Best FREE Anti-Virus Software?

I am a firm believer in open source and using free software wherever feasible. I am now setting up a new computer. I have for a long time used AVG for my virus scanning, but that is no longer free.

Do you have a free anti virus that you like a lot and if so, what is it?
Microsoft XP Pro operating system

Thanks

As far as I know, AVG is still free... you can get it here:

http://free.grisoft.com/

However, this really doesn't have anything to do with SL at all... so I expect this thread to be deleted/moved/etc.

Regardless... be well

For you, Clamwin, it is the Windows version of Clamav (linux/unix). Check it here http://www.clamwin.com/

But the best free antivirus, I found 2 years ago...got rid of Windows and I use Linux exclusively (Windows on a virtual machine inside linux just for MSN videochat sometimes)

Go here to get the updated free version of AVG 8.0.1:

http://www.download.com/AVG-Anti-Virus-Free-Edition/3000-2239_4-10320142.html?tag=pop.software&cdlPid=10834624

Still free, they just make it hard to find on the AVG website.

Thank you -- I also like AVG, but when they went to version 8, they very much implied it was no longer free.

@Tenga -- I would guess that you haven't really been paying too much attention to the forums lately if you think that every question absolutely much be specific to SL. Many of us now use Resident Answers to get answers to a variety of semi-related questions from out good good friends here. BTW - the proper setup of a new computer actually is relevant to SL running well. I remember many comments in this forum about things like McAfee or Norton causing SL problems.

With me, the AVG folks have begun spamming marketing messages on every startup, which is annoying. When I got a new computer (also XP), the guys who put it together used Avast! free edition:

http://www.avast.com/eng/download-avast-home.html

Free, though you register for a year's license, and then things seem very smooth. More capable than AVG, but it seems very low overhead as well.
.

I use Avira, I read it was better than AVG (not sure whether this is true!).

Thanks Nika - I will check it out.

I think I will download a few and try them one at a time over the course of the next week or two to see which I like best as far as system performance, usability and customization.

I don't think I have ever even heard of that one, so I will go research it.

Not sure what website you're looking on...but just installed the updated AVG 8.0.101. I think I downloaded it from Cnet and you kind of have to "look" for the free version, but it still exists.

AVG is still free.

When you install AVG 8.x free you might want to select the custom install option. This will let you turn off some features you might find annoying, one being the "pre-check links" which checks links and adds icons following the links to pages like Google search results.

There was an ad for the pay version at the bottom of the AVG screen. There is a button or checkbox on the left to turn it off. I'm not sure if it will reappear the next time you make the AVG screen appear. When things are going well, you shouldn't have to be seeing the screen at all.

I'm using Avast. It seems a bit intrusive, but tolerable. If you find the rotating A in the system tray annoying, like I do, you can turn off the rotation in the Avast preferences.

This is most likely your best alternative to AVG

Oh, I pay a great deal of attention... I've just become used to enforcement of the forum guidelines to come in waves, sputters or spurts (where such might take months to go from crest to trough ).

But yes, you make a good point - requests regarding an AV solution that interferes minimally with SL is defintely on-topic.

/me *bows, smiles*

When I have the 7.x version of AVG, it started popping up a box telling me I should upgrade, but when I went to where it directed me I could not find a free version anywhere, so I assumed that it was no longer free. Guess I did not dig around deeply enough.

Thanks all.

I use AVG 8 Free. the download page is here:

http://free.grisoft.com/ww.homepage-appf8

Comodo, both antivirus and firewall software are free and worth checking out. I've used both on my laptop (Windows XP) for the past 3 years and have had zero issues with anything.

http://www.comodo.com/

When I set up my new machine recently I asked our college IT guys which was best. They had been recommending AVG for a while now but one of them suggested !Avast. I have it here and set it on Morgaine's new PC. We've had no problems.
/me waves at L'il .. And Garrett above *wave*

I have downloaded everything mentioned in this thread. I installed AVG initially because I am familiar with it and anxious to get online. I have a calendar reminder set up to remind me to change every two weeks so that I can properly evaluate all of the products.

using AVIRA atm...seems good

for me, popularity is a big negative factor for choosing an antivi. At one point McAfee and Norton were so popular, viruses were written to specifically circumvent each program. AVG has reached that level of ubiquity I think. I don't know if there are any anti-AVG-virii yet, but if not there will be soon. That's why I like to stay just a shade off the beaten path.

Avira is the company that makes AntiVir. That's my current weapon of choice.

I will need to add Comodo to my list however, I had not previously heard of that one. It is always good to change antivi periodicly or temporarily run an alternate for a second opinion. No antivi is perfect.

I use AVG Free and the Windows firewall. Works for me, but I don't really do much that exposes me to a lot of danger.

AVG and Norton are ok, if you don't mind 25% of your CPU resources tied up by it, or if you don't mind being inundated with false positives.

We run HijackThis on every machine on our network at boot. It takes 10 seconds, then shuts down, leaving your computer resources alone.

Don't surf bad sites.

Most IT people refer to the Microsoft Windows firewall as essentially the same as not using one at all.

ZoneAlarm's firewall has a free version, and there are many other good ones out there as well.

P2

I'm not an IT person.
Yeah well, I'm not one for just letting something sit there unused. Pretty much why I use IE. I don't need anything else, there really isn't much I do that puts my machine at risk. I don't download, I don't use wireless, my connection is off when I'm not using it. I don't open unknown emails. I've never had a problem , or even an AV alert, false or otherwise.

I looked at the Hijack This site,, but it seems a bit more involved than I want. You have to interpret the reports as to what to do? No thanks.

SpyBot is good for regular scans.

HijackThis is a technical tool for analysis of potentially-infected systems. The best way to use it is to create a log file, send it for analysis on a suitable service, and if it's ok, add everything in that log to the ignore list and then continue running HijackThis regularly. If nothing has changed you should be safe, if something changes and it doesn't correspond to something you know you've done, search for information about that change. But it's a very technical route to go.

Most of the best antivirus software is not open source because doing regular updates and virus analysis requires a great deal of full-time commitment.