A good antivirus program

[Ragnarok]

OK, a few months ago, the computer I use for playing games, I am guessing, got a virus on it from me downloading some characters for the popular 2D fighting engine called MUGEN. Now that I've recently re-installed Windows XP, I want to have a decent antivirus program that can scan and hopefully take out any future viruses. Just list some decent ones and I'll check them out. I mean, I know of Norton and Search & Destroy, but not much else. If there's anything better, just post it and I'll check it out.

[John Mora]

Re: A good antivirus program

Get Microsoft Security Essentials for free.

[Ωbright]

Re: A good antivirus program

AVG has never done me wrong.

[Sivart the Sloth Trencher]

Re: A good antivirus program

AVG has done me loads of wrong. Which is why I now use Avast! and Spybot Search and Destroy.

[Ωbright]

Re: A good antivirus program

I had the exact opposite experience, and you should have been using Spybot all along.

[Mcardy]

Re: A good antivirus program

If you are at a University, they usually have free antivirus software that you can use, and its usually pretty good.

Spybot isn't an antivirus, its a malware tool, but you should have it on your PC anyway. I'd recommend Malwarebytes as a malware removal tool, its extremely good at what it does.

AVG is by far the best free antivirus, speaking from my experience cleaning up student computers for the last two years. If you can't get a "full" copy through something like a University, then I would recommend AVG Free.

Avoid Norton and McAffee at all costs.

[Funk]

Re: A good antivirus program

AVG used to be the bomb. But it isn't anymore.

But, (and I hate to admit this), Mora is right: go seek Microsoft's help in protecting your PC. They finally cut the overhead and know how to keep their own fortresses safe.

[Cutter De Blanc]

Re: A good antivirus program

All I know is when I would run Bitdefender it would catch viruses and such, but when I run AVG it finds nothing.

I'm not sure if that means AVG is working, or just missing the viruses that Bitdefender used to catch.

[DarkwingChuck]

Re: A good antivirus program

I've been using MSE with no complaints. I was going to use AVG also but they refuse to share the sandbox so I had to pick and decided to stick with MSE because with AVG free you just get the antivirus; all the other security stuff is Pro only. Also I haven't seen AntiVir mentioned, that ones pretty good too.

[John Mora]

Re: A good antivirus program

Consumer Reports found MSE to be the best free antivirus option.

[IamPinhead]

Re: A good antivirus program

Using a Linux-based OS with Firestarter on it is the best free antivirus option.

[DarkwingChuck]

Re: A good antivirus program

That's like saying abstinence is the only truly safe sex. Sure it's true but where's the fun in that?