Reccomendations for a good (and free) anti-virus software?

[everdred12a]

See topic. The one I've been using (AVG Free) is going to subscription-only, so I'm looking for something to replace it. Any help is appreciated!

[Shuji]

heh, Im looking for the same thing. Wish i could help out. I pay for Norton and it screws my computer up more than any virus out there.

[Mithrandir]

Word of advice: Don't buy Norton if you have a Macintosh. It's not worth it. Maybe if they figure out the difference between a Mac and a PC again, but not until then.

[TheMelodyMaker]

I personally use ClamWin even though it currently doesn't scan files real-time, because I need all the performance I can get out of this computer.

If performance isn't your top priority, though, and you need a real-time scanner, check out Avast! Antivirus and Comodo Antivirus. Comodo will ask you for some info before you can download it, after which it'll e-mail an activation code; and Avast! will run for 60 days before requiring registration, but it's free to do so.

Try all three if you like; they're all free and they're all good.

[Mr. Rogers]

http://housecall.trendmicro.com

This is a free online-based one that is pretty good.

[uc pseudonym]

See topic. The one I've been using (AVG Free) is going to subscription-only, so I'm looking for something to replace it. Any help is appreciated!

They don't want you to know this, but you can actually keep using AVG Free with an update. They intentionally phrase things to make you think that you don't have another option, but the warning window should have a small line of text mentioning a free version of 7.5. That's what I did, anyway, and it's what I recommend if you don't see a need to change.

[Agent Anderson]

Avast: home edition
(requires registration code, (registration can be completed with a junk email address and "Mr John Smith, x, alaska 00000, 555-555-5555" if you don't like giving out phone numbers or similar info))

[Technomancer]

While it's not an anti-virus program per se, I'd recommend getting HijackThis!. It's a freeware program for detecting and eliminating spyware.
http://www.download.com/HijackThis/3000-8022_4-10379544.html

It's a good program, but since it examines your system's registry, you shouldn't use it carelessly.

[everdred12a]

They don't want you to know this, but you can actually keep using AVG Free with an update. They intentionally phrase things to make you think that you don't have another option, but the warning window should have a small line of text mentioning a free version of 7.5. That's what I did, anyway, and it's what I recommend if you don't see a need to change.

I've been updating AVG (mainly because I'm a slacker), but it still tells me that the internal virus database is out of date. Do you get the same message?

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

I've found Avast! is pretty awesome for protecting your computer from viruses.

http://avast.free-software-center.com/

And Spybot Search and Destroy is great for locating and killing spam.

http://www.spybot.info/en/index.html

[uc pseudonym]

I've been updating AVG (mainly because I'm a slacker), but it still tells me that the internal virus database is out of date. Do you get the same message?

Actually, I don't personally use AVG, I just install and upkeep it on certain other computers I maintain. But no, I haven't ran into that problem. Did you make sure you got 7.5 Free and then updated? If we really wanted to test I could take the current definitions files off this computer and send them to you...

[MasterDias]

Yeah, AVG still has a free addition. It's what I use as well. I had to upgrade it a month ago, but this is the first time that I've heard of any "subscription-only" thing.
Although, I didn't really read all of those popups...