# Avast is un-installable rubbish--any good anti-virus programs? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 2, 2012, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avast-is-un-installable-rubbish-any-good-anti-virus-programs/620633 "2012-05-02T13:28:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2012, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avast-is-un-installable-rubbish-any-good-anti-virus-programs/620633/21 "2012-05-04T12:46:14Z")
I’ll suggest AVG free also. The trick is to navigate through the web pages that try to trick you into downloading a trial version of the paid AVG instead. Eventually you will get to the free version. If you are hit by a virus, Malwarebytes and Trend Micro Housecall are also two good free virus cleaners that can do a full scan of your PC. If the virus won’t let you go to those web sites, you may have to download the “loader” on someone else’s PC and then run it from yours. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2012, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avast-is-un-installable-rubbish-any-good-anti-virus-programs/620633/22 "2012-05-04T13:01:00Z")
Every few years, almost like clockwork, the popular Virus Checker software of the moment goes one or two steps too far and becomes unacceptably awful in some way or other. I would happily pay for one that does its job properly, silently, and efficiently, but it seems that is not possible. Every software manufacturer seems to want to bugger it up somehow by adding unnecessary features and obfuscating interface crap. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2012, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avast-is-un-installable-rubbish-any-good-anti-virus-programs/620633/23 "2012-05-04T13:03:51Z")
Kaspersky is the best, but it’s not cheap. It has suites that also handle spyware adware and malware, and even spam. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2012, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avast-is-un-installable-rubbish-any-good-anti-virus-programs/620633/24 "2012-05-04T14:51:48Z")
> [@shiftless](#): > > So I uninstalled AVG and installed Microsoft Security last night. Very, very simple and it seems to be much less intrusive. Everything runs noticable faster, better than when I doubled my RAM. Its only been one day of course. Woo-hoo! I am totally going to do that this weekend. ---
**Author:** ![Deegeea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Deegeea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deegeea)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2012, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avast-is-un-installable-rubbish-any-good-anti-virus-programs/620633/25 "2012-05-04T15:19:18Z")
Can’t believe no one mentioned this, but if you’ve received no emails from Avast, it might be somehow the address they’re sending it from got into your spam blocker settings. Have you checked your junk, gray, etc email, and settings to make sure? Also try emailing them again and say you haven’t received any of their replies and are going to cancel their payment in your credit card if you don’t hear from them by (give a date, maybe 2 business days later) and your phone number. ---
**Author:** ![dnooman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/839c29/32.png) [@dnooman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dnooman)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2012, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avast-is-un-installable-rubbish-any-good-anti-virus-programs/620633/26 "2012-05-04T18:42:10Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Kaspersky is the best, but it’s not cheap. It has suites that also handle spyware adware and malware, and even spam. Agreed, except it goes on sale on Newegg about once a month. It’s a 3 license package that ends up being free if you’re good with mail in rebates. Otherwise I think it’s like $40. ---
**Author:** ![Alley\_Dweller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alley_dweller/32/430_2.png) [@Alley\_Dweller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alley_Dweller)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2012, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avast-is-un-installable-rubbish-any-good-anti-virus-programs/620633/27 "2012-05-04T18:50:32Z")
> [@dnooman](#): > > Agreed, except it goes on sale on Newegg about once a month. It’s a 3 license package that ends up being free if you’re good with mail in rebates. Otherwise I think it’s like $40. [The single PC version is available right now](http://www.frys.com/product/6755965?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG) (5/4/12 through 5/10/12 or while supplies last) at Fry’s Free After Rebate with free shipping. Sales tax may apply. Every major anti-virus is available somewhere Free After Rebate all the time. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2012, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avast-is-un-installable-rubbish-any-good-anti-virus-programs/620633/28 "2012-05-04T19:03:20Z")
> [@Deegeea](#): > > Can’t believe no one mentioned this, but if you’ve received no emails from Avast, it might be somehow the address they’re sending it from got into your spam blocker settings. Have you checked your junk, gray, etc email, and settings to make sure? Also try emailing them again and say you haven’t received any of their replies and are going to cancel their payment in your credit card if you don’t hear from them by (give a date, maybe 2 business days later) and your phone number. Yep, and after a week I got a totally useless reply from them directing me to their terrible “help” site and ignoring my complaint that they never sent me a license file. They need to get food poisoning, as far as I’m concerned. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2012, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avast-is-un-installable-rubbish-any-good-anti-virus-programs/620633/29 "2012-05-04T19:21:31Z")
