Bryan Posted October 10, 2013 Share Posted October 10, 2013 Hi Just got my computer back from repair under guarantee. Suspected a hardware fault as machine had started to crash but they claim it was a mix of trojans and viruses - so I had to pay for the work. I had been using Microsoft's free antivirus software but the shop has removed that and replaced it with a 30 day trial of Kaspersky. Not had any problems in the past using Microsoft protection. Is it worth paying the fee for Kaspersky or similar? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyMelbourne Posted October 10, 2013 Share Posted October 10, 2013 Have a look at AVG antivirus, you can google it. It is free and does the job and is also considerably less intrusive than most of the major commercial antivirus variants. I would remove all of the Kapersky files first. Only my opinion of course. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReeRay Posted October 10, 2013 Share Posted October 10, 2013 AVG is free and very effective. Used it for years now and never had any viruses or problems http://free.avg.com/ww-en/homepage Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReeRay Posted October 10, 2013 Share Posted October 10, 2013 Oops - Andy pipped me to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niels Quist Posted October 10, 2013 Share Posted October 10, 2013 I have used the Microsoft protection, but my 6-7 years' old computer crashed earlier this year. Normally I would install a free firewall and the Microsoft Essentials, but there was a three months' trial subscription to the Kaspersky software preinstalled on the new computer. I decided to try this product and take the decision 90 days later. What I like is that the firewall and the (enhanced - I hope) protection is in one product. The 90 days passed fast and I decided to take another year despite the price in the high end. I think it is better than the free products. The headquarters and main addresses are in Moscow, they should know what they are doing ..... It has worked fine and seems efficient, but you never know before it is too late. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulstw Posted October 10, 2013 Share Posted October 10, 2013 Give Malware Bytes Free a try. Removes all sorts that big companies miss. I used it everyday on teachers laptops that run Norton. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SFL Posted October 10, 2013 Share Posted October 10, 2013 AVG free +1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Preston Posted October 10, 2013 Share Posted October 10, 2013 I have been using Kaspersky for a few years now and would recommend it, its often rated as the best, or within the top programs available, by PC / Software magazine reviewers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Gaul Posted October 10, 2013 Share Posted October 10, 2013 I have both microsoft security essentials and malwarebytes installed and run a full scan of each at least once a week; the free versions. What one dosen't pick up the other seems to. I'm sure paid for versions will be better but this works for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan Bell Posted October 10, 2013 Share Posted October 10, 2013 +1 AVG but I use the paid for version for two computers. Not sure what advantage that gives me over the free AVG. Allan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Endicott Posted October 10, 2013 Share Posted October 10, 2013 I don't know how things are in England, but here in Colorado, generally when you hire a company to provide internet service, they provide you with antivirus software. I currently use my local cable television provider to provide internet and they provide me with Norton Antivirus. I run a complete system scan (which includes removing temporary files and optimizing the hard drives) every Sunday and Wednesday evening. It also protects on a live basis. I've not had a virus problem in years. The local telephone company also provides internet access and they use McAfee I believe. My day job is at a Canadian company (all nework services are provided out of Calgary....even when I go to Google we go to Google Canada despite being physically located in the United States). We use McAfee - I acquired a virus on the work computer about a month ago so either I'm not getting the updates as good as I can or the network administrators aren't applying them as quickly as they should, or McAfee is not up to snuff....or a combination of those things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyMelbourne Posted October 10, 2013 Share Posted October 10, 2013 Or buy a Mac of course! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Nacke Posted October 10, 2013 Share Posted October 10, 2013 For the entire time I've been using my current desktop PC running Windows 7 I've been using<br />the free (provided with my Comcast internet service) security software and outside of a few<br />minor issues, caused by Windows, it has worked very well. 7 also has some built in security<br />features that seem to work well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan Posted October 10, 2013 Author Share Posted October 10, 2013 Thanks for the responses. Hadn't thought of trying my ISP to obtain software. Have just checked and they do offer McAfee for one year free - but subsequently £45 per annum. However the combination of MS security essentials and Malwarebytes also looks attractive. I think that I probably need to be more proactive in scanning the discs, rather than assuming that the protection software is doing its stuff. Thinking back, when I was working full time my employers tried some of the paid for services but eventually settled on MS security essentials as being just as effective but causing fewer problems. Things change however. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyMelbourne Posted October 10, 2013 Share Posted October 10, 2013 May I just highlight that the big paid for names seem to machine gun files all over the place and at times can be almost impossible to get rid unless you perform a full wipe and reload. This is true of most new systems that have masses of pre installed software. I have not had this problem with AVG. