A good free antivirus program...?
 

Okay.

So, I got on today and lo and behold, some antivirus update thing shows up and says I need to update or something. Then it goes on to scan my computer and find 52 different malicious programs. And, the grand kicker of all, it tells me I need to pay before it can update, and it is effectively locked.

Now I need to know how to fix this before something really bad happens. Do any of you know a decent free program to use that isn't loaded with something malicious from the start like Spybot?

Thanks.

Re: A good free antivirus program...?
 

Avast!

Works great and is 100% free. It will want you to sign up for a code after a while but the code is free.

Re: A good free antivirus program...?
 

I concur, Avast's free version is the best of the freeware AVs.

Re: A good free antivirus program...?
 

Are you sure it's not just giving false results in order to get you to buy the product? Plenty of companies do that.

Re: A good free antivirus program...?
 

You know, I bet the program that is making you pay is either Norton or McAfee. May also be PC Cillin but I do not know.

Re: A good free antivirus program...?
 

Edit: Nevermind. Delete this post.

Re: A good free antivirus program...?
 

I would recommend Avast! also.

Re: A good free antivirus program...?
 

Norton is a piece of malware. Unless you use tools provided by Symantec, you can't uninstall i without screwing up your OS. I highly recommend Avast! since it's updated all the time. It's alittle scary watching the virus database fill up with new threats, but hey, at least it keeps my PC safe!

Re: A good free antivirus program...?
 

Speaking of antivirus programs, currently I use McAfee Internet security. It has run out a week or two back. All that time it never found a single virus or anything (which means it either just sucks at the job, I'm lucky and I am smart enough to avoid downloading/opening unreliable files and attachments or a combination of those... :lol: ). I haven't reregistered yet since I'm off for three months it would be a waste of money. I haven't bothered to seriously think about subscribing again, changing to a competitor or going for a freeware alternative.

That's all for now. *keeps an eye on the thread* I won't really look seriously into AVs untill March of 2009 so... *lurk*

Re: A good free antivirus program...?
 

Avast! has only ever warned me once. That was just a false-positive. I think it's got something to do with FireFox and my Firewall too.

Re: A good free antivirus program...?
 

Yeah, the firewall and staying away from IE usually help a great deal at preventing shit to get on your PC in the first place.

I wouldn't know to which extend my McAfee firewall helped me out though ( I really don't look into this sort of thing unless I *have* to because I ran out of protection so to say).

Re: A good free antivirus program...?
 

So far, Avast! has picked up a boatload of malicious files that came from who-knows-where...

This was very helpful. Thank you all who suggested it.

Re: A good free antivirus program...?
 

I have Mcafee too, but mine has expired for over 4 weeks or so, and i haven't got any problems (yet). It was already installed on my laptop when i bought it.

On topic: i suggest you use Nod 32 by Eset, it is free and requiers you to buy it, but that is only for the updates. You can scan etc. for free and it is a very decent one. I have got it installed on my 2nd pc for 2 years (the full version), and never got any problems.

Re: A good free antivirus program...?
 

If you have a anti virus saying you have 52 infections and is asking you to buy it make sure its not Anti-Virus 2007, 2008, 2009, Ultimate Anti-Virus 2008, 2009, etc.

That is a virus that comes in through a Explorer exploit. Dont click on anything just ctl-alt-del, open task manager, and close application then run not walk to get a good anti-virus, Avast is probably OK. And turn on firewall and run windows updates.

BTW if not gone already AVG free version is going away. Will be pay only.

At work we use ESET's NOD32 only.

Re: A good free antivirus program...?
 

there you go: Nod 32 (btw, i don't get paid to say that Nod32 is good. ;))