# Free AV software...

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-av-software/500715>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 23, 2009, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-av-software/500715 "2009-06-23T14:23:59Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![chorpler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chorpler/32/2888_2.png) [@chorpler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chorpler)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2009, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-av-software/500715/21 "2009-06-24T11:39:31Z")

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> [@BigT](#):
>
> Yes. Though they will also scan those types of files without you opening them, too.

Well, yeah, but I’m glad to know they will also scan any file you access specifically, so you won’t inadvertently open up a virus in an archive you downloaded and forgot to scan. Although presumably they scan files you download, I occasionally just copy files over from other computers by command prompt.

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**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2009, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-av-software/500715/22 "2009-06-24T12:43:05Z")

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I like Avast better than AVG.

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**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:** [June 24, 2009, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-av-software/500715/23 "2009-06-24T13:13:55Z")

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> [@Shagnasty](#):
>
> I like Avast better than AVG.

Me too. It’s far less intrusive. AVG is too demanding of updates, scans and the like.

I also like Trend Micro.

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**Author:** ![FalconFinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@FalconFinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FalconFinder)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2009, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-av-software/500715/24 "2009-06-24T15:37:34Z")

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I’ve used both AVG and Avast. If you don’t have proper processing speed or RAM, they will bog your machine down something fierce!!

I liked them both, though I think AVG had more to offer.

I ended up recently dumping AVG in favor of Avira due to advice from someone on this board in a different thread and so far (crossing fingers) I have been very happy with the performance. It’s not as in depth, but I feel protected AND my machine runs at a normal speed.

I don’t recommend ThreatFire at all!! I had that installed between my Avast and AVG times and it was then that I was infected with the Conficker virus which was an older virus and should have, in my opinion, been caught before infecting my computer!

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**Author:** ![HorseloverFat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8e8cbc/32.png) [@HorseloverFat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HorseloverFat)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2009, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-av-software/500715/25 "2009-06-24T16:02:04Z")

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Conficker is a worm, most AVs cant take on worms because they happen too quickly nad odnt involve any user interaction (clicking, downloading). **You should be patching your system with windows updates** to avoid worms. AVs can tell you once youve been hit with a worm, but then its too late.

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