# Inexpensive virus checker **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 17, 2008, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inexpensive-virus-checker/463940 "2008-09-17T02:30:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2008, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inexpensive-virus-checker/463940/1 "2008-09-17T02:30:12Z")
What inexpensive or free ones are there? A friend just bought a laptop, and will need something when the Norton trial period runs out. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2008, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inexpensive-virus-checker/463940/2 "2008-09-17T02:34:28Z")
This one: [http://free.avg.com/](http://free.avg.com/) I use it at home, and at work. Seems to be pretty decent. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2008, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inexpensive-virus-checker/463940/3 "2008-09-17T02:35:13Z")
I’m a fan of [AVG’s free anti-virus program](http://free.avg.com/) and had used it for years, but after reading about how their newest version wasn’t so good on slower computers due to the new link-checker feature, I switched. I went to [Avast’s free version](http://www.avast.com/). You need to register it yearly but it’s still free. Both have database updates pretty much daily and are frequently mentioned in threads like this. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2008, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inexpensive-virus-checker/463940/4 "2008-09-17T02:38:49Z")
AVG used to be the best. Now it is Avast. They are both free and will get the job done but I give a strong nod to Avast. They did a great job in their newer releases. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2008, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inexpensive-virus-checker/463940/5 "2008-09-17T02:41:38Z")
AVG is the one I stick to. They added new things, but you can always deactivate what you don’t want if you need to. A new computer should run it fine. This one doesn’t take up much system resources. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2008, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inexpensive-virus-checker/463940/6 "2008-09-17T15:28:01Z")
Before changing antivirus applications, your friend will need to obtain and run the [Norton eradicator utility](http://service1.symantec.com/Support/tsgeninfo.nsf/docid/2005033108162039), which is available from Symantec. Failure to completely exterminate one antivirus app before installing another will lead to agony. ---
**Author:** ![fluiddruid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fluiddruid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fluiddruid)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2008, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inexpensive-virus-checker/463940/7 "2008-09-17T15:40:28Z")
AVG and Avast! are both quality programs. I used Avast! until for some reason I had an issue with it - it seemed to be protecting me from viruses by grinding my browser to a halt - but AVG works pretty well. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2008, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inexpensive-virus-checker/463940/8 "2008-09-17T17:22:38Z")
> [@gotpasswords](#): > > Before changing antivirus applications, your friend will need to obtain and run the [Norton eradicator utility](http://service1.symantec.com/Support/tsgeninfo.nsf/docid/2005033108162039), which is available from Symantec. Really? I knew that Norton was an intrusive, overbearing piece of…but I didn’t know it required special eradication. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Flander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8c91f0/32.png) [@Flander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flander)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2008, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inexpensive-virus-checker/463940/9 "2008-09-17T20:20:42Z")
Norton is what every other piece of shit spyware/adware wishes it could be. Use the eradicator tool, then pic up AVG or Avast! I use AVG and it works fantastic. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2008, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inexpensive-virus-checker/463940/10 "2008-09-17T20:25:09Z")
I have no complaints about AVG either. ---
**Author:** ![UnwrittenNocturne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/6de8d8/32.png) [@UnwrittenNocturne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UnwrittenNocturne)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2008, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inexpensive-virus-checker/463940/11 "2008-09-17T20:29:41Z")
Another voe for Avast! - or AVG for that matter. Both of them are excellent pieces of software, completely free, at least as effective as the pay ones (and IMO substantially more effective) without feeling or behaving like malware in their own right (Norton and McAfee both) ---
**Author:** ![FlyingRat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/59ef9b/32.png) [@FlyingRat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyingRat)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2008, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inexpensive-virus-checker/463940/12 "2008-09-18T08:48:24Z")
It’s not free, but I’ll put in a vote for [NOD32](http://www.eset.com/). Works great, updates daily, and the best part is how incredibly lightweight it is (we have a cranky laptop for which that is an important factor). We use it almost exclusively now. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2008, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inexpensive-virus-checker/463940/13 "2008-09-18T08:51:18Z")
> [@FlyingRat](#): > > It’s not free, but I’ll put in a vote for [NOD32](http://www.eset.com/). Works great, updates daily, and the best part is how incredibly lightweight it is (we have a cranky laptop for which that is an important factor). We use it almost exclusively now. I’ve heard good things about NOD32 too. I don’t use it myself because I’m a consummate cheapskate (I use Avast now, previously AVG but I ditched it because recent versions are a bit bloaty), but I hear it’s very good. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2008, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inexpensive-virus-checker/463940/14 "2008-09-18T12:08:46Z")
do avg and avast play well with Vista? ---
**Author:** ![Flander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8c91f0/32.png) [@Flander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flander)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2008, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inexpensive-virus-checker/463940/15 "2008-09-18T16:30:20Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > do avg and avast play well with Vista? AVG plays very well with Vista. I have no experience with Avast but imagine it does since it gets glowing reviews from other dopers. ---
**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:** [September 19, 2008, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inexpensive-virus-checker/463940/16 "2008-09-19T01:49:07Z")
I used AVG for many years, but when I had problems installing the newest version, it was easier to just install Avast instead (which I had heard good reports about from friends). I’ve been using Avast since then, and it works fine. I actually find it a little preferable to AVG, though both seem to be fine. I have heard even better things about NOD32, and it is probably what I would use, if I wasn’t too cheap to pay money for this. But I’ve found that the free ones work fine, if you are reasonably careful about not opening email links from unknown people, or warnings about ‘your account’ from financial companies that you have never had an account with, or looking at softwarez or similar websites\*. That carefulness by the user seems almost more important than the software. And Norton is indeed very hard to get rid of. It clings to your computer more tenaciously than any virus! - Firefox add-ons like Web of Trust are also helpful here – they warn you if the link you are about to click is known to be harmful. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2008, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inexpensive-virus-checker/463940/17 "2008-09-19T01:51:33Z")
> [@Flander](#): > > AVG plays very well with Vista. I have no experience with Avast but imagine it does since it gets glowing reviews from other dopers. I’m using Avast on my Vista laptop and have no complaints about how it works. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2008, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inexpensive-virus-checker/463940/18 "2008-09-19T02:48:33Z")
Thanks, all. This is her first PC. She has used one at work, and likes paying her bills on line. Which is the easiest for an inexperienced user? ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2008, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inexpensive-virus-checker/463940/19 "2008-09-19T03:02:50Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Thanks, all. > This is her first PC. She has used one at work, and likes paying her bills on line. > Which is the easiest for an inexperienced user? I think that between AVG and Avast, AVG would probably be easier. It seems more straightforward in how you click on the little icon and it pops up pretty clearly-marked options of what to do (update the virus database, scan the computer, etc.). Avast puts a couple different icons in the lower right and it isn’t always easy to tell what all the options are for. ---
**Author:** ![Sylkyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/da6949/32.png) [@Sylkyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sylkyn)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2008, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inexpensive-virus-checker/463940/20 "2008-09-19T03:10:05Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > AVG used to be the best. Now it is Avast. They are both free and will get the job done but I give a strong nod to Avast. They did a great job in their newer releases. I came here to post this exact thing. Go with Avast. Excellence at its free-ist. I plan on upgrading to the pay version very soon…I am _that_ impressed. It’s da bomb. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inexpensive-virus-checker/463940.md?page=2)