Author Topic: Anti-Virus Package (Read 156348 times)

Darwin · « **Reply #100 on:** August 23, 2008, 09:27 AM »

So... what are people using now?! It's been almost a year since this thread was updated, and that is a lifetime in AV and AS detection and removal technology.

At the moment, I'm running a trial of Sunbelt's VIPRE on my Win2k machine. I've completely given up on Bitdefender 2008 as it is a resource hog and takes on the order of 3 hours to perform a Quick scan (even on my brand new Dual Core notebook with 3GB RAM). I am currently running Webroot AV with AS on that machine and on my XP Pro machine.

I discovered VIPRE because my wife's IT department replaced AVG Corporate with it on her notebook and, having just gotten my Win2k machine operational again, I'm looking for a lightweight AV and AS solution for it. Only installed it yesterday but so far it seems good, albeit after I tweaked it (as per suggestions here). Webroot is still great on both my other systems. Light on resources and scans quickly. It's slipping in the virii detection stakes though, and they no longer have attractive licensing options available (as compared to Bitdefender, Sunbelt, and others) - there are no longer any options allowing you to upgrade from a 1 system licence to a 2 or a 3 system licence cheaply, that I can see. I also need something that will run under Win2k on a very low spec system, and I'm not sure Webroot will do it. Besides, if I'm going to have to spend $30 (or more) to licence it for my Win2k machine, I might as well explore my options!

So, what is the state of play for people around here? And, anyone else trying, or tried, out VIPRE?

Enquiring minds want to know.

EDIT: added link to Sunbelt forum posting on VIPRE CPU utilizaiton

CWuestefeld · « **Reply #101 on:** August 23, 2008, 09:58 AM »

Just upgraded to Kaspersky 2009, planning to update last year's mini review once I've got some experience with it.

Darwin · « **Reply #102 on:** August 23, 2008, 10:04 AM »

Thanks, Chris

I'll take a look at it.

Darwin · « **Reply #103 on:** August 23, 2008, 10:19 AM »

Crap. Kaspersky 2009 no longer supports Win2k (though I can't find a definitive answer to whether or not it will RUN under Win2k...). This is an increasing problem (finding AV and AS solutions for Win2k)... maybe it's time to retire Win2k and load Linux on this machine

Of course, VIPRE supports WIn2k, so we'll have to wait and see how this trial goes.

mwb1100 · « **Reply #104 on:** August 23, 2008, 11:10 AM »

I'm interested in what you might find about Sunbelt VIPRE - I've been meaning to try it out since they released a couple weeks ago, but haven't gotten around to it.

They have a very attractive home license price - $50 for 4 or more PCs.

Darwin · « **Reply #105 on:** August 23, 2008, 11:18 AM »

I'm interested in what you might find about Sunbelt VIPRE - I've been meaning to try it out since they released a couple weeks ago, but haven't gotten around to it.

They have a very attractive home license price - $50 for 4 or more PCs.
-mwb1100 (August 23, 2008, 11:10 AM)

Yes, this, coupled with the claims about a new paradigm in AV and AS software and speed are what attracted me as well. FWIW, on my wife's HP Business notebook (Centrino - single core, 1.73Ghz and 2GB RAM. WinXP Pro) it takes about 29 minutes to do a Deep scan of a 40GB harddrive vs. 3 hours 13 minutes to do the same on my Win2k machine (600 Mhz, 512MB RAM, 80GB harddrive that's only 20% full). A quick scan on the Win2k machine takes about 18 minutes vs. about a minute on my wife's machine.

tide · « **Reply #106 on:** August 24, 2008, 01:51 AM »

I just switched to ESET NOD32. I like it because it's fast and had favorable reviews. I switched to it because AVG jacked up their prices too far (I had a two year license for it). NOD32 was less than half of what I would have paid to extend my AVG license. I'm happy with my decision.

Darwin · « **Reply #107 on:** August 24, 2008, 01:58 AM »

Thanks, tide! So far I'm happy with VIPRE and with Webroot (I still have two years on a two machine licence)... I've read good things about ESET in the past - it may be time to take another look. I note that Webroot's latest engine, 5.8, does not support Win2k, though they still offer (and accept payment for!) an earlier version that does.

Josh · « **Reply #108 on:** August 28, 2008, 10:31 PM »

Darwin, any update on this? How do you like Vipre? I am looking to trial it when I return home, and need to know if its good and fast. I will also check out webroot as per your current recommendation.

What do you think?

Darwin · « **Reply #109 on:** August 29, 2008, 07:43 AM »

Hi Josh,

So far, so good with VIPRE. It's much faster now - even on the Win2k machine it scans in Quick mode in under 8 minutes and does Deep scans in under an hour. On my wife's XP Pro Centrino notebook (2GB RAM) it's blazing fast and is done before your even aware that it was doing anythin in quick mode (haven't observed it doing a deep scan on that machine). I *guess* it's been learning about the system? At any rate, I'm giving it the full 15 days before I commit to buying it, but at this stage I don't see any downsides to it. My only concern is that the hardware is a bit flaky, so I want to make sure that it's going to be around for a bit before I spend anymore money on it! NB that if you trial it, initially updates seem to take forever (10s of minutes) but that this, too, is much quicker now.

