Question Need a stand alone anti-virus

[Spydermag68]

Need a recommendation for stand alone anti-virus to run on a computer.

If I can boot from a USB drive that would work too.

Also any anti-malware programs would be good.

 

[fralexandr]

For personal use, I normally run free versions of avira or avg and malwarebytes. For slower computers I stick with windows defender/microsoft security essentials supplemented with free malwarebytes.

Bitdefender is usually rated well, and kaspersky also has a free option.

 

[UsandThem]

I use Norton Security (have for many years outside of the mid 2000s when it was bloated). I pick up on sale once a year for $20 (which covers 5 PCs).

Outside of that, there are many good choices (all of which protect against malware). Some very good programs are free (such as the built in Windows Defender). You can just go to the bottom to the percentage rating of each product and what they blocked or missed.

https://www.av-comparatives.org/tests/real-world-protection-test-july-november-2018/

 

[balloonshark]

In addition to what has already been said Avast free is also an option. I think it has gotten bloated over the years so you could do a custom install and only install the components you need.

 

[VirtualLarry]

My experience is that Avast is constantly "spamming" the user. Then again, so does Norton and McAfee, just not nearly as badly.

Oh, and FYI, don't mix Norton and McAfee on the same system. Seen it happen, not good results. System I/O slows down considerably when both are installed and real-time scanning.

 

[UsandThem]

My experience is that Avast is constantly "spamming" the user. Then again, so does Norton and McAfee, just not nearly as badly.

Norton has had a little box in settings for years that allows the user to turn of things like special offers, system reports, performance monitoring, and other not needed background tasks, and I never receive any kind of nags after changing those.

 

[balloonshark]

My experience is that Avast is constantly "spamming" the user. Then again, so does Norton and McAfee, just not nearly as badly.

Oh, and FYI, don't mix Norton and McAfee on the same system. Seen it happen, not good results. System I/O slows down considerably when both are installed and real-time scanning.

I think they all do now. I switched to Avira free years ago from Avast so I don't know how bad it's gotten. I do know you can install which components you want so that may or may not reduce some of the crap. Avira also does it but it's only once or twice a day and it's a smallish box down by the system tray. I only wish malware companies would go back to focusing on protecting their users rather than trying to install or sell us a bunch of junk we don't need.

 

[esquared]

My experience is that Avast is constantly "spamming" the user. Then again, so does Norton and McAfee, just not nearly as badly.

Oh, and FYI, don't mix Norton and McAfee on the same system. Seen it happen, not good results. System I/O slows down considerably when both are installed and real-time scanning.

If by " constantly spamming" you mean a pop up box, maybe once a month, to try the paid, upgrade. Then yeah, they are constantly spamming.

I've run Avast for probably, going on 10 years.

 

[VirtualLarry]

If by " constantly spamming" you mean a pop up box, maybe once a month, to try the paid, upgrade. Then yeah, they are constantly spamming.

I've run Avast for probably, going on 10 years.

Hmm. I ran it for a short while, it was popping up notifications every day, pushing other products, I think VPN services, the works. Maybe there was a setting that I missed, but I know I'm not the only one to feel this way about them.


https://www.getavast.net/support/disable-pop-ups

1. Disable Virus Definitions Update Pop-up Notification
This pop-up notification is probably the most known. Luckily, it has been removed with the version 2015 release. It has a gray background with a blue button (in older versions it was all green with gray button) and every time it comes, the Avast lady will start “Avast virus database has been updated”. This notification is displayed every time your program gets automatically updated with the latest database of virus definitions – which may be up to two times a day.

 

[esquared]

Hmm. I ran it for a short while, it was popping up notifications every day, pushing other products, I think VPN services, the works. Maybe there was a setting that I missed, but I know I'm not the only one to feel this way about them.

Definitely not seeing stuff pop up everyday.
If it was doing that, I would remove it.