My current Anti-Virus (McAfee) program is expiring soon, I need reccomendations for better ones.

[charlie and algernon]

I got a new laptop (Dell) recently and it came with a month of McAfee Anti-Virus protection. I know it's not the best, but it came with it, so I'm riding it out. I did promptly download Malwarebytes for extra protection.

So McAfee expires in a couple weeks and I'm looking for a better replacement. I've heard that Norton 2012 is good and a new software, Webroot SecureAnyware, is also getting good reviews. I'm curious about Webroot because it's apparently tiny and takes up hardly any space on your computer. PC Mag says it can fit on a floppy disk.

Have any of you used Webroot yet? What are your reccomendations?

[meegbear]

1. AVG has a free version of their software which is very good ...

they have a full version you can purchase, but I've found the free one to be pretty solid.

[LynneSin]

6. I've been using AVG free for years and never a virus issue

Two thumbs up from me

[charlie and algernon]

8. Free is always good

I can afford to pay for my Anti-Virus, but I'd still like to keep it under $50 (under $40 ideally).

Free is WAY under $40, LOL!

[MrCoffee]

13. AVG Free is the way to go...get it here

http://download.cnet.com/AVG-Anti-Virus-Free-Edition-2012/3000-2239_4-10320142.html?tag=rb_content;main

[maggiesfarmer]

25. I give props to AVG also

fwiw, I'm a s/w engineer by trade. also comes recommended by our IT guy.

[wysimdnwyg]

29. +1 for AVG

Very good, frequent updates and it's FREE.

[originalpckelly]

2. Mac OS X.

[hobbit709]

5. There's one in every crowd

[charlie and algernon]

9. hmm, I don't think the local Apple store will accept my Dell if I offer to trade it in for a Mac

[originalpckelly]

23. Actually, my theory is that they might put you in quarantine if you brought it in.

Who knows if you have iBola.

[trof]

3. My tech guy recommends BitDefender. Works for me. $35/yr.

[hobbit709]

4. Microsoft Security Essentials. It's free and surprising for M$, it works.

[hunter]

10. MSE works well. But some malware targets it and tricks users into turning it off.

http://windows.microsoft.com/mse

Once it's installed keep it running and up to date, and don't install software from unknown sources or believe those pop-ups that tell you your machine is infected when it's not so as to trick you into installing their own viruses and malware.

[hobbit709]

18. Not much any protection can do about the ID ten T error.

[Lasher]

24. I use MSE and that's what I install any time end up cleaning up a computer a friend.

That's just if you're on a Microsoft platform, of course. Make sure you get all that McAfee shit cleaned out of there (which can sometimes be difficult to do) and for Christ's sake don't pay for an antivirus subscription.

[backscatter712]

7. avast! free version. n/t

[CatholicEdHead]

19. That is what I use

with a couple extra Malware layer protections from Spybot and Malwarebytes.

[MicaelS]

11. NOD32 AV5 by ESET, or

Else their Smart Security package.

http://www.eset.com/us/

They have a 30 day free trial.

In fact many of the AV programs have free trials. Try one after the other and see which one you like. Just be sure to uninstall one before you install the next.

If you want completely free there's Microsoft Security Essentials.

If you do any online gaming, NOD32 and MSE have the lowest ping times of the various AV programs out there.

[frogmarch]

12. AVG is best, I think, and

it doesn't make my computer sluggish as McAfee and Norton did.

[Hotler]

14. I have not used anti-virus in about two years.

I use Clean-up and or Spybot and stay away from unkknown web sites. (Don't surf for porn).
Delete your browser history a couple of times a week and run Spybot. When I had McAfee/Norton they found nothing and slowed my system way down. Spybot found more than those two ever did. My computer guy is from Russia and I refer to him as my local KGB. He said it doesn't matter how many firewalls you have up if the hackers want in they will get in and chances are they have been in your machine and find that you are just small potatoes and move on. I have one computer for my AutoCAD and a clunker just for the intertubes.
My $0.02

[kentauros]

15. You must not do any torrent downloads.

You have to have something as good as AVG for that. I dumped Norton.McAfee years ago because of your reasons but also because the free version of AVG found an ancient trojan file in an old zip file that the "Big Two had resoundingly missed. (I know they could look at zip files and yet...)

For example, right now I'm trying to find a decent copy of Civil 3D, but I'm glad I have AVG. There's lots of idiots that love to 'add' stuff to the torrent files. (I just want a home copy so I can take the tutorials and keep my skills fresh.)

[TreasonousBastard]

16. I just use MSE for both the laptop and desktop, BUT...

if you use the laptop at open WiFi hotspots, you run some risks anti-malware easily misses, like someone sniffing out your passwords.

I've been using Hotspot Shield as a VPN since I got the new laptop last year and have had no problems with it. It's so popular now it will probably eventually be hacked, but not yet.

http://download.cnet.com/hotspot-shield/

I used to use various combinations of AVG, Comodo, Avast, and some other things, but they all tended to be more of a pain than they were worth. For an occasional scan to see if something sneaked into the system, Malwarebytes is probably the best single utility, although I know some people paranoid enough to use three of four, or more, different ones.

Back up your important stuff, though-- nothing is perfect and you never know if you'll ever have to do a complete reinstall.

Oh, and to get the last vestiges of McAfee off your system, Revo uninstaller will look for that nasty little line in the Registry that keeps renewal nags popping up even after you thought you uninstalled it.

http://download.cnet.com/Revo-Uninstaller/3000-2096_4-10687648.html

[OxQQme]

17. Zone Alarm Force Field

wraps around your browser and helps prevent downloading that crap in the first place.

[marmar]

20. The Norton Suite that comes with my ComcASSt service seems to work very well.

Stay away from Spyware Doctor. That company is a pure pain.

[lillypaddle]

21. use the free one from Microsoft

but whatever you do, don't get Norton. I swear, it's worse than a virus.

[hobbit709]

22. My personal feeling about Norton is that it's about as useful as a screen door on a submarine.

80% of the infected computers I see have Norton on them.

[slay]

26. Avira free anti-virus + MalwareBytes + Spybot Search & Destroy

have been able to keep my pc clean for a long time now.

[Neoma]

27. Norton.

It was the only damn thing that took a Trojan virus off my laptop. Poor thing almost died.

[greiner3]

28. As the Republican Presidental field has shown;

ABM is very apt.

Although in this case it means
Anything But McAfee. This software is bloated and takes up a HELL of a lot of resources. Besides, Consumers Union rates them about in the middle of the pack.

For free anti virus, I see most of the good ones have been mentioned. For the paid suites, CU recommends BitDefender and ESET but the former is $30 cheaper. Good luck.