Avast or Avira

[Rosie]

which one is best..free that is

[No Nicolaitans]

My only experience with Avira is on my phone. I didn't like it. Nothing wrong with it...just a personal choice. I do know that it's one of the top-rated free antiviruses, and it has great reviews too. 

I've used Avast for years on our WIndows computers, smart phones, and the one tablet we used to have. It has several tools that aren't available on other free antiviruses.

NEVER got a virus using it...

It's still on 2 of our Windows computers, but I removed it from one to try out the Bitdefender Free version. Avast recently forced a web browser that they've developed on customers. They didn't ask customers if they wanted it; they just installed it with one of their updates. That may not bother some, but it angered a lot of folks.

I still say that it's one of the very best free antivirus offerings out there...but I'm liking the Bitdefender.

I also removed Avast from my phone, and I'm using Sophos on it. I like it a lot too.

If you don't mind an occasional pop-up trying to get you to upgrade to a paid version...then Avast is still #1 in my book...HOWEVER...though I've only used the Bitdefender free version now for about a month...so far, so good. It's a "hands off" antivirus. You basically just install it, and let it do its thing. It's low on resources too. I'm usually more hands-on with running scans (my wife calls me "Dan the Scan Man" LOL!), but so far, it's been great. I won't make my mind up on whether I prefer it over Avast until the computer gets a virus, or I'm satisfied with it over a period of at least 6 months.

Edited September 23, 2016 by No Nicolaitans
spelling

[Rosie]

thank you

[No Nicolaitans]

On ‎9‎/‎23‎/‎2016 at 4:08 PM, No Nicolaitans said:

HOWEVER...though I've only used the Bitdefender free version now for about a month...so far, so good. It's a "hands off" antivirus. You basically just install it, and let it do its thing. It's low on resources too. I'm usually more hands-on with running scans (my wife calls me "Dan the Scan Man" LOL!), but so far, it's been great. I won't make my mind up on whether I prefer it over Avast until the computer gets a virus, or I'm satisfied with it over a period of at least 6 months.

Update on the Bitdefender Free Version...

I love it. No infections at all on our Windows computer since installing it almost a year ago.

[Jim_Alaska]

I use Avast and so far no problems with it. It just sits there and does its own thing, I never have to fiddle with it.

[No Nicolaitans]

11 minutes ago, Jim_Alaska said:

I use Avast and so far no problems with it. It just sits there and does its own thing, I never have to fiddle with it.

Indeed. Avast is still #1 in my opinion. The one thing I do like better about Bitdefender is that it never gives any pop-ups wanting you to upgrade to paid versions.

[Rosie]

I had avast last November when my computer got hacked....then I switched to AVG, my computer ran so slow it drove me nuts, but when the hacker was on line i couldn't do much... i tried to down load bitfinder last week and it wouldn't download. i tried again yesterday and it worked... so far this morning my computer has ran faster than it has in 6 months...

[No Nicolaitans]

 

19 minutes ago, Rosie said:

I had avast last November when my computer got hacked....then I switched to AVG, my computer ran so slow it drove me nuts, but when the hacker was on line i couldn't do much... i tried to down load bitfinder last week and it wouldn't download. i tried again yesterday and it worked... so far this morning my computer has ran faster than it has in 6 months...

I'm glad it's running better now. One thing I did notice about Bitdefender after installing it on this computer yesterday, is that it apparently can give you pop ups for "special offers"; however, that can be turned off in the settings. I never saw a pop up; I just noticed they could be turned off. On the original installation of it on the other computer, there were no pop ups at all nor a setting for them.

[Jim_Alaska]

I had AVG for quite some time. It drove me nuts with constant pop-ups to upgrade to the paid version. It also did things in the background, downloaded add ons, added icons to my desktop. This all slowed my computer down to a crawl at times. It was especially bothersome when it would would do things in the background that made my computer time out when accessing pages on the Internet. When I got rid of it and installed Avast all of that went away. So far I am satisfied with Avast.

[No Nicolaitans]

7 minutes ago, Jim_Alaska said:

I had AVG for quite some time. It drove me nuts with constant pop-ups to upgrade to the paid version. It also did things in the background, downloaded add ons, added icons to my desktop. This all slowed my computer down to a crawl at times. It was especially bothersome when it would would do things in the background that made my computer time out when accessing pages on the Internet. When I got rid of it and installed Avast all of that went away. So far I am satisfied with Avast.

I know there are people who love AVG, but I'm like you and Ms. Rosie...when I tried it (years ago), it was slow itself, and it made the computer slow. When it was scanning, the computer was almost useless. Plus those pop-ups are one of the most annoying things I've ever experienced in my entire life. 

