POLL: What AV Scanner Do U Recommend?

[jadison]

It can be software or an online scanner such as Trend Micro's Housecall, I'd just like to hear from you what Antivirus scanner(s) you prefer and/or use. Please explain your choice, and give any relevant details about the AV scanner as well as links to its homepage.

[NDC]

Well, I think all AV programs have their weak points where one will find what the other couldn't. Anyhow, I'm using NAV2002 and The Cleaner along with a couple online Virus scanning services...

[Dudster]

I haven't tried any others but I use Trend's PC-cillin 2000. Once I sussed how to switch off a few things that annoyed (like a splash screen every time Outlook Express checked for mail even if OE was in the background :rolleyes: ) I was perfectly happy with it. It barely uses any resources, scans incoming mail and webpages for malicious Java/ActiveX, doesn't cause any problems with my games and is apparently one the best at catching viruses that some wouldn't catch. My only complaint is that when installed, Windows reported me having 511MB instead of 512 (something in the autoexec/config.sys I think, which it uses for bootup scanning. Wonder what it does in Win2k/XP which it is certified for). It can be bought online and is fairly cheap.

It's not installed on mine at the moment as when I formatted and reinstalled Windows recently, I installed PC-cillin and for the first time in numerous installations, something went very wrong. Sometimes on loading Windows I would get a prompt "Unable to locate virus pattern file" causing PC-cillin to not get loaded. Other bootups this didn't happen but half the time, I couldn't check for email. Anyway, I uninstalled PC-cillin and everything's fine again but I dunno if I'll try reinstalling it before my next format n reinstall, probably not.

www.antivirus.com - Trend homepage

Oh yeah, PC-cillin 2002 is out now but I won't be getting it as the only real difference seems to be that it has a firewall which I have no use for as I'm using ZoneAlarm Pro 3.0

[jadison]

For now I use NAV 2002 on my WinXP Pro machine. So far I've been fine for the past few months WinXP has been installed. I've kept it continuously updated, yet just the other day I was informed by housecall.antivirus.com that I was infected by a trojan called SV_LOOP.A. This trojan happened to slip by my AV scanner, and 2 software firewalls (ZA 2.6.362, & NIS 2k2) into my installation of Evrsoft's 1st Page 2000 HTML editor program. It resided within a "Buttonset" folder w/in the Program's dir.
If it wasn't for me checking my Harddisk via this online AV scanner, it would've been too long b4 I found out it was there.

After scanning and ridding my system of this trojan, I ran a search for it @ Symantec's website only to find a Trojan scarcely similar to it. I received the same results if not worse at other online AV sites incl McAfee and Sophos. I found it finally by running a search with google, and finding a link containing all of the info I needed about the trojan. It upsets me tho, that Symantec's site had no reference to this trojan whatsoever.

So, I'm thinking of getting an additional AV scanner and have it run alongside NAV 2002. A year ago I tried a v. of PC-cillin that came w/my mobo software, and had it installed in WinME but removed it after a week or so of program errors associated with it. But who knows how the latest version will react with my current setup and OS.

I just want to keep my system as secure as possible, and as the years progress it's getting harder and harder to do so.

Thanks for the input so far :), keep the suggestions coming...

[MDS]

I run PC-cillin and AVG's free av scanner and have no problems so far<knock on wood

[NDC]

I tried installing the newest version of PC-Clillin on my system which is running NAV2002 and it said straight out to uninstall NAV2002 if I wanted to install PC-Cilliin... What a pain in the @$$! :(

[smokin]

I'm still using Innoculate It..was free, and I still get updates free, but that is coming to an end soon..
:(

[Herb]

Still using F-Prot DOS since 1991:D

[bhess]

I use NAV2002 now. I used to use InoculateIT but it didn't seem to catch much. I then tried Quickheal which I was recommended. I didn't like it much.

[jadison]

Dudster - Read this in relation to the problem you were having with PC-Cillin Click Here (http://solutionbank.antivirus.com/solutions/solutionDetail.asp?solutionID=3016)

Also, use this to help find the answers to problems you're having with PC-Cillin: Click here (http://solutionbank.antivirus.com/solutions/solutionsearch.asp)

Let me know if that helps. :)

[Dudster]

Thanks jadison, didn't know about that Solution Search :)

That solution you linked to was for a different problem, not being able to update the pattern file where as mine was sometimes not able to find the pattern file causing PC-cillin to not load at all. I could update the pattern file but it never cured the problem.

I did find pretty much the same problem here (http://solutionbank.antivirus.com/solutions/solutionDetail.asp?solutionID=1965) but for another of Trend's products. It says either I didn't have enough resources (I seriously doubt it) or the pattern file was corrupt and to either try deleting the pattern file (and downloading a new one) or uninstalling it and trying again "in some cases" (though this solution is for a different product).

The corrupt pattern file sounds like my problem and I do now feel confident that installing it again will work out so I'm gonna try it now.

[Dudster]

Changed my mind. ZA Pro 3.0 is causing a problem on bootup where it tries to connect to the internet before ZA's finished loading (I just click Cancel on the dialup and carry on as normal) which also leaves me with little resources (78%) and ZAP3 uses plenty of resources (considerably more than 2.6) without more being used by glitches (I'd have more than 90% on bootup without ZA installed and around 83% without glitches). I installed ZAP3 after uninstalling PC-cillin. It just occured to me that installing PC-cillin now would be kinda asking for trouble.

I have confirmed that it's ZAP3 causing the dialup request (doesn't happen with it uninstalled and I got several dialup requests when installing the new version). I think I'll just have to format n reinstall Windows soon, whenever that may be ;)

[skywalker]

I've used several AV apps including

Panda
Norton 2001-2002
PC-cillin

and i can recommend them all
but i've noticed that Norton uses less CPU and memory

[madfish]

I was a McAfee fan. till I was given system works 2000. that was great, I was given system works 2001 a couple months ago and I have that on my main do all machine. (P-II 450) I have AVG on the other three. ( Celeron 700E, P-III 600EB, P-III Dually 850E) only thing I personaly dislike with any AV scanner is the auto updates and some like AVG have a auto scan. I disable these and update and scan myself.
I used to use house calls back when I first got started online with a IBM ps2/vaulepoint/66mhz.

Madfish

[Dudster]

Originally posted by madfish
only thing I personaly dislike with any AV scanner is the auto updates and some like AVG have a auto scan. I disable these and update and scan myself.
Yeah I do the same with PC-cillin, I would use the realtime scanning but I play games on my machine. I manually check for program updates/new pattern files every few days or so.

[RK]

I use Antivir9x :) It has regular updates so stays fairly current. I disable the avgaurd on mine and just run the scanner a couple times a week or if I am dl'ing something questionable I just drag and drop it into the scanner before opening it. Its a free prog for personal use like AVG. One nice thing about the Antivir site is they have a ubb for question and answer.

http://www.free-av.de/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi

Their main server and site has been down for a couple days.

RK

[madfish]

I'm from Vermont, I need a translator for that page please. hehehe

Madfish

[RK]

What you dont read German :lol: the second section of the message board is English speaking..They also have an English home page and site and the AntiVir prog in english as well..There is some problem with their server I gather from the board. I hope they are up and running soon.

RI

[Socal]

I just installed NIS2002 with NAV and it seems to have alot of cool features that CE didn't.. I'm keeping The Cleaner and they still play nice together.

I use Trend Micro for online scans and extra insurance - even the best AV won't catch everything... ;)

I also disable Automatic update everything and do it manually.

[dusty]

run norton anti-virus 2002 and AVG. what one misses the other one gets.

Rick