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krisken Posted October 10, 2013 Share Posted October 10, 2013 AVG also has a paid option which includes includes more protection. I've used the free version for years and been happy with it. I also use Spybot Search & Destroy and Ad-Aware for malware/spyware/tracking threats. All three are a powerful package and don't use many resources on the computer. As always, Your Mileage May Vary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Mitchell Posted October 10, 2013 Share Posted October 10, 2013 AVG free works fine for me as well. It does slow my computer down sometimes, but that's probably more a function of the fact that it's time for me to get a more powerful machine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M.Chapman Posted October 10, 2013 Share Posted October 10, 2013 Hi Just got my computer back from repair under guarantee. Suspected a hardware fault as machine had started to crash but they claim it was a mix of trojans and viruses - so I had to pay for the work. I had been using Microsoft's free antivirus software but the shop has removed that and replaced it with a 30 day trial of Kaspersky. Not had any problems in the past using Microsoft protection. Is it worth paying the fee for Kaspersky or similar? Probably unrelated, but my PC also started crashing in late September following a Microsoft Windows update. After checking for Viruses, Trojans, Rootkits etc. it turned out to be Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) itself that was hanging the PC. I swapped to Avast (free version), and have had no problems since. AVG is also a good alternative. What I liked about MSE was it was so unobtrusive, but if you "Google" PC crashes with MSE you'll find quite a lot of reports. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
losdemas Posted October 10, 2013 Share Posted October 10, 2013 Been using AVG for years. Generally very good. Have also used MSE which has picked up on one or two things that AVG has missed. But a big thumbs-up for Malwarebytes, which saved me big time a little while back. Downloaded it in computer Safe Mode with networking, installed it, and it was able to remove a trojan which had installed various viruses (one automatically disabling AVG and MSE's ability to recognise it), then remove the viruses. Quick, simple, easy, efficient. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dov makabaw Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 Or buy a Mac of course! You beat me to it. We are missing out on all the fun! dov Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan Bell Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 Or buy a Mac of course! You beat me to it. We are missing out on all the fun! dov From what you both are infering in your posts it would appear that antivirus/firewall protection etc is not needed if you are using a MAC. In another thread I implied that I may be moving from Window PC to a MAC. Just to obtain further information, as Apple MAC is totally alien to me, I bought a magazine, Mac Forum, to gen up a bit. In that mag they are talking about security on MACs and what needs to be done which is very similar to the needs of a Windows user. They are even giving away Kapersky antivirus software to the letter writer of the month. So which is it to be? Other MAC experienced operators reply please. Allan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MDM Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 From what you both are infering in your posts it would appear that antivirus/firewall protection etc is not needed if you are using a MAC. In another thread I implied that I may be moving from Window PC to a MAC. Just to obtain further information, as Apple MAC is totally alien to me, I bought a magazine, Mac Forum, to gen up a bit. In that mag they are talking about security on MACs and what needs to be done which is very similar to the needs of a Windows user. They are even giving away Kapersky antivirus software to the letter writer of the month. So which is it to be? Other MAC experienced operators reply please. Allan Common wisdom says you don't need anti-virus protection for a Mac (not MAC by the way if you want to join the gang). Apple have malware protection built in to the OS. Have a read of the following https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5039356?start=0&tstart=0 The explanation there is detailed and very informed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duncan_Andison Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 Or buy a Mac of course! You beat me to it. We are missing out on all the fun! dov Shame.... I forgot all about what it was like to try and remove these buggers!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan Bell Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 From what you both are infering in your posts it would appear that antivirus/firewall protection etc is not needed if you are using a MAC. In another thread I implied that I may be moving from Window PC to a MAC. Just to obtain further information, as Apple MAC is totally alien to me, I bought a magazine, Mac Forum, to gen up a bit. In that mag they are talking about security on MACs and what needs to be done which is very similar to the needs of a Windows user. They are even giving away Kapersky antivirus software to the letter writer of the month. So which is it to be? Other MAC experienced operators reply please. Allan Common wisdom says you don't need anti-virus protection for a Mac (not MAC by the way if you want to join the gang). Apple have malware protection built in to the OS. Have a read of the following https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5039356?start=0&tstart=0 The explanation there is detailed and very informed. Read and digested. Thank you Duncan. Allan Edit: Whoops I ment to say Thank you MDM. Allan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoheria Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 Or do your self a proper favour, get off the software upgrade treadmill, and have a really fast, stable and robust OS with no virus issues - Linux (my clone of choice - Mint 64 bit ) for everything. I have been running dual boot alongside Windows for 18 months and almost never have to log into windows now - actually did so for the first time since May 2013 just the other day. I have processed may 10k images since then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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