I use Avast as it is very easy to completely disable at start up yet still remain full functionality when needed without complaining or requiring a re-boot before it works, and then use the scanning engine on-demand if required. This doesn't reduce system performance yet enables scanning of files when required

I use a prodcut called Blink from eEye. Very light weight, fast and easy to use yet very advanced. All in one.

Check it out.

TriMoot

I'd love to see some numbers regarding memory usage and running processes amongst all of these apps - I'd really like (honestly) if we could start seeing people posting averages of perfmon process counter information for each running process of your antivirus (everything, including the darned tray icon) of handle count, private bytes, virtual bytes, working set, and pool nonpaged and pool paged bytes. Open perfmon, create a counter log, let it run for 24 - 48 hours, stop and save/open it, then add up the averages and start posting some real numbers.

For instance:

SAV 10.2.0.298

Vista SP1

Processes:

ccapp.exe

ccsvchst.exe

defwatch.exe

rtvscan.exe

vptray.exe

Handle count: 1682

Private Bytes: 81.74MB

Working Set: 85.05MB

Virtual Bytes: 502.75MB

Pool Nonpaged: 83.06KB

Pool Paged: 697.01KB

top notch idea cluberti!, as soon as im fully migrated over to X64 and fully up and running i will be doing this with Avira, with the counters you named.

One question, I'm on vista x64 business. Does I really need a real time protection because most of virus are 32bit. Right now i'm using KIS 8. I don't have a good knowledge in this subject. can you guys give me some informations ?

I was recommending and using AVG 7.5. I am now in the process of switching to the latest Avast.

I tried AVG 8.0 on my test XP Pro SP3 computer. I chose not to install the email scanners, Link scanner, and Web scanner. I had no problems except for the following:

#1 - during an update the cycles reached 100%

#2 - opening a folder which contains the additional installation programs used on the test machine resulted in a noticable lag after each reboot.

Avast does not exhibit the same lags as AVG 8.0.

One question, I'm on vista x64 business. Does I really need a real time protection because most of virus are 32bit. Right now i'm using KIS 8. I don't have a good knowledge in this subject. can you guys give me some informations ?

x64 versions of windows still run 32 bit apps, including viruses. I would still suggest the use of an antivirus application - not running all the time, mind you, but scanning your machine every few days, just in case.

One question, I'm on vista x64 business. Does I really need a real time protection because most of virus are 32bit. Right now i'm using KIS 8. I don't have a good knowledge in this subject. can you guys give me some informations ?

x64 versions of windows still run 32 bit apps, including viruses. I would still suggest the use of an antivirus application - not running all the time, mind you, but scanning your machine every few days, just in case.

Ok ok, that's all i wanted to read! thank

I now have install Avast 4.8 on my Vista computer. I replaced AVG 7.5 and never tried AVG 8.0 on this computer. So far, I am impressed.

I read lots of replies from people switching from AVG 7.x to Avast since AVG 8.0 has become bloated and uses more load. But why do you switch to Avast and not for example to Antivir wich is also free?

I read lots of replies from people switching from AVG 7.x to Avast since AVG 8.0 has become bloated and uses more load. But why do you switch to Avast and not for example to Antivir wich is also free?

because avast is the best free AV

I tried antivir some years ago and swiched to avast

antivir doesn`t do its task

I also like the support shown in the Avast forums. Not only do other members reply, but two or three support staff also participate. Hence I chose Avast to replace AVG.

I voted for avast! being that I was looking for a new freeware AV and tried AVG, AntiVir, then avast!. I recommend try all three, although the clear winner was avast! for me do to the boot-time scanning option, respectable resource footprint, great support forum, and of course it was not intrusive into my daily computing activities. Also, avast! supports email client support protection and online mail support protection as well. So it was a fully featured AV which I might consider using personally in place of a paid for AV. But I recommend avast! to anyone who chooses not to purchase an AV.

For instance, AntiVir has a lovely pop up that I thought initially only occurred once after installation yet it reappeared therefore resulted in an uninstallation. AVG does not allow you to turn off the integration into your browser without a glaring big red exclamation point over the system tray icon.

As far as a paid for version goes, well of course NOD32 and Kaspersky but I suggest also looking into the pro version of avast!.

Edited June 4, 200818 yr by robd

On my old computer I used Avg, now I use Norton/Windows Defender. Can't recommend them but WD is pretty good. I think I'm going to switch back to the newest version of AVG.

antivir doesn`t do its task

Proof?

I use clamav because it is free licensed.