My new rig's free trial of McAffee has expired. What do you guys recommend as a free replacement? I'd rather not spend 40.00 if I don't have to. Thanks all.
AVG
I see AVG also has a pay edition. Is the free one good enough?
Avast+Spybot.
Avast Free has gotten a little more annoying with ads but I still like it.
Any benefits that Avast offers that AVG does not or vice versa?
Quote from: Gusington on February 28, 2016, 05:08:39 PM
I see AVG also has a pay edition. Is the free one good enough?
We have been using the free version for several years with complete satisfaction. We do buy the payware tune-up stuff though, which is also pretty good. We really have no problems with AVG stuff.
+1 to the Bob
first thing ive installed on new kit for the last 8 years and its never, ever interferred with games stuff
I've been using Panda for a year or so.
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2463592,00.asp (http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2463592,00.asp)
I use MalwareBytes and CCleaner.
I've used both in the past. I still have Spybot installed. I've been using that for 10-plus years.
Windows Defender and Windows firewall both work well enough too.
Spybot gets along with other av programs without issue?
Quote from: Gusington on February 28, 2016, 06:04:46 PM
Spybot gets along with other av programs without issue?
I've never had a problem with it. I don't let a lot of automated stuff run with any of the Malware/AV products I use. I run manual scans every so often. I find that if you set everything to auto, it eats up a lot of system resources. It's a trade off and I count on the firewall to keep out the worst of things.
The one issue I ever had was with McAfee not allowing Shogun 2 to launch, so I suppose I have been pretty lucky.
OK so I have AVG installed along with their web tuneup app. I don't have their performance or safe surf apps applied.
I will now get Spybot.
Thanks guys! You've saved me some dough and AVG looks to be more user friendly, less annoying and perhaps more gooder than McAfee.
McAfee is one of the worst AV apps out there. Big piece of bloatware. I gave up on it years ago.
^Yeah I remember you posting that a few times. Couldn't find those threads though.
OK so I got Spybot v1.6.2 Search & Destroy loaded. Does it run in the background on its own?
I think you can set it to update/run periodically. Don't know if it does out of the box.
Ok thanks.
I had great luck with the free version of AVG. It detected and removed a problem Norton couldn't touch.
Another vote for AVG here. I've been using it for over 5 years now, with good results. It's non-intrusive, isn't a resource hog, and (as Gus already noted) is pretty user-friendly.
I use Comodo. Their free version has given me no issues for years.
I use Linux; I don't need any of this shit. :P
Quote from: Gusington on February 28, 2016, 05:06:37 PM
My new rig's free trial of McAffee has expired. What do you guys recommend as a free replacement? I'd rather not spend 40.00 if I don't have to. Thanks all.
I use Microsoft Security Essentials and Malwarebytes.
MSE runs in the background and I run a full scan every Sunday night.
MWB doesn't stay resident (I think you can buy a copy that does) and I run a scan every Sunday night
I can't remember the last time I had a virus. I admit that could be down to luck.
I now have AVG (free) and Spybot like the cool kids do. Time for porn!
Quote from: Gusington on March 02, 2016, 08:34:53 PM
I now have AVG (free) and Spybot like the cool kids do. Time for porn!
Silly Rabbit, that's what the iPad is for.
My connection is not fast enough. And the display is too small.
Quote from: Gusington on March 03, 2016, 08:40:18 AM
My connection is not fast enough. And the display is too small.
Enough with quotes from your Wife, Gus. It'll only make you more sadder.
Impossible.
Well this is "interesting". Seems that AVG and Spybot interfere with Steam somehow and now I can't get Attila: Total War to run. I suppose I will have to remove them and move to Plan B...
I've never had Spybot mess with Steam. What's going on?
Attila will lock up after the splash screen. I had something similar happen with McAfee and Shogun 2, and finally fixed it after an hour of futzing around.
