Cracking FREE Antivirus Proggy

TheBlueRaja · 02-06-2004, 18:52

I just got my hands on Avast Antivirus from http://www.avast.com/i_idt_153.html and i have to say its pretty damn good for a freebie (for home users).

Main features
ANTIVIRUS KERNEL

- Almost 100% detection
- Outstanding performance
- Reasonable memory requirements
- ICSA certified

USER INTERFACE

- Memory test during the program startup
- Very intuitive Simple User Interface
- Testing whole disks or selected folders
- Working with the scan results - actions with infected files
- Virus encyclopedia
- Log Viewer
- Various appearances - skin support
- Running from Explorer context menu
- Antivirus screen-saver

UPDATES

- The system of incremental updates guarantees low traffic
- The updates can be completely automatic

RESIDENT PROTECTION

- Standard Shield protects the file system
- Generic SMTP/POP3/IMAP4 scanner
- Specific MS Outlook plugin
- Heuristic analysis in e-mail modules

REPAIRING

- Limited capability of direct repair (especially macroviruses)
- Repairing files using automatically generated Virus Recovery Database (VRDB)

PLATFORMS

- Windows 95
- Windows 98
- Windows Me
- Windows NT 4
- Windows 2000
- Windows XP

Currently i cant fault it - seems better than Norton Anitvirus for me.

Paul K · 02-06-2004, 18:55

I use AVG personally but I have heard good things about Avast

paulyoung666 · 02-06-2004, 18:56

been using avast for a while and i reckon it is well worth it , considering it is free

TheBlueRaja · 02-06-2004, 19:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul

I use AVG personally but I have heard good things about Avast

I was using AVG for a while and Norton before that, but gave it up after i heard some bad things about AVG, nothing concrete though i have to admit.

But honestly matey - this IS better. Try it - see what you think - its free after all.

kronas · 02-06-2004, 19:12

i wonder if it ACTUALLY protects you efficiently, im a skeptic of 'free' programs.

Scrubbs · 02-06-2004, 19:16

I have been using AVG for ages but..... I still use the TREND online one for double checking

paulyoung666 · 02-06-2004, 20:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by kronas

i wonder if it ACTUALLY protects you efficiently, im a skeptic of 'free' programs.

dont be so sceptical , it works

aliferste · 02-06-2004, 20:15

What sthe difference between this one and AVG?

paulyoung666 · 02-06-2004, 20:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by aliferste

What sthe difference between this one and AVG?

from my point of view it just seems to pick up more unwanted crap than avg ever did , maybe it is subjective though

TheBlueRaja · 02-06-2004, 20:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by aliferste

What sthe difference between this one and AVG?

I cant quantifiy it for you - but if you install it you will see right away the difference in quality if anything.

Also, it updates daily as soon as you boot up its off looking for updates etc.

And generally its much more feature packed, as it will integrate with IM clients and P2P software as well.

Like i say - try it - you can always uninstall it, and it wont cost you a penny, AND you wont have to uninstall AVG first.

paulyoung666 · 02-06-2004, 20:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by theblueraja

I cant quantifiy it for you - but if you install it you will see right away the difference in quality if anything.

Also, it updates daily as soon as you boot up its off looking for updates etc.

And generally its much more feature packed, as it will integrate with IM clients and P2P software as well.

Like i say - try it - you can always uninstall it, and it wont cost you a penny, AND you wont have to uninstall AVG first.

and i will second that post as well

MikeyB · 02-06-2004, 21:14

I've swapped from AVG to Avast in the past 2 weeks after AVG let me down

Seems really good to me, at least it found the viruses AVG missed

As theblueraja said, the updates actually work, and it updates when you connect, not at a set time.
I like the email checker as well, works with Outlook Express and the full Outlook, and even with that awful IncrediMail that my Mum insists on using!!!!

02-06-2004, 21:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by theblueraja

<snip> AND you wont have to uninstall AVG first.

will it work alongside any other AV, tbr?

I'm using EZ Antivirus atm - the years free trial that came with the MS Security Update CD & that has been good - updates usually daily, but I'd like to evaluate some others for when the time comes to pay.

TheBlueRaja · 02-06-2004, 22:40

Well, yeah,
Just Spybot S&D will work with Ad-Aware.

At least im not aware of an issue with running the both of them, correct me if im wrong guys.

Shaun · 02-06-2004, 23:02

I've always thought you should only have one AV running as they can upset each other, like firewalls can.