Anti-virus

[tbu3]

Do you use the preinstalled Norton Antivirus or prefer to install other anti virus programs and why?

[MadeInJapan]

For those who don't have antivirus programs on Thinkpads I've been setting up for them, I've been installing AVG, which is free to home/end users. You can find it at http://free.grisoft.com/freeweb.php/doc/2/
Does anyone have an opinion on this software?

[Wizzke]

I have Norton Systemworks & Norton Personal Firewall, great programs!

[s0larian]

The best you can do to avoid viruses or spyware ist to work with a regular (nonadmin) user account. Unfortunately most AV software is not capable to work under nonadmin accounts (i.e. update of virus definitions), except two: F-Secure and I think Bitdefender Pro (when I remember correctly). F-Secure works really fine (kapersky and another second engine), updates the virus definitions very often (Norton AV for example just once a week) and I don't have any problems at all. F-Secure Internet Security 2005 includes a Firewall, this is what I am using.

[K. Eng]

I use Symantec (Norton) Corporate 8.0, and I run in a non-admin account whenever possible.

You can set Norton to update more than once a week. I have mine set to check for updates every morning. My antivirus works in all accounts, admin or not.

[MadeInJapan]

I also use Norton's Corporate on my own and school's computers. I think that by far, for how good it is, it is very streamlined and doesn't use resources like it's brother, the home user version does.

[sugo]

Being a speed freak, I don't use any anti virus software

[selvan777]

I use Norton SystemWorks

[Leon]

For those who don't have antivirus programs on Thinkpads I've been setting up for them, I've been installing AVG, which is free to home/end users. You can find it at http://free.grisoft.com/freeweb.php/doc/2/
Does anyone have an opinion on this software?

AVG is a very good program.......

[MadeInJapan]

Thanks...just wanted confirmation....and truthfully, I don't understand you, Sugo....I can't believe you're on-line without protection. To me, this is like having unprotected sex....hoping you don't get a disease or get the woman pregnant.

[sugo]

Thanks...just wanted confirmation....and truthfully, I don't understand you, Sugo....I can't believe you're on-line without protection. To me, this is like having unprotected sex....hoping you don't get a disease or get the woman pregnant.

You are not the first person making similar comment. I have used anti virus for like 3 months at home in the past 4 years. It never find anything and so far I am very lucky. So I figure I can live without one hehe

I am very serious about having a firewall though. Spent days and days trying out various offerings on the market. The Outpost I settled on is running in the background all the time.

[selvan777]

It's plain silly to not go protected...

If while scanning for viruses, one is found, I'd definitely be worried, especially if it's not a newborn virus. The beauty of anti-virus programs is the ability to prevent, not detect after it's to late.

I've been surfing for about fifteen years with Norton and have had many attempts but only one successful contamination. Fortunately, it was one that was easily rectified via Norton's site.

[Leon]

Agreed, and although I still recommend AVG for those who won't/can't pay, I am a Norton User.....

On another note, I am a of the mind that if you are behind a router, a software firewall is not essential (I do not use one)...

[sugo]

It's plain silly to not go protected

Yup, it's for crazy people only. All thinkpad fellows: please don't attempt this unless you know what you are doing. I am not trying to convince anyone to do the same.

If anything bad does happen, I can still restore my system in 10 minutes.

[pkiff]

Another free, stable, effective anti-virus solution for non-commercial, home use is AntiVir:
http://www.free-av.com/

I've been using it for over a year now and it successfully identified one or two stray infected attachments that made it through to my desktop over the past year or so, and also accurately identifies infected pieces of ActiveX code or whatnot that end up in my IE cache somehow -- even though I have ActiveX disabled and generally use MSIE only for sites that are incompatible with Opera/Firefox/Mozilla.

Phil.

[jdhurst]

I use Symantec Client Security V2 (Corporate) which includes Norton AntiVirus V9 (Corporate). Great suite, but not availabel to the average person which is indeed unfortunate. The rest of the Norton stuff is not nearly as good. ... JD Hurst

[selvan777]

..., I can still restore my system in 10 minutes.

EDIT
On second thought, no, I wouldn't take the risk of being a carrier. I always say to newbies, never get connected without first getting protected.

ORIGINAL
True, if I were content with all system defaults, I too would not bother with anti-anything.

[sugo]

Where are Avast and Eset nod32?

[Leon]

http://www.nod32.com/

http://www.avast.com/

[Bob Collins]

I use Sophos antivirus. They have I think the best licensing scheme. If you get a ten user license, that will cover 10 PCs, one server and 10 home computers! They assume that your workers will VPN and/or bring data to from work and home, and thus the home systems of your business users are to e protected as they often are a 'part' of your business network.

Excellent product, great support, and a very smooth remote installer. Also the installer portion will check every hour for updates and if/when an update is received within an hour all your workstations get the update, this is the Enterprise Manager piece.

Have seen much come in, but nothing does any harm! We have been running this for over four years with no infections!

[sugo]

http://www.nod32.com/
http://www.avast.com/

*cough* *cough*

I was wondering how come Avast and Eset nod32 are not in the vote list. And where are the people using them?

[stgreek]

I use Linux, for which there are very few threats from a virus. I actually tried to run a few using wine, but most wouldn't run. [censored], need better windows compatibility

[k3vb0t]

Grisoft's AVG Free Edition for me...

[slagmi]

For my Thinkpads, one's running AVG 7 Free, ones running McAfee. Desktops: one Norton Professional 2004, couple of eTrust 7.1, and one <gasp> nothing!

Grisoft is noteworthy in that in many instances they are first with updates.

I've never installed the IBM provided Norton. Hope if I ever do I'll get the subscription from that date.

[daeojkim]

For those who don't have antivirus programs on Thinkpads I've been setting up for them, I've been installing AVG, which is free to home/end users. You can find it at http://free.grisoft.com/freeweb.php/doc/2/
Does anyone have an opinion on this software?

Same here... it has been working pretty well for me so far. It's free too.

[carbon_unit]

For my Thinkpads, one's running AVG 7 Free, ones running McAfee. Desktops: one Norton Professional 2004, couple of eTrust 7.1, and one <gasp> nothing!

Grisoft is noteworthy in that in many instances they are first with updates.

I've never installed the IBM provided Norton. Hope if I ever do I'll get the subscription from that date.

Try this: Disable your McAfee temporarily and install AVG to see if it finds anything. You will probably throw McAfee away at that point.

I'm not trying to troll but at my job I check for viruses and spyware every day and when I see McAfee I already know it is infected.
10 years ago McAfee was the best, not anymore. McAfee lets so much stuff through it is pathetic.
5 years ago Norton was the best, things are changing.
Today neither is the best, in fact there is no single product that can get everything. It is best to use a combination to keep your computer clean but you can only run 1 installed AV solution. Whichever AV solution you run back it up with an online scanner such as http://housecall.trendmicro.com or http://www.pandasoftware.com/activescan ... ncipal.htm.

P.S. I recommend AVG too.

[Leon]

So, carbon_unit, what do YOU recommend for Installed Anti-Virus and Anti-Spyware Applications?

[ibmuser]

think i posted this somewhere recently, but it might be of interest here:

http://store.ca.com/dr/v2/ec_main.entry ... CID=183869

etrust is offerning a one-year subscription to its AV program free

[ibmuser]

Carbon_Unit:
HandyBits is free for home use and uses all the installed AV programs on your computer - after performing an auto-search for installed virus scanners, it will scan your files using all found installed virus scanners.
http://www.handybits.com/vsi.htm

[Leon]

I've always been told that it is not advisable to run more than one antivirus on a machine.... I would be interested in others opinions on this topic......