriately infected removable drive (e.g. bootsector or autorun virus). Even so I wonder why you cant update from the downloaded binaries; do you download them all and do you specify the folder they are placed in by you? You could always post your problem on their forums (http://forum.grisoft.cz/freeforum/read.php?2,27739,backpage=) maybe - but I doubt its due to the Windows version.

You are extremely unlikely to transfer a virus by burning to a CD - at least in a way that will allow the virus to auto-execute. If you want specialised protection for a Flash Drive then you could consider getting a U3 compliant one on which the U3 Avast package (http://software.u3.com/Product_Details.aspx?productId=35&lang=en-US) can be used and may even come pre-installed. The U3 package is also a way to scan an already infected host computer.

[classicsoftware]

JackFoligie wrote:


to which classicsoftware replied:


I fully understand what you're saying and understand the value and importance of paying for what you use. In this case, however, the owner is a semi-retired architect who works from home. Combine this with the fact that he's still does 99% of his work with pencil and paper, and is still trying to figure out how to use a mouse and what an email is, I think it's ok to at least start him off on a free AV package. You are 100% correct with regards to office machines, but I'm looking at it this way: if you've ever received an email or done anything for a work-related issue on your home PC, this would mean not being allowed to have a free AV package installed. Perhaps my view is faulty. If so, I'll work on it.

Anyway, if he really gets into doing everything online (which I really DON'T see happening) then I'd recommend that he get a commercial package with support, for his own safety if nothing else.


Ok first, I personally don't think the Paid versions are that much better than the free versions.

Next, business is business. If this is a for a business PC, he is not permitted to install the free HOME version on the PC. This is an honor system. If you install the software for him, it's your honor as well....

[Paul Komski]

It is more than a matter of honour to broach terms and conditions but there are two PCs involved in this thread: "Going back to AVG 7.5; I'm having a problem installing the latest updates to another machine I'm working on."

If one installs AVG 7.5 does it run as a trial and later revert to the domestic version if not registered and paid for - I'm not sure what the current state of play with AVG is. I don't see that it was unequivocally stated that the free domestic version was installed, even if this was inferred, - just advice about its effectiveness.

[classicsoftware]

Paul:
It is not trial ware. They are two different versions.... As for the updates, I've never done the AV manually. I think your response to go to their forums is the best bet

[JackFoligie]

Greetings and thanks for the interest.


Next, business is business. If this is a for a business PC, he is not permitted to install the free HOME version on the PC. This is an honor system. If you install the software for him, it's your honor as well....

I appreciate the concept of honour well enough, so we are agreed on that point. I also appreciate the work done by good programmers and that they deserve to be paid well for their efforts. This also holds for artists and musicians who generally get completely ripped off for pouring heart and soul into their work, so let's not start a flame war when in fact we probably agree on a good many things regarding the negative effects of piracy on creativity in general.

For the record, I was simply tasked with getting an otherwise unresponsive machine to wake up and talk to the world, with one step involving updating the already-installed AV package. (I'm looking after his house while he's away, he mentions he's got a broken machine at home; "You like to fool around with computers, don't you? Would I mind having a look" etc etc etc meanwhile he works from home, although he hardly touches the machine, it's broken blah blah blah).

In all honesty, the whole issue of "home" or "business" versions hadn't even crossed my mind and, as mentioned previously, this is perhaps a sign of faulty thinking which needs to be looked at. So, thanks for bringing it up and, as stated above, I will strongly encourage that the owner upgrade to something more appropriate. That being the case, let's continue...


If you are accessing such a PC, that doesn't connect to the internet or a LAN, then it becoming infected with newish viruses and spyware is unlikely other than by installing an infected package manually or by an appropriately infected removable drive (e.g. bootsector or autorun virus).


I recently ran into this problem with a boot sector virus bringing my machine down which could only have got in via a flash drive. The internet access I use is on the local university campus which, although covered by a professional and fully supported package (F-Secure), is still not completely secure (is anything?) and I can only guess whatever I got managed to find it's way there via my flash drive.


If you want specialised protection for a Flash Drive then you could consider getting a U3 compliant one on which the U3 Avast package can be used and may even come pre-installed. The U3 package is also a way to scan an already infected host computer.


