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Thread ID: 137502 2014-07-16 04:53:00 Free antivirus pcuser42 (130) Press F1
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1379330 2014-07-16 04:53:00 Is there any consensus on what the best free antivirus is? A friend has obtained a second hand Windows XP laptop, and whatever antivirus was on there was removed. pcuser42 (130)
1379331 2014-07-16 05:06:00 On XP Avast is probably best, just make sure to untick all the crap during install. wratterus (105)
1379332 2014-07-16 05:07:00 Wouldnt bother with one. Just dont go to dodgy sites / download dodgy files. Used to have one on the netbook, it took twice as long to boot into it. So killed it. Dont use anything on the desktops either besides Windows defender Speedy Gonzales (78)
1379333 2014-07-16 05:10:00 Wouldnt bother with one.

I'm not sure that's an option on XP...
pcuser42 (130)
1379334 2014-07-16 05:12:00 Its not going to die without one. Altho cant do much about it when there are no more updates for it. Dont think an AV program is going to fix something that can no longer get updates Speedy Gonzales (78)
1379335 2014-07-16 05:23:00 Just backup the HDD to and external source. In the event of an attack just restore. Bryan (147)
1379336 2014-07-16 09:46:00 Wainui recommends Windows 360 Internet Security which is what I use for 8.1.

Apart from that Eset Nod 32 is recognised as the best paid option.
Winston001 (3612)
1379337 2014-07-16 21:48:00 for a free one, I'd go with Avast too. Avira was good, but had too many annoying popups for my liking.

BitDefender is also good but the free version has no configuration options whatsoever.
autechre (266)
1379338 2014-07-16 21:56:00 Wainui recommends Windows 360 Internet Security which is what I use for 8.1.

Apart from that Eset Nod 32 is recognised as the best paid option. That was OK at the time , but these days I dont put any Free AV's on, I put on a Trial of nod32 if they cant make up their minds - then advise once the trials up, its up to them if they want to buy it or not. Some remove Nod32, then put on a free one, Often AVG :yuck: then usually within a month or two I'm back removing all sorts of Crap again.

Got a customers w8 computer here now, they used the inbuilt AV from MS, as they didn't want to buy an AV -- Guess what got trashed after downloading "stuff" via torrent programs -- reinstalling it now as the registry was to badly damaged to repair.

Some of the Free AV's bug the hell out of the Person to buy the paid options. Worse than infections in some cases ;)
wainuitech (129)
1379339 2014-07-16 22:16:00 Avast

Do a 'custom install'
Untick everything except File & email av (ie untick all the options in the middle box)
1101 (13337)
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