Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

I purchased a my first laptop a little while back, and my free trial anti-virus is about to expire. Any advice on what to get now? I don't know much about computers, and don't know were to start haha. I have an HP with Windows 7 if that helps...

Thanks in advance!

Avast.

Concurred.

Avast.


http://download.cnet.com/Avast-Free-Antivirus/3000-2239_4-10019223.html?part=dl-85737&subj=dl&tag=button

Linux. No viruses unless you run a malicious program.
When I use windows though, I use avast! I am serious.

AVG. It's freeeeeee

I was looking at AVG or Avast...both are free, and they're both highly rated. Just a matter of preference, I presume? Haha.

Thanks for all the replies

AVG has kept mine clean for the past many years!

Alternatively, a hand grenade keeps it virus-free aswell...

AVG is not very good by today's standards (IMHO). You have Win7, so MSE is free. Get that, it's all you should ever need.

edit: MSE is the free Microsoft antivirus for Win7. It does anything and everything better than other antivirus programs can.

nectarprime wrote:AVG is not very good by today's standards (IMHO). You have Win7, so MSE is free. Get that, it's all you should ever need.

edit: MSE is the free Microsoft antivirus for Win7. It does anything and everything better than other antivirus programs can.

As long as you don't go all out on the illegal/adult sites *cough*, i guess you're relatively safe..

*coughs some more!*

Billinator wrote:

nectarprime wrote:AVG is not very good by today's standards (IMHO). You have Win7, so MSE is free. Get that, it's all you should ever need.

edit: MSE is the free Microsoft antivirus for Win7. It does anything and everything better than other antivirus programs can.

As long as you don't go all out on the illegal/adult sites *cough*, i guess you're relatively safe..

*coughs some more!*

I go to adult sites, use MSE, and have had zero problems for the last few years.

That's odd, a free AV that comes with Windows and it's working?...

n0t_u wrote:That's odd, a free AV that comes with Windows and it's working?...

I think everyone should draw their own conclusions, but I have found MSE to be great.

n0t_u wrote:That's odd, a free AV that comes with Windows and it's working?...

Lies, coporate evil bank terrorist plot is the only logical explanation

@OP: I have found Avast! to be good for a free one, but if you an splash the cash than Norton is very good I have found

Ideally you should use more than one scanner.

Avast, Malwarebytes, AVG, Threatfire are all used by me. I also use Microsoft Security Essentials, it's free, and it's actually not half bad. Not compared to some of Microsofts past blunders.

You don't have to go five programs, but packing two or three is the best way to secure yourself. Set them to do automatic scans while you're asleep once a week.

only thing to use that really works and is free is

Microsoft Security Essentials
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/products/security-essentials

and then use Mozilla Firefox with NoScript and Adblocker+ and you will be 100 good

I second the MSE usage. I may be somewhat insane but I'm also an IT professional, you can have 10 licenses for MSE free and, surprisingly, its actually very good.

So...I tried Avast, but then I couldn't connect to the internet...I finally gave up and un-installed Avast, and now my computer works just like before.

Anyone had that problem before? Haha.

mega_bassist wrote:So...I tried Avast, but then I couldn't connect to the internet...I finally gave up and un-installed Avast, and now my computer works just like before.

Anyone had that problem before? Haha.

I've used Avast in the past (and currently on my computer at work) but haven't had this happen. I'm sure it's something in the settings for their "web shield" that is not giving you web access.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

LordofHats wrote:Ideally you should use more than one scanner.

Avast, Malwarebytes, AVG, Threatfire are all used by me. I also use Microsoft Security Essentials, it's free, and it's actually not half bad. Not compared to some of Microsofts past blunders.

You don't have to go five programs, but packing two or three is the best way to secure yourself. Set them to do automatic scans while you're asleep once a week.

Honestly I believe that's more trouble than it's worth, and pretty redundant if you keep even Avast and AVG open all the time. It also uses up system resources when you have active antivirus applications open, more so when you have more than one.

Malwarebytes is great and has gotten me out of tight situations in the past. It's good, but is more of a "big guns" program that you have to run manually. It does not actively scan activity such as MSE and Avast.

Personally, My Firefox scans all downloads for virus', I got AVG, uninstalled it, but kept the link scanner, and use MSE, last virus I got was from downloading porn, on google chrome. Use firefox, it scans automatically, well, mine does

Well, it did, till I broke the keyboard, now I can't login

Microsoft Security Essentials

Seriously we are through the looking glass here, the best antivirus is made by microsoft.

If you absolutely don't believe me, use Avast!

Don't for the love of god use AVG. It was good like 8 years ago, but it's AWFUL AND WORTHLESS now. DO NOT USE.

AVG was okay when I used it, just slowed down my laptop so much, I got rid of it

AVG is thought of as being quite pants compared with Avast!, at least amongst the free AVs.

I use Kaspersky and Malwarebytes myself, but if I had to, i'd use Avast! instead of Kaspersky, even though I do prefer the latter.