# PC Virus Scan Recommendations **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 14, 2010, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pc-virus-scan-recommendations/553689 "2010-09-14T03:05:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![flickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7bcc69/32.png) [@flickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flickster)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pc-virus-scan-recommendations/553689/1 "2010-09-14T03:05:23Z")
I know there been posts like this in the past, but wanted to get an update just in case something new has come along that’s noteworthy. I’ve been utilizing the McAfee suite for some time, but can no longer stand the way is slows down my PC. My subscription is almost expired, so I need to decide on what I’m going to use in it’s place. If it matters, I’m still on XP. Also, when the time comes - how difficult is it to fully uninstall McAfee? ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pc-virus-scan-recommendations/553689/2 "2010-09-14T03:20:59Z")
Lovin on microsoft security essentials lately myself ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pc-virus-scan-recommendations/553689/3 "2010-09-14T12:53:05Z")
Use [Revo Uninstaller](http://www.snapfiles.com/reviews/revo-uninstaller/revouninstaller.html) to unistall all your programs. I uninstalled McAfee and it came out without issue I would use AVAST, AVG or MS Security Essentials as your main anti-virus program Then I would use Spybot and Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware to back up any of the above three. NOTE if you use AVAST or AVG it may also slow your computer. I found that AVG slowed my computer to a crawl when I had “link checker” turned on. What this is does is check each link on each webpage first. You can see how this would slow your computer. Once I turned link checker off on AVG it ran normally again. I really don’t think you need to check each link but that’s your call. The most important thing with the free programs is you HAVE TO UPDATE THEM MANUALLY. It does no good to download them and then never update them. You should up date them at minimum once a week, preferably once per day. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pc-virus-scan-recommendations/553689/4 "2010-09-14T12:54:19Z")
FYI if when you install programs like AVG and MS Security Essentials they will disable Windows Defender. So don’t be surprised this is normal. ---
**Author:** ![flickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7bcc69/32.png) [@flickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flickster)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pc-virus-scan-recommendations/553689/5 "2010-09-14T12:56:17Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > Use [Revo Uninstaller](http://www.snapfiles.com/reviews/revo-uninstaller/revouninstaller.html) to unistall all your programs. > > I uninstalled McAfee and it came out without issue > > I would use AVAST, AVG or MS Security Essentials as your main anti-virus program > > Then I would use Spybot and Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware to back up any of the above three. > > NOTE if you use AVAST or AVG it may also slow your computer. I found that AVG slowed my computer to a crawl when I had “link checker” turned on. What this is does is check each link on each webpage first. You can see how this would slow your computer. > > Once I turned link checker off on AVG it ran normally again. I really don’t think you need to check each link but that’s your call. > > The most important thing with the free programs is you HAVE TO UPDATE THEM MANUALLY. > > It does no good to download them and then never update them. You should up date them at minimum once a week, preferably once per day. Thanks for the recommendations! ---
**Author:** ![dzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f9b8f/32.png) [@dzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dzero)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pc-virus-scan-recommendations/553689/6 "2010-09-14T13:36:38Z")
I like Avira (premium security suite) since it can recognize threats that are not yet reflected in the virus signature database - so-called 0-day (zero-day, novel) threats. If you use it, take some time to go through all of the options since somethings like root kit scanning are not enabled by default. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pc-virus-scan-recommendations/553689/7 "2010-09-14T15:22:53Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > The most important thing with the free programs is you HAVE TO UPDATE THEM MANUALLY. > > It does no good to download them and then never update them. You should up date them at minimum once a week, preferably once per day. Avg and mse will both update automatically. ---
**Author:** ![FalconFinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@FalconFinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FalconFinder)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pc-virus-scan-recommendations/553689/8 "2010-09-14T17:39:14Z")
I’ve been using Avira for a little over two years now and I love it! ---
**Author:** ![Dragwyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dragwyr/32/2855_2.png) [@Dragwyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragwyr)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pc-virus-scan-recommendations/553689/9 "2010-09-14T19:46:53Z")
I’d check here for more complete write-ups on the anti-virus products mentioned so far: > **[The best free painting and drawing software - Gizmo's Best](https://www.techsupportalert.com/the-best-free-painting-and-drawing-software/)** > > If you want to get started with painting and drawing, you need the right software. Here is a list of free painting and drawing software. ✅ Enjoy. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pc-virus-scan-recommendations/553689/10 "2010-09-14T20:04:48Z")
Does anyone have a good recommendation for an _enterprise_ scale one? Good remote deployment and update tools? Specifically, a good review I can take to someone and say 'see this review in blah [blah.com](http://blah.com), this is better than Symantec. We all hate symantec. ---
**Author:** ![KlondikeGeoff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@KlondikeGeoff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KlondikeGeoff)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pc-virus-scan-recommendations/553689/11 "2010-09-14T23:41:30Z")
Interesting about the recommendations for MS Security Essentials. As I never expect any MS product to be very good or without many flaws, never paid much attention. I have used several over the years, and avoid McAfee and Norton like the plague, and also used AVG, which was good. A year or so ago I tried Avast free on my desktop, and it worked quite well. I then bought the Pro version, as could schedule scans, and I think it is great. On my laptop which don’t use too often, but sync weekly with my desktop, I continued to use Avast free. The only trouble with it was that it took a really long time to run. So, from reading these posts, thought I’d try MSE. Downloaded it, and before installing, used Revo to uninstall Avast. Installed MSE, and right away noticed that it said not to have any other antivirus or _antispyware_ programs. Hey, I have three I like and use all the time, so that was a bummer. Anyway, I installed and ran it and it worked OK. I then ran Counterspy, Ad-aware and SuperSpyware, and they all worked OK. So maybe it will be all right. If not, I’ll go back to Avast, but so far MSE does seem like a good program ---
**Author:** ![dzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f9b8f/32.png) [@dzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dzero)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pc-virus-scan-recommendations/553689/12 "2010-09-15T00:13:35Z")
> [@KlondikeGeoff](#): > > Installed MSE, and right away noticed that it said not to have any other antivirus or _antispyware_ programs. Ignore that. I run MSE with Avira and Malwarebytes (paid mode with autoscan) and have no problems at all. ---
**Author:** ![Khendrask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@Khendrask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khendrask)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 10:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pc-virus-scan-recommendations/553689/13 "2010-09-16T10:24:02Z")
> [@E-Sabbath](#): > > Does anyone have a good recommendation for an _enterprise_ scale one? Good remote deployment and update tools? Specifically, a good review I can take to someone and say 'see this review in blah [blah.com](http://blah.com), this is better than Symantec. > > We all hate symantec. We use ESET here. Lightweight, excellent web based tracking and remote control. It can either be push-installed on domain machines, or loaded locally at the machine. The push install went fine on several hundred machines. We did in the past use Symantec (garbage) and TrendMicro (Horrible scan engine) before we switched to ESET.