[weaselthatbites]

So you just read the latest research by Donna and have perhaps decided that now is the time to switch from AVG free to a different antivirus program.

This is a poll (and therefore in no way scientific) of all those people who have switched as to how many viruses you found on your machine after you switched. The chances are that the people who visit this forum are probably safe internet users anyway, but results would be interesting nonetheless.

Note: I am going to assume that before you switched you ran a scan with Spybot and Ad-Aware, which both came up clean as well. Reason for this, is that most people who have AVG Free usually have Spybot and Ad-Aware.


Remember be honest

If it did find something, and you can remember what it was, could you please state for the record. Thanks in advance

[Haroldo]

I switched back in January (after WMF Exploit) to McAfee. I don't remember exactly, but I don't think McAfee found anything. I've been reasonably clean since I started using Hosts files, ePrompter, Spyware Blaster and about a dozen other preventative measures.

[mark5019]

Haroldo, on Aug 23 2006, 09:32 AM, said:

I switched back in January (after WMF Exploit) to McAfee. I don't remember exactly, but I don't think McAfee found anything. I've been reasonably clean since I started using Hosts files, ePrompter, Spyware Blaster and about a dozen other preventative measures.

i just switched but i to came up clean

[guest]

I won't switch from AVG Free as I am retired with a fixed income so I do not have a Credit Card nor can I afford one as I get myself into too much debt too easily with one because I like neet stuff that triggers my impulse buying neurons

[mark5019]

YoKenny, on Aug 23 2006, 11:23 AM, said:

I won't switch from AVG Free as I am retired with a fixed income so I do not have a Credit Card nor can I afford one as I get myself into too much debt too easily with one because I like neet stuff that triggers my impulse buying neurons

im on a fixed income allso but as a comcast subscriber i get it free

[EarlofLeicester]

I switched from AVG to avast! in... let me see... I think it was 2002. As a Comcast subscriber, I am entitled to McAfee Security Center for free, but even if McAfee paid me, I would not use it. (McAfee's VirusScan Enterprise product is more reliable, configurable and usable than their retail product). I still have clients using AVG and with safe computing and networking practices, they stay out of trouble (most of the time). But make mine avast!

[ourstanley]

Sheesh, I got a little scared after all the negative posts about AVG free that I decided to do an online scan with BitDefender. Result.... after running the scan for a while it found 2 infections which it couldn't heal so it deleted the said items. Good you may think, the first was a Notepad entry that I composed myself and the second was a Group of sites that opens in Maxthon, CoU included. I aborted the scan and later I switched groups and one wouldn't open, why ? It had been deleted by Bit Defender. A group of websites deleted as a threat ! It was my AntiVirus group I use to post updates to CoU ! AVG has always been ok with me but then again browsing habits dictate what you catch.

[johngalt]

EarlofLeicester, on Aug 23 2006, 01:52 PM, said:

I switched from AVG to avast! in... let me see... I think it was 2002. As a Comcast subscriber, I am entitled to McAfee Security Center for free, but even if McAfee paid me, I would not use it. (McAfee's VirusScan Enterprise product is more reliable, configurable and usable than their retail product). I still have clients using AVG and with safe computing and networking practices, they stay out of trouble (most of the time). But make mine avast!

Agreed. I like Avast much better than most others out there, and if Symantec hadn't started beefing up the enterprise version of their product, SAV, with a lot of bloat I'd still be with that. But free is better than paid for if the features are the same.

Make mine avast! as well!

[joe53]

In light of the concerns expressed about AVG, I tried out the trial version of Avast!

Neither the boot-up nor the on-demand Avast scans found any real virus, although both found a well-documented FP- pskavs.dll- (supposedly infected with Win32:CTX), due to a recent online Panda scan.

Comparing AVG to Avast! (standard scans, email scanning disabled):
Avast! scanned a few minutes faster (8 vs 11 minutes).
Avast! uses more memory, but both use less than ewido, and the difference isn't huge.
Both scanned approximately the same number of files.
Both beat NAV and McAfee hands down, IMHO.
I like the funky art deco Avast skin!

Haven't decided which to keep resident yet. I note the requirement to register Avast, and if it involves any personal info will probably dump it.

Incidently, the poll says I already voted- all I recall is clicking the "view results". My vote should indicate "0" detections.

[ColdinCbus]

joe53, on Aug 29 2006, 09:40 PM, said:

Incidently, the poll says I already voted- all I recall is clicking the "view results". My vote should indicate "0" detections.

On any poll here, clicking the "View Results" button = forfeit your vote in the poll. The View Results button should say something similar to that fact.

edit - it says "View Results (Null Vote)"

[joe53]

ColdinCbus, on Aug 29 2006, 10:08 PM, said:

On any poll here, clicking the "View Results" button = forfeit your vote in the poll. The View Results button should say something similar to that fact.

edit - it says "View Results (Null Vote)"

Thanks for the clarification.

[theweeman]

Voted 0 it found nothing.

[Phantom Bronco]

theweeman, on Sep 7 2006, 01:09 PM, said:

Voted 0 it found nothing.

Same here. I now use Avast free version and am pleased with the product!

[foxbite]

YoKenny, on Aug 23 2006, 03:23 PM, said:

I won't switch from AVG Free as I am retired with a fixed income so I do not have a Credit Card nor can I afford one as I get myself into too much debt too easily with one because I like neet stuff that triggers my impulse buying neurons

Similar to you Yo Kenny except that I have a Credit Card. AVG with relevant anti malware free software
keeps my PC healthy.

Foxbite