Is there a better virus protection software than Norton?

[golfnut]

I have Norton System Works 2003 and seem to always be having problems and conflicts. Is there another antivirus software that I can use and feel confident that it is protecting my computer from viruses. Forget McAfee, I know about that one, any others? Thank you for your help.

[thecoalman]

Yep the guy between the keyboard and the chair.

Try AVG, besides McAfee and Norton I think there the only ones. There's a online one that's supposed to be pretty good too but the name escapes me now, try a search for "virus housecall"

BTW I'm running McAfee 2004 and have no trouble with it. If your running all that other crap that comes with system works such as ad blocker, spam blocker, Pop-up blocker(if you have updated to SP2) etc. try turning it off. The only thing I'd leave running is the virus scanner and the firewall. Scratch that just the virus scanner and go fet Zonealarm. www.zonelabs.com

[golfnut]

Thanks thecoalman.

[Jayhawk]

I'm a huge fan of AVG from www.grisoft.com and haven't had a virus in years. I've removed a lot of Norton lately because of conflicts. It's a pretty bloated package for simple virus protection. AVG is a much better way to go.

Another good free firewall package I've been playing around with comes from www.softperfect.com

Stay away from the Windows firewall (doesn't do outbound) and pop-up blocker in SP2. My favorite popup blocker is the Google Toolbar from www.google.com

I use Spybot and Adaware from www.lavasoft.com for spyware protection. Spysweeper 3.0 is very good but it isn't free. Stay away from Spynuker (it's a Spybot rippoff).

[golfnut]

jayhawk thanks for the info. Which version of AVG are you using? Is the free version really all I need or should I buy the other version? I too use Spybot, Adaware, and Google Toolbar popup blocker. Thanks again.

[IAIHMB]

I'm just fine with Norton Internet Security 2004 and my share of spyware/adware scanning programs. 8) I played with Norton Antivirus Professional 2005 Beta and it wasn't nearly as bloated as 2004. If I remember correctly it should start shipping to stores late next week.

[indolikaa]

AVG.

[golfnut]

Thanks guys for the great responses, I think this gives me enough to think about for now.

[Jayhawk]

jayhawk thanks for the info. Which version of AVG are you using? Is the free version really all I need or should I buy the other version? I too use Spybot, Adaware, and Google Toolbar popup blocker. Thanks again.

I have always used the Free Version. If I'm not mistaken the pay version offers a few minor enhancements but nothing critical. The Free Version updates itself automatically without report (or manually if you prefer) and the updates are quite frequent which I like.

Just an aside, the 2004 version of Norton I removed from a lady's machine yesterday had just been updated to current definitions. When I ran it it found nothing. When I ran AVG it found two minor viruses. What I haven't figured out with Norton is why they install Norton Anti-Virus, Norton LiveUpdate, and Norton LiveReg. Three programs just to do virus protection and auto-update. Guess they have to justify the purchase price and yearly update fees.

[Jayhawk]

automatically without report

Sorry, should have been "automatically without reboot"

[golfnut]

Jayhawk, thanks again for the info, think I will give AVG a try.

[gitreel]

jayhawk thanks for the info. Which version of AVG are you using? Is the free version really all I need or should I buy the other version? I too use Spybot, Adaware, and Google Toolbar popup blocker. Thanks again.

Just an aside, the 2004 version of Norton I removed from a lady's machine yesterday had just been updated to current definitions. When I ran it it found nothing.

Did you have it configured for maximum protection? If it is configured for default, that might have been why it did not catch them.

[Garibaldi]

You could try advast home edition. See www.spychecker.com and go into all sections, and then anti-virus. Its free for home use and seems to work great.

[Jayhawk]

Did you have it configured for maximum protection? If it is configured for default, that might have been why it did not catch them.

The settings were the default. I assumed (maybe incorrectly) that Noton would assume I was using an anti-virus program to find viruses. Why would I only want to find some of them.

[gitreel]

I asked you that because the default setting is not good enough. You need to set it on maximum protection. Norton is often considered the best in the computer mags, but in recent reports, if left on default, it will not catch some. That is why maximum protection is needed.