I removed AVG and Spybot and the game launched. Now I am futzing with mods and the new Radious mod for Age of Charlemagne also doesn't get along...so I am disabling that too.
Hell, you are high maintenance.
I spent my gaming hour futzing. I hate that. But the damned thing works now. Harder to tell if it was AVG, Spybot and the mods, a combo or just one. Probably a combo of all of them.
So now I'm back to square one...I need antivirus that won't drive me crazy.
How about plain old unsexy Windows Defender? It is not listed by Steam as av that interferes with its operation.
https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=9828-SFLZ-9289
Defender is okay. I wouldn't bet my digital life on it. Do you do everything from one machine? What I mean is do you game on the same computer that you use for online banking and shit? If so, err on the side of caution.
I used to but not anymore. My gaming rig is used for games 99% of the time. The other 1% is porn.
Defender will do then. Call Bill Gates when you get a virus.
He told me to call you.
He's an ahole.
^He said the same about you!!
^ Dude, just about all of us here are. :P
Sorry you had possible issues with AVG,
Gus. It's honestly never been anything but good to me, so I'm baffled as to why it was messing with you. It especially sucks that it was interfering with the (IMO) very fun
Age of Charlemagne. :-\
Quote from: mirth on March 07, 2016, 09:43:49 PM
I've never had Spybot mess with Steam. What's going on?
I haven't a clue as to why, but I've had Spybot mess with shit on previous machines, which is why I've not installed it on this one (and never will again).
Quote from: Gusington on March 07, 2016, 10:16:14 PM
I used to but not anymore. My gaming rig is used for games 99% of the time. The other 1% is porn.
Same here. Well, except my numbers are reversed :coolsmiley:
I told you - Microsoft Security Essentials is all I've EVER had (since it's release) and I haven't had a single virus. The only additional item I have is Malwarebytes and I run that once a week on a Sunday (as I do with MSE - full scan)
Quote from: Gusington on March 07, 2016, 09:52:54 PM
Attila will lock up after the splash screen. I had something similar happen with McAfee and Shogun 2, and finally fixed it after an hour of futzing around.
I removed AVG and Spybot and the game launched. Now I am futzing with mods and the new Radious mod for Age of Charlemagne also doesn't get along...so I am disabling that too.
I use Avast, and had an issue with save games for the Black Ice Mod on HOI3 crashing the game. I found that I had to make an exception for the save game folder. I know your just launching the game, but AVG or Spybot may have been causing an issue.
^I think it was a combo of the av and the mods. I'm just going to get Windows Defender and call it a day.
Does anybody know if the AV features in Windows 10 is good, bad, or enough by itself for protection-- meaning general use, games and the like?
Quote from: JudgeDredd on March 08, 2016, 05:15:18 PM
I told you - Microsoft Security Essentials is all I've EVER had (since it's release) and I haven't had a single virus. The only additional item I have is Malwarebytes and I run that once a week on a Sunday (as I do with MSE - full scan)
That's because you aren't visiting questionable sites like those other guys. :P
^The sites aren't questionable, they're awesome!
^Unquestionably
^Just installed Panda. I'll send you the bill.
Quote from: Gusington on March 11, 2016, 03:14:06 PM
^Just installed Panda. I'll send you the bill.
You can send it. Good luck actually collecting on it.
I'll collect it on my own, don't worry. You'll barely feel anything.
Quote from: Gusington on March 11, 2016, 03:23:51 PM
You'll barely feel anything.
You're a stealthy Hobbit.
I've collected in full. See now was that so bad?
I need a shower.
And some warm vanilla ice cream. Melty.
Just wanted to mention that we're using the AVG free version at my office and the amount of notifications it generates for upgrading and advertising related products is incredibly annoying. I just adjusted some settings to hopefully cut done on the number of pop-ups, but it has been happening several times each day and has been driving me batty.
I haven't used AVG for several years, but I don't remember it bombarding me with ads in the past.