I have had Norton Antivirus on my pc ever since it was new. I just tried to update my virus definitions yesterday and I was told by the message on my screen that I had to “renew” my subscription. After 2 years, I have to renew a subscription??? I paid good money for Nortons and I don’t think I should have to renew anything unless I choose to.
So I uninstalled Nortons and downloaded InoculateIT. Version 5.2.5. Does anybody here use it? If so, does it scan email like Nortons did? How often do you have to get updates and above all is it free?
I’ve become convinced that antivirus software causes computer crashes. My computer very seldom crashed until last week, when I installed Norton Antivirus, since then it’s been about every other day.
I wouldn’t have installed it in the first place, except I was a bit too eager with a bit of hackery I downloaded, and ran it before being sure it was safe. Trojan. But I think I managed to stop it before it finished setting itself up anyway. Maybe I’ll uninstall Norton.
McAfee VirusScan Deluxe crashed mine too, no matter what I did. That was a year or so ago; it might be better now. Somebody else try it and let me know how it goes.
cheezit: -Virus programs require maintenance on the server/provider end; as new viruses are discovered, detectors have to be written. Just about every first-rate virus program includes a limited-time “subscription”. You yourself asked the question “how often do you get updates?” Norton wouldn’t have stopped protecting you against all the stuff you had already updated against, you just couldn’t get any new updates to stop new viruses.
Many viruses are designed to infiltrate Microsoft operating systems and tend to use Microsoft programs, which is very shocking because everything that comes from Microsoft is bulletproof and bug-free. - MC
Norton and MCAfee crash my cheapo motherboard.
McAfee crashed two Gateways at work. Un-install and reinstall McAfee and Netscape took care of the problem for the moment. McAfee sometimes doesn’t play well with Netscape.
I’ve been using Inoculateit at home for a couple of weeks. Updates seem to go ok.
I have and use InoculateIT. I use it and love it. It won’t mess up your system, updates are always free and you can have it scan emails or anything you want. It truly is free, and it truly is good. It will prompt you to download an update about every two weeks. you can also update anytime you feel like it without waiting for a prompt. The company that runs this is very up-to-date (if there is a big virus problem, like melissa, except an update to be available in <24 hours). MacAfee really messed up my system, norton slowed it to a crawl, but this program did neither, and is every bit as effective, and it is free. I highly recommend it.
Two months ago I had to handle a bad virus problem. I investigated a lot of options, with help from some experienced Sys. Op. friends and their ilk. I eventually selected Command Anit-virus, and have been very pleased with it ever since. The quality of telephone help, support and backup is very good, which I guess you don’t get with free stuff.
I found Norton to be too invasive - it writes files all over the place and seemed to me to want to take over my machine.
F-Prot for Windows with F-Stop. F-Stop scans internet activity (emails, attachments). I think I paid something like $25 for it. I have used the DOS version (free) and have been very happy with it and the Windows version. They have free updates.
I’m currently trying to do an analysis for work, so I’ve been looking these things up.
I’m looking into McAfee, Norton, InnoculateIT, PC-Cillin, and Sophos.
As far as I can tell, they’re all about equal in finding viruses and running on an operating system. I don’t like McAfee’s attitude and customer service these days (after they screwed up my computer and I couldn’t get an answer from tech support). Norton is very good about creating software to clean up after a virus infection – good since at a college, the infections will sneak through. You can’t beat the price on InnoculateIt. I really like a lot of the features on Sophos (it checks for system integrity), but I don’t like the fact it doesn’t seem to clean viruses, only mark them.
Hmmmm I’ve been using Norton for about 2 1/2 months now and I haven’t had a single problem with it. Updates are free and easy to do. My pc has only frozen on me twice and I’ve not had any problems with the anti-virus software that I us. So if I had to recommend anything it’d be Norton Anti-Virus.
InnoculateIT has worked very well on my system.
I used it to clean a virus from a friend’s computer and it repaired
all the infected files just fine.
Hint:
Whichever AV software you use, there’s no need to have it running all
the time, unless you are in some unusual networked situation with files
coming in and out without your control. Many programmers setup up their
product to run at every startup - a huge overhead on your system!
Just run the AV software when you have downloaded a doubtful file
(an executable or a Word processing document that may contain macros or
an email with attachments or non-text content) or when you insert a floppy.
With InnoculateIT (and the others too I guess) you can use it to scan
just a particular folder (like your email folder or where your downloads
arrive) or just the floppy disk. Saves heaps of time.
If worried, you can check the whole hard disk occasionally, but not every
time as the automatic setup would do.
Checkout the AV program’s options and disable everything that is automatic.
No more overhead.
I just use Disinfectant for the older 20 and WormGuard for the Autostart worm and a locked folder called “Graphics Accelerator” in my Extensions folder stops Graphics Accelerator from being installed.
My brain contains the best software for my PC and Macs in preventing viruses.
I agree that Norton and McAffee have screwed up several systems both at home and work, no matter which way they’re used, so at home I don’t use anything. InnoculateIT works great on my server at work, no problems, but at home, I like to shut off the preview pane in my email browsers, read who’s sending me what in the subject line, and delete and clear the trash of all that I deem unworthy of doubleclicking.
IMO, all the antivirus software does for the most part is warn you that you when you have a virus (if it detects the virus), and even with claims that they rid your system of the virus, I’ve dealt with too many cases where it in fact doesn’t.
