Anti-Virii software

[whatevah]

Given that we all have access to AVG 7 Network Edition for free, does anybody use anything different for their CAP systems?

My Wing HQ, and my squadron's laptop all have AVG, and since my family switched to AVG 7 Pro when it was released, we loaded the AVG 7 Network Edition in our when our license expired.  :-D

btw, if you didn't know about it, log into E-Services, and look at the bottom of the center column.

[MIKE]

This is different than what they had last time I checked.  Last time there was a version for CAP computers and the free version for personal use.

[whatevah]

when they uploaded the network edition to E-Services (instead of AVG 6), they added a download form that asks you how many CAP and personal computers you're going to be using it on, but it's the same file, and the same license key (for everybody, I think)

for AVG 6, I believe it was just a download link, unless they changed it after I downloaded it for my wing.  I forget how you went about getting the license key.  I think they sent you to the AVG website.

[MIKE]

So is this version better than the free one?

[whatevah]

I haven't run the free one in over a year, so I don't really remember...  :-D

'course it's newer... so it's bound to be better, right? *cough*WindowsME*cough*

this is the website with the feature listing... http://www.grisoft.com/doc/Networks/lng/us/tpl/tpl01

[Eclipse]

AVG is a very robust product which I personally prefer over Symantec (Norton's, NAV) and McAfee.  As an IT manager I have had the opportunity to evaluate all three in corporate environments and AVG wins hands down.

I was a strong advocate for NAV for years, until AVG began pushing hard.

McAfee has never been high on my list, so I will only compare NAV vs. AVG.

First, for home and CAP, AVG is free - so that's a substantial bonus in their favor.

AVG updates much more regularly than NAV - one-industry known issue w/ NAV is that they only issue Liveupdates on Wednesday, and are regularly caught off-guard trying to catch up to the latest threat, usually hours, but sometimes days behind major infections.  This particular issue, in fact, caused me undue work on  several occasions when my expensively "protected" enterprise systems came up with a new infection because, while my systems were requesting an update hourly, it would be days before one was released.

NAV >does< have some excellent enterprise management tools, if you pay for that version, but for the average consumer that is a non-issue.  Further, if you're managing an inferior product, or maintaining full control of slow updates, this advantage is meaningless.

The AVG pro version has a more complete interface and allows more customization of the scanning and real-time protection.

Also, I regularly find machines protected and scanned by NAV or McAFee which then come up with serious infection when checked with AVG (last week in fact).

Also, on a sidebar to this, the "Security Center" applications are all a waste of money - Zone-Alarm, whatever - save your money or buy something nice for yourself, don't bother.

All the average user needs is a good antivirus app (AVG), occasional use of AD-Aware and Spybot - generally only if you think there is a problem,
a hardware router (DON"T >>>EVER<<<< connect a Windows box direct to a DSL modem or cable router), make sure it's patched, the Windows software firewall is enabled, and you dump IE (get Firefox).  I promise your machine will be fine.

Also, if you are running more than about 4 processes on startup, you're wasting resources.  Run MSCONFIG, go to the STARTUP tab and see all the applications that are spying on you by reporting they are starting up, or just don't need to be running.

Is the load time for your Quicktime viewer or Real player THAT important?

[IceNine]

OK so its an old thread but a new burning question...bob!!

Can I just click disable all on these files in the startup tab?

AND-what about registry cleaners?  had a buddy tell me that my Blinding speed computer would catchup with the rodent in the processor if I paid for a registry cleaner, or even better if there was one that was worth the disk space it takes up for free!

[Eclipse]

Just disable things you don't need, or aren't sure of, you can always put them back on next boot.

D/L Ad-Aware and Spybot and that ought to be all you need.

There are some registry cleanup apps that will scrape the gunk out of your machine,
but you have to be careful with them, and they are usually not necessary.

I wouldn't pay for any of these, nor run any of the nonsense " security center" applications that purport to protect you from everything under the sun. (Windows firewall is plenty.