> [@Animastryfe](#): > > It seems that these recommendations are only for Windows. As it seems that the OP’s question has been answered, what good anti-virus programs are there for macs? If we say “I don’t know of any” are you going to say “yeah, you know why? Because Macs don’t _need them_,” and start prancing around like a peacock? ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2012, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avast-is-un-installable-rubbish-any-good-anti-virus-programs/620633/30 "2012-05-04T20:23:45Z")
I don’t get the hate for Avast (or why on Earth you would actually _pay_ for an anti-virus program!). I’ve been using the free version in conjunction with Mawarebytes (also free) for over three years and I have zero complaints about it. Its not resource heavy, updates itself automatically and unobtrusively, and only prompts me to upgrade to their paid version once a year when I have to renew my license for the free version. I think its great software. ---
**Author:** ![Headrush042](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a5b964/32.png) [@Headrush042](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Headrush042)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2012, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avast-is-un-installable-rubbish-any-good-anti-virus-programs/620633/31 "2012-05-04T21:29:02Z")
I think for most typical users, Microsoft Security Essentials is perfectly fine (and it’s free!). It usually rates pretty high with virus testers, it’s pretty unobtrusive, and doesn’t require a lot of resources. Right now I’m using Norton Internet Security 2012 – they had a bad reputation for being really resource-hungry and slowing down systems, but this current iteration is fantastic. It’s small and lightweight, and it scans your computer in the background using your CPU’s idle cycles, so it never draws resources from what you’re doing. I got a 1-year 3-computer license free with rebate when I built this current system. It also ranks pretty high with virus testers. I used to use AVG, but it seems it’s gone the opposite of Norton – it went from lightweight and fast to being resource-hungry and bloated, though I wouldn’t really have noticed if I hadn’t installed it on my weak little netbook. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2012, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avast-is-un-installable-rubbish-any-good-anti-virus-programs/620633/32 "2012-05-05T00:44:37Z")
> [@md2000](#): > > I’ll suggest AVG free also. It might work fine but I didn’t like the fact that it put a message in every outgoing email I sent. It was on its surface a notice that no viruses were found in this email but was basically a one-line ad. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2012, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avast-is-un-installable-rubbish-any-good-anti-virus-programs/620633/33 "2012-05-05T01:04:57Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > Every few years, almost like clockwork, the popular Virus Checker software of the moment goes one or two steps too far and becomes unacceptably awful in some way or other. > > I would happily pay for one that does its job properly, silently, and efficiently, but it seems that is not possible. Every software manufacturer seems to want to bugger it up somehow by adding unnecessary features and obfuscating interface crap. True. It seems to be about a 3-4 year cycle. Right now Microsoft & Norton seem to be on the ‘good’ part of the cycle, while Avast & AVG are heading into the ‘bad’ part. ---
**Author:** ![JustinC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justinc/32/8083_2.png) [@JustinC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JustinC)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2012, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avast-is-un-installable-rubbish-any-good-anti-virus-programs/620633/34 "2012-05-05T04:27:53Z")
I would like to eleventieth Microsoft’s Essentials security which, along with regular cleaning with CCleaner seems to be sufficient for my daily exposure to the nasty interwebs. ---
**Author:** ![Lubricious\_Integument](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/82dd89/32.png) [@Lubricious\_Integument](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lubricious_Integument)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2012, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avast-is-un-installable-rubbish-any-good-anti-virus-programs/620633/35 "2012-05-05T06:05:48Z")
> [@Eve](#): > > \*Gosh \*what an awful computer night I had–first trying to work remotely; we have two remote-access programs at my office, and neither of them was working, so Patricia Medina’s obit went unsent to the media. > > But I have a different aggravation to ask about. I have Avast anti-virus, and it’s always been pretty good. But it is expiring, and I cannot reinstall it! I paid for it, downloaded the little desk icon, and it keeps asking me to “insert license file,” which they are \*supposed \*to have e-mailed me but never did. Avast has no support: no telephone number to call, just an e-mail address (my two e-mails have gone unanswered), or “ask on Twitter or Facebook!” Fuck \*that \*noise. > > So some guy on my commuter train told me Microsoft has a good anti-virus program, easy to install (I have a p.c., not a Mac). \*Are \*they any good, and installable by dim-witted little old ladies like myself? That seems strange to me. I’ve been using avast on all my computers for years and all I get is an annual request to re-register. Updates are automatic. Are you using the free avast or a paid version? ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2012, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avast-is-un-installable-rubbish-any-good-anti-virus-programs/620633/36 "2012-05-05T22:20:34Z")
OK, done and done! Uninstalled Avast, ran CCleaner, installed Microsoft’s anti-virus. Thanks for the tips, all! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avast-is-un-installable-rubbish-any-good-anti-virus-programs/620633.md?page=1)