I have run a few free antivirus softwares since I bought a computer and installed MS Windows. Not every one can buy a commercial product and not every free one is safe to use.
My experience might be of help to you. Those free antivirus software’s I went for and my view on them is listed below.
Norton Security Scanner
It has limited features and requires a net connection to initiate scan. Does not remove high risk items.
Behaves strangely too sometimes, failing to start.
It comes with the Google pack. Un-tick all other boxes except Norton Security Scanner. You would have to download the Google installer though.
PC Tools Free Anti Virus Software
The free version does not have all features. Also it has a problem with updating. This feature in the free edition fails to work sometimes.
Regular virus updates are what makes an anti virus software valuable. If it can’t locate and eliminate latest threats it’s useless to have it.
AVG Antivirus
Some say it’s the best free one available now. Its interface is stunning and would compare with the best paid products in the market.
But it also has a problem with updating. It is as if it’s a little shy to update itself. I initially thought that it was due to my firewall. But even after configuring the firewall to allow it, it still fails to update automatically.
Manually downloading the updates also fails some times as the program cant get through to the server.
I have a broadband connection, so the problem is not with my speed.
Clam Antivirus
It’s an open source free anti virus software. It was developed for Unix platforms mostly but has a windows version too ( Choose Win32 if you download it). I ran it for some time and it was good. It has a sort of ugly appearance outwardly which might not appeal to some. But it does its job and quite contrary to what people believe about free open source software’s is very good and has all the latest virus definitions.
They have a nice portable version which you can carry around in a flash drive. Plug it in before you work on any computer, whether at the workplace or at home or at any place. It would scan the system and you would be secure from infections.
Avast Free Anti Virus Home Edition
To my mind the best free one that exists. I have it currently in my system. You may not like its dark looks, but I tell you its very good. Once you install it you can forget that its there. It updates the moment you are connected to the net and says so too. (With Voice. It s very reassuring to hear it say “Your anti virus software has been updated”.
I do not know if other paid software’s have this feature. It’s lovely anyway)
But more than the novelty it has some fast features that you look for. That is, you need not initiate a scan for it to locate an infection.
All the computers in my office are heavily infected. Whenever I bring work back from office, this beauty locates the virus even before I have finished inserting the flash drive into the slot. That to me is sheer bliss. This is the only Anti Virus software that does it. It might frighten you a bit with its siren like sound when it has found an infection. You might think that there is a fire or a calamity in the vicinity. Man this thing takes its work seriously!
Their free Home version has all the features and if you register with them you can use it for free for an entire year. They might ask for your E Mail ID to send you the key, but they never trouble you with spam by sending unasked E Mails to your system if you have it disallowed.
Well you can decide for yourself what is best for you.
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