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• PRO

  Gary RK January 22, 2012 at 7:22pm

  One simple answer from me : Avast!

  Basic system free to download and is updated automatically, full suite available as an upgrade.

  We've got the bsaic loaded on our systems and the guy I use to support our PCs swears by it.

  Go: www.avast.com
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  Steve Sonic Grounds Maintenance January 22, 2012 at 7:28pm

  Hi Gazza!

  Thanks for info, apart from your basic scan for threats and viruses, will it identify when hackers are trying it on?

  So you have the free version do you?

  Is it worth having your computer cleaned by a professional once a year?

   
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  Steve Sonic Grounds Maintenance January 22, 2012 at 7:29pm

  Also i often use banking sites so will avast free be ok for this?
• PRO

  Gary RK January 22, 2012 at 7:31pm

  Yep, it has 8 types of shields built into free version

  File, mail, web, p2p, IM, network, script & behavoir.

  We use the free version now with no problems. Not the case with older product we used (Kaspersky & NAV). Never again. System so much faster now.

  Auto updates with voice confirmation

  You can schedule a full scan when you like. Seems to work well according to our guy.
• PRO

  Gary RK January 22, 2012 at 7:36pm

  Not experienced any issues - I use LTSB personally and Barclays for business.
  
  Steve Sonic Grounds Maintenance said:

  Also i often use banking sites so will avast free be ok for this?
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  Steve Sonic Grounds Maintenance January 22, 2012 at 7:51pm

  Bye Bye Norton!

  Thanks Guys
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  andy @Doughty Garden Maintenance January 22, 2012 at 7:54pm

  I use avast aswell, I did use AVG for years without a problem but their latest version was very draining on the CPU which wasn't good on my now middle aged computer, Avast works well and doesn't slow the PC down at all.

  I wouldn't pay for Norton, for that matter i wouldn't have it for free.

  Just my opinion though, some people swear by it.
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  Lawnman January 22, 2012 at 8:01pm

  I run avg as anti virus and zone alarm as firewall, both free used to have norton but don't miss it
• PRO

  Craig McGinty January 22, 2012 at 8:15pm

  Bit of a fan of Microsoft Security Essentials, a good Lifehacker review here
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  Steve Sonic Grounds Maintenance January 23, 2012 at 7:04am

  Good advice thanks.

  Ive now downloaded avast. The computer seems a bit faster on boot up now which is good.

  Norton seemed to really slow the computer down.

  Also has a good feature on it that scans your start up programmes so you can monitor what programmes are needed and not needed when the computer is booted up.

   

  
  
  Cedar Garden Services said:

  I agree Craig, its damn good.

  I run Norton and the MS side by side on my desktop and the other day I checked a local dealerships site which had a nasty script called JS/BlacoleRef.T. The MS software picked it up straight away where Norton did not. 

  I tried it in both Firefox and Explorer and each time MS caught it. 

  I also have my Macbook and google reported the problem but I carried on to the site as it can't do any harm. No anti virus program on the apple and none need for one.

  The Norton is a bit clever as it does not clean your PC up, it uses the Windows defrag utility to do so but as Windows 7 runs this utility in the background its pretty useless. 

  Sadly all virus programs will eat up resources, some more than others but thats Windows for you.

  I'll give you a bit of advice Steve, backup your PC before removing Norton as its a bit of a devil at times to remove. You need to remove it before installing any other anti virus software due to conflicts.

  I will say that I hardly ever use a Windows based machine now. Apple seem to have moved forward in large leaps and Lion is a great OS. 

  
  Craig McGinty said:

  Bit of a fan of Microsoft Security Essentials, a good Lifehacker review here