That was years ago...HOWEVER...my boss has it on our work computer. It's still the same...

[No Nicolaitans]

Always remember...the best defense against viruses and malware is...you.

Keep your system updated.

Keep your browser updated.

KEEP YOUR ANTIVIRUS/MALWARE PROTECTION UPDATED.

Be wise in your internet usage. Don't visit questionable sites. Be careful in following links from one site to another.

Don't click on things unless you know what you're clicking on.

Don't click on things that suddenly appear on your screen.

Don't click on links in your email unless you know for certain the email came from someone (or a company) you know personally and trust. You can often hover your mouse over the "From" person/company in the email, and it will show you the actual email address of who it came from. If it looks strange, don't even open the email...delete it.

If after those simple rules, you still get a pop-up that suddenly appears on your screen...DO NOT CLICK ON IT! Look at it closely.

• Are any words misspelled?
• Is it from an actual program that you know is on your computer? Often things look legitimate, but the name will be just a little bit different. This was how I first experienced a virus. The pop-up had the name of my antivirus, but it had added something to the name. I can't remember it now, but let's say for example that I was using Avast at the time (though I wasn't). The pop-up said it was from Avast 2010 instead of just Avast. That's just an example; I hope you get my meaning.
• Do the words/sentences make normal sense? Many of these things come from other countries, so they may not say things in the right way, or the sentences may not "flow" as they should.

If any of that happens...DON'T CLICK ANYTHING. SHUT YOUR COMPUTER DOWN BY HOLDING THE POWER BUTTON IN UNTIL IT TURNS OFF. Then either start the computer back up in Safe Mode (if you know how to do that)...or...disconnect the internet...whether turning off the router or unplugging the Ethernet cable. When you start the computer back up, immediately run a Virus/Malware scan. If that goes well, reconnect your internet, update your antivirus/malware...and scan it again. It's better to be safe than sorry.

No Antivirus/Malware is fool-proof. Your best defense is you...

[No Nicolaitans]

Forced a scan on this Windows 10 computer with Bitdefender. Then tried browsing the internet...no slowdown whatsoever! :)

 

[Rosie]

thank you all for your tips... last November a window popped up and said to call this number and i can get help to delete them.. well little did i know what that was all ab out so like a fool i called the number the man with a korean type accent said he could help so i said ok.. it wasnt till he was almost done that i realized what had happened. he told me he had my isp number and there was no way i could get rid of him.. even if i get a new computer.. i know he is on my computer as he messes up things.. hasn

t done any thing destructive so far.. last sunday when i was listening to a message i heard a stringed musical instrument that i had not heard before.. i hear a man talking on my computer occasionally but i always keep the volume low so i don't have to listen to the bells and dings..  and a woman on my tablet said once i am having trouble getting on line but I all keep trying.. 

[No Nicolaitans]

52 minutes ago, Rosie said:

thank you all for your tips... last November a window popped up and said to call this number and i can get help to delete them.. well little did i know what that was all ab out so like a fool i called the number the man with a korean type accent said he could help so i said ok.. it wasnt till he was almost done that i realized what had happened. he told me he had my isp number and there was no way i could get rid of him.. even if i get a new computer.. i know he is on my computer as he messes up things.. hasn

t done any thing destructive so far.. last sunday when i was listening to a message i heard a stringed musical instrument that i had not heard before.. i hear a man talking on my computer occasionally but i always keep the volume low so i don't have to listen to the bells and dings..  and a woman on my tablet said once i am having trouble getting on line but I all keep trying.. 

Ms. Rosie, has this type of thing continued to happen even with running scans of your Antivirus and Malwarebytes? If so...and this probably isn't something you want to hear, but you may have to take it to a computer shop and pay to get rid of it. I say "it", because it sounds like he has remotely installed something on your computer that gives him access to it...which can definitely be done these days. 

Something like that is beyond my knowledge, and this sounds like something very serious. I don't mean to alarm you.

As far as whether you can get rid of him because he has your IP number...I think he was just trying to scare you. Did he want you to pay something? Unless something has changed, he can't get into your computer unless you "let him in"...such as clicking on something, allowing him remote access, etc. It does sound like he has access, but you can get rid of him.

 

Edited June 10, 2017 by No Nicolaitans

[DaveW]

Save all of your important data to an external drive - a usb or "thumb drive" that has enough storage is fine - and take note of all the important programs you use and need - including writing down any passwords and registration numbers- then do a full reset of windows.

You will have to reinstall everything, but that should get rid of his access program.

But a professional might be best.