Windows antivirus software

James Hatts · Thu 28 Dec, 2006 13.20

Any recommendations?

I have installed XP on my Mac using Parallels Desktop but I want to protect the Windows side of things.

nidave · Thu 28 Dec, 2006 13.25

Check out

AVG Anti-Virus Free
AVG Anti-Spyware Free

As the name suggests they are free.

http://free.grisoft.com/doc/1

Nick Harvey · Thu 28 Dec, 2006 13.44

I'll second that.

I've used both Norton and McAfee and, apart from having to pay for them, I've suffered badly from the machine slowing down almost to a halt. I'm sure those two are "technically" the best, but they're far too slow and bloated.

AVG is far better and far, far quicker.

The only two little points about AVG are that it occasionally appears not to do its auto-update, so if the systray icon changes to black and white, you need to prod it with a quick right-click and ask it to do its update; also be aware that the FULL anti-spyware isn't free after the first month, but if you're happy to do a manual update and a manual scan once in a while, it's perfectly adequate.

James Hatts · Thu 28 Dec, 2006 15.52

Thanks v much

Charlie Wells · Thu 28 Dec, 2006 17.40

There is also Avast which is free and fairly good.
http://www.avast.com

Chris · Thu 28 Dec, 2006 17.51

Nick Harvey wrote:I'll second that.

I've used both Norton and McAfee and, apart from having to pay for them, I've suffered badly from the machine slowing down almost to a halt. I'm sure those two are "technically" the best, but they're far too slow and bloated.

If you can get your mitts on McAfee VirusScan Enterprise in some way, then compared to the home versions (which are bloated) it's slimmed down considerably.

Nick Harvey · Thu 28 Dec, 2006 17.57

Chris wrote:If you can get your mitts on McAfee VirusScan Enterprise in some way, then compared to the home versions (which are bloated) it's slimmed down considerably.

Funnily enough, that's the version of McAfee I've experienced.

I'd hate to try the home version then.

The specific and worst problem with McAfee Enterprise is the age it takes for any Microsoft Office document to open, while it gets scanned.

I think you might be able to turn off "scan on open" but I wasn't on a machine where that would have been allowed by "da management".

Lorns · Thu 28 Dec, 2006 18.35

Nick Harvey wrote:I'll second that.

I've used both Norton and McAfee and, apart from having to pay for them, I've suffered badly from the machine slowing down almost to a halt. I'm sure those two are "technically" the best, but they're far too slow and bloated.

So that's my problem! Thanks lads.

Neil Jones · Thu 28 Dec, 2006 18.57

James Hatts wrote:Any recommendations?

I have installed XP on my Mac using Parallels Desktop but I want to protect the Windows side of things.

I've got Panda Platinum Internet Security running. Excellent piece of software.

Explorer · Thu 28 Dec, 2006 19.15

I use Norton Anti Virus. It is very good.

Chris · Thu 28 Dec, 2006 19.53

Nick Harvey wrote:
Chris wrote:If you can get your mitts on McAfee VirusScan Enterprise in some way, then compared to the home versions (which are bloated) it's slimmed down considerably.
Funnily enough, that's the version of McAfee I've experienced.

I'd hate to try the home version then.

The specific and worst problem with McAfee Enterprise is the age it takes for any Microsoft Office document to open, while it gets scanned.

I think you might be able to turn off "scan on open" but I wasn't on a machine where that would have been allowed by "da management".

I'm not aware of it specifically having a scan word document plug-in like Norton has, although I don't have any issues with it when opening Word files. Although it does tend to take a while if I am copying compressed files (i.e. zip and rar) but that is because the scan inside archive is enabled. The on access scan can take some time though and sap the processor usage of any lowly specced machine.