Run Firefox, disable popups and javascript, don't respond to emails from people you don't know, run AVG, and a monthly scan of AVG & SB & you should be fine.

[JC004]

...
There are some registry cleanup apps that will scrape the gunk out of your machine,
but you have to be careful with them, and they are usually not necessary.
...

Yessss, be careful.  They can severely mess things up.  I've had to fix too many machines after an unnecessary registry cleanup.  There is a lot of havoc that can come from messing with the registry.  When it gets bad off, sometimes it's just better to clean out the hard drive and do a fresh install of the operating system. 

[badger bob]

I also recommend AVG over the current McAfee and Symantec products. After using Symantec for 15 years at work we are switching to AVG because 1. AVG has daily updates 2. AVG is much less of a resource hog 3. cost for 50 licences is $900 for two years for AVG as opposed to $1500 for one year for Symantec

Posted by: whatevah  Posted on: January 23, 2006, 07:11:37 PM 
Insert Quote 
when they uploaded the network edition to E-Services (instead of AVG 6), they added a download form that asks you how many CAP and personal computers you're going to be using it on, but it's the same file, and the same license key (for everybody, I think)

for AVG 6, I believe it was just a download link, unless they changed it after I downloaded it for my wing.  I forget how you went about getting the license key.  I think they sent you to the AVG website.

The License key is found at the bottom of the center of the e-services home page

Flash Card Manager

GRISOFT, Inc Anti-Virus Software

Adobe Acrobat Reader

Internet Explorer 7.0

Firefox 2.0 

[Matt]

Run Firefox, disable popups and javascript, don't respond to emails from people you don't know, run AVG, and a monthly scan of AVG & SB & you should be fine.

That like the geek-way of saying: "Take two and call me in the morning"?

[shorning]

2. AVG is much less of a resource hog

Really?  Seems like I've been noticing the opposite lately.  In fact, my scans normally take around 3 hours and bog the entire system down to nearly useless.  Maybe I don't have it tweaked correctly...

[badger bob]

Really?  Seems like I've been noticing the opposite lately.  In fact, my scans normally take around 3 hours and bog the entire system down to nearly useless.  Maybe I don't have it tweaked correctly...

The default set up for AVG is low priority (low use of resources)scans. Make sure yours is not set on high priority.

If you practice safe computing (just like safe sex) then a daily scan can be reduced to a weekly scan.

If your scans really take three hours, Badger Bob's quick and easy fixes are 1. delete necessary files- do yo really need to save every flight of your flight simulator?
2. delete temp files
3. delete internet caches
4. go down to Best Buy and plunk down a few bucks for more RAM for that 486 you are still using.

[Eclipse]

If you really need the warm fuzzy of a full scan, set it for overnight.

I just disable it, there's no need.

If all files are checked upon access, and AVG will certify on send if an attachment is clean, what do you need a full scan for?

[shorning]

If you really need the warm fuzzy of a full scan, set it for overnight.

I just disable it, there's no need.

If all files are checked upon access, and AVG will certify on send if an attachment is clean, what do you need a full scan for?

I don't want to run a scan overnight since I'm on a laptop.  But I'm not really concerned to the point where I need to do a full scan every day.  I don't think I've changed any settings since I installed it.  As long as AVG checks files upon access, and email attachments are checked, I'm no too concerned.

[floridacyclist]

We use Trend Micro here, but that is only because I get it through work (legitimately at that). I love it, but as always, YMMV

[ctrossen]

I don't want to run a scan overnight since I'm on a laptop.  But I'm not really concerned to the point where I need to do a full scan every day.  I don't think I've changed any settings since I installed it.  As long as AVG checks files upon access, and email attachments are checked, I'm no too concerned.

If yo haven't changed any settings since installing, you really want to go into scheduled tasks. By default, a basic test (i.e., a complete test of the computer) is scheduled daily (at 0800, iirc) *and* is set to automatically start as soon as possible if missed at that time. So if you're running a laptop and don't turn it on until 1115, it'll start up the basic test as soon as you're started up. Which is probably why things seem so sluggish.