Webroot is great on both my now aging Centrino notebook (XP Pro, 2GB RAM) and my new mid-range Dual Core notebook (Vista Home Premium, 3GB RAM). Quick scans take under 15 minutes (usually about 11) and deep scans anything from 1 hour 20 minutes to 2 hours 15 minutes. Both machines are quite usable during a quick scan while deep scans produce a more noticeable "hit" (though the new machine is still quite peppy).

Josh · « **Reply #110 on:** August 30, 2008, 10:23 PM »

Darwin, thanks for the input. If you can, post a follow up when your 15 days is up as I am interested in which you decide to go with before I begin trialing upon my return home.

Darwin · « **Reply #111 on:** August 30, 2008, 10:32 PM »

Hmm... did a deep scan on my Dual Core notebook with Webroot and it took 53 minutes to scan 110GB.

My increasingly flaky Win2k machine has given up the ghost again (I think the video card is on its way out), so for now the trial is on hold. I have two current licences for Webroot, both of which have over a year left, so I'm not too interested in running the trial on either my XP or my Vista notebook. However, I am very impressed with what I did get to see.

Josh · « **Reply #112 on:** August 30, 2008, 10:37 PM »

How often are the updates, typically? Are they at least daily?

Darwin · « **Reply #113 on:** August 31, 2008, 08:33 AM »

VIPRE seems to update *about* once a day. This is one of the things people posting on the internet have criticized Sunbelt for. My beef intitially was that the process of updating the first few times seemed to take forever. Once everything settled down, though, it was quick enough.

biox · « **Reply #114 on:** December 17, 2008, 09:05 PM »

^ *about* once a day $:-\$ doesn't sound very convincing.

I'm hunting for something new/different too at the moment. AVG license is about to expire so where to go from here? Besides, AVG has started to annoy me a bit lately, FARR-trojan, note++-trojan, three a half word .ini file of Lupo Suite-trojan, + a few more. The only thing that ever changes on my laptop are *.odt files that I type myself but every AVG update comes up with a few more trojans/viruses. The bluudy thing is not even on the uni network so where should those viruses come from? [/rant]

Is Zonealarm AV any good (so far I only use the FW)? I could get it here at a discount through student->dad->retail connections. $:-\$

Prior to AVG I spent 2 years with Bitdefender, I think I'm cured from this evil for the time being.

What now?

Problem is AVG might eventually recover, they had a similar 'false positive attack' a while back (February/March 08, I think)

Mary101 · « **Reply #115 on:** January 05, 2009, 05:25 AM »

I am using AVG Anti Virus Package it is working well.

Carol Haynes · « **Reply #116 on:** January 05, 2009, 08:57 AM »

I have started using AVAST - happy with it. Light on resources and seems to do the job.

biox · « **Reply #117 on:** January 05, 2009, 07:48 PM »

I have started using AVAST - happy with it. Light on resources and seems to do the job.
-Carol Haynes (January 05, 2009, 08:57 AM)

Thanks

I'll give this a try. AVG license is good until 16.1.09 so still a few days to think.

biox · « **Reply #118 on:** January 05, 2009, 07:55 PM »

Wow, 1 year, 2 computers = GBP 41.90

PPLandry · « **Reply #119 on:** January 05, 2009, 08:57 PM »

I have started using AVAST - happy with it. Light on resources and seems to do the job.
-Carol Haynes (January 05, 2009, 08:57 AM)

Same here. Been using it for >2 years. No problem. Switched from AVG as it once messed up a bunch of file (or at least that's what I thought), plus AVG insisted on scanning Outlook Express emails each time they are viewed, so it slows down browsing too much (3 years ago it was that way anyway, nowadays I have no idea). Avast only scans when the email is received.

r3xus · « **Reply #120 on:** January 06, 2009, 02:18 AM »

Anyone using or have used ClamWin, I'm currently with it and am satisfied, though I stumbled upon some bugs.

biox · « **Reply #121 on:** January 18, 2009, 05:29 AM »

Anyone using or have used ClamWin, I'm currently with it and am satisfied, though I stumbled upon some bugs.
-r3xus (January 06, 2009, 02:18 AM)

No 'on access' scanner, I don't like that. I use it on the flash drives though.

Have been with Avast for over a week and must say I'm impressed. Much faster than AVG. Lets hope they figure that incompatibility problem with Zonealarm out very soon.

iphigenie · « **Reply #122 on:** January 18, 2009, 07:50 AM »

I'm still on bitdfefender - the price was pretty sweet and I got 2 year, 2 people licenses for less than most others offer 1 person 1 year. It's not perfect and not as light as some, but it does have the security pedigree

Grorge3211 · « **Reply #123 on:** April 14, 2009, 02:15 AM »

ThreatSense technology - a single optimized Anti-Threat engine for analyzing code to identify malicious behavior, such as viruses, spyware, adware, phishing, and more

biox · « **Reply #124 on:** April 14, 2009, 06:14 AM »

ThreatSense technology - a single optimized Anti-Threat engine for analyzing code to identify malicious behavior, such as viruses, spyware, adware, phishing, and more
-Grorge3211 (April 14, 2009, 02:15 AM)

A heuristic scan does the same, behaviour control. Thread fire seems to be one of the best when it comes to either block or ask if in doubt, depends on the settings. A bit scaremongering maybe. Jump at me as you please but I've read up on it and it looks to me like the same thing a heuristic scanner of a middle to upper class virus scanner does.