# Free anti-virus software recommendations, please

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-anti-virus-software-recommendations-please/105945>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [April 27, 2002, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-anti-virus-software-recommendations-please/105945 "2002-04-27T13:29:06Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2002, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-anti-virus-software-recommendations-please/105945/1 "2002-04-27T13:29:06Z")

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To cut a long story short, I’ve had to wipe my PC and reinstall everything from scratch. I’ve found replacements or original media for most software, but have lost my Norton AV CD-ROM.

Can anyone suggest a freeware replacement? Preferably not too large, since I only have a 56k dial-up connection, and compatible with Windows 98 running on a Celeron (PII-equivalent).

I’d heard InoculateIT was good, but it’s been taken over and is no longer freeware. Any other ideas?

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**Author:** ![galen\_ubal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/galen_ubal/32/4440_2.png) [@galen\_ubal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galen_ubal)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2002, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-anti-virus-software-recommendations-please/105945/2 "2002-04-27T15:07:49Z")

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[AVG antivirus](http://www.grisoft.com/html/us_index.htm) from Grisoft seems pretty good. It’s free, doesn’t spam, free updates, and seems to work well. I don’t recall how long t took, but I downloaded it when I had dial-up and I didn’t tear my hair out.

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**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2002, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-anti-virus-software-recommendations-please/105945/3 "2002-04-27T15:15:23Z")

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Excellent – ta very much!

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**Author:** ![Mr.Duality](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.duality/32/4098_2.png) [@Mr.Duality](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Duality)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2002, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-anti-virus-software-recommendations-please/105945/4 "2002-04-27T15:16:30Z")

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I’ve used AVG since McAfee screwed me by discontinuing updates for a less-than-3-year-old version of their software. AVG caught a trojan which would’ve changed my homepage, which McAfee once FAILED to do.

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**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2002, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-anti-virus-software-recommendations-please/105945/5 "2002-04-27T15:19:21Z")

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I had considered replacing Norton anyway, since their update service expired. AVG seems to do what I want it to do, and hasn’t had a fit interacting with ZoneAlarm or anything else. I think I may stick with this.

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**Author:** ![galen\_ubal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/galen_ubal/32/4440_2.png) [@galen\_ubal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galen_ubal)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2002, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-anti-virus-software-recommendations-please/105945/6 "2002-04-27T15:22:33Z")

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Happy to be of service.