Thanks. I'll look into this when I get a chance.


If one installs AVG 7.5 does it run as a trial and later revert to the domestic version if not registered and paid for - I'm not sure what the current state of play with AVG is.


AVG 7.5 is the new totally free "home" version which seems to do the job fine. Updates come out regularly and are quick to install for online machines, which is completely painless and in fact quite pleasurable now that I think about it.


I wonder why you cant update from the downloaded binaries; do you download them all and do you specify the folder they are placed in by you?


Yes, I place them in C:\Temp for example, but no go on the update; AVG doesn't see anything in that folder. "Check For Updates" asks whether you want to go online for updates or to look elsewhere (e.g. C:\Temp). The latter option doesn't work on my machine i.e. C:\Temp appears to be rather like a vacuum from AVG's point of view.


I don't see that it was unequivocally stated that the free domestic version was installed, even if this was inferred, - just advice about its effectiveness.


The free domestic version is installed in both cases, although not the preferred choice for my friend's office machine.


You could always post your problem on their forums maybe - but I doubt its due to the Windows version.


and


I think your response to go to their forums is the best bet.


As far as I can make out, the major limitation of the free version is that forums and FAQs can be read but not posted to. No personal support is offered by Grisoft AVG unless you pay for it, which is understandable. They have included a "Contact Us" feature, where you can send off questions, but it's clearly stated that, at best, these might make it onto the FAQ list within a few weeks, if the problem is a common one. Anyway, regarding the update problem; I haven't dug deep enough so will keep looking...

Thanks again for the interest ;) .

[Paul Komski]

I don't want to make an issue over the home/business use other than point out the exact wording of the license agreement (http://free.grisoft.com/freeweb.php/doc/98/lng/us/tpl/v5):

You may install (download) and use only one copy of the program designated for protection of exclusively one personal computer, notwithstanding as to how many times you download the program and how many times you accept the License Agreement. You must not use the program in a network or on more than one computer. This particular software version is distributed free of charge, therefore, the applicable license is only granted for home use thereof. In case of this free version, the program is not subject to any guarantees, and the user has no right to any technical support whatsoever.

It would seem that for home use would seem to be the relevant expression that lawyers might argue over. If I had a one standalone PC that all the family used and I did a few business accounts on an excel worksheet then does that turn it from a home to a business pc? I don't know and I'm not even looking for an answer but I would doubt that Grisoft would be trying to track me down and sue me.

[classicsoftware]

I'll let the lawyers argue the semantics. A home PC that you use for occasional business is a HOME PC. A business PC is one you use for a business. I'll let their conscious be their guides.:eek:

[Beachcoffee]

The AVG forum does allow users of the free software or anyone for that matter to post. You have to register. At least this was the way it was last time I checked.

[JackFoligie]

The AVG forum does allow users of the free software or anyone for that matter to post. You have to register. At least this was the way it was last time I checked.


I found what looks like an official AVG forum by Googling on "AVG forum". It's the first hit. Is this the forum referred to above?

Cheers,

Jack

[classicsoftware]

The Rules of the AVG forum are:
The AVG Free Forum has been created to provide users of AVG Free with a platform to share knowledge and discuss issues with other knowledgeable AVG Free users. Registration is required in order to be able to submit questions and issues. However, even non-registered users are able to participate in read-only mode. To register for the AVG Free Forum and other On-line Services, please go to the Information menu in your installed AVG Free and select Register Online. If you are not using AVG Free, please download and install AVG Free Edition and then go to the Information menu and select Register Online.

[FrankSG]

I'll let their conscious be their guides.:eek:

Always making it tough on a guy, aren't you.:)

[JackFoligie]

To register for the AVG Free Forum and other On-line Services, please go to the Information menu in your installed AVG Free and select Register Online. If you are not using AVG Free, please download and install AVG Free Edition and then go to the Information menu and select Register Online.


Well lookie here! The best bit of news I've had all day long. It seems I'm more the fool than I thought I was. Thanks for the info. Thanks also for playing the part of conscience. It may just have done the trick. Who knows, one of these days I'll probably be saying the same things to someone else.

Anyway, the machine still freezes up at the strangest times, but I'm working on it.

Cheers

Jack