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Consumer Products => Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security (legacy Pro Antivirus, Internet Security, Premier) => Topic started by: GinaPA on June 22, 2004, 06:41:05 PM

Title: Avast or Norton???
Post by: GinaPA on June 22, 2004, 06:41:05 PM
I just downloaded Avast but haven't installed it yet because it warned me that the Norton program I have may conflict with it. I have not purchased Norton after my initial 3-month free period expired last month after reading there are adequate free programs available online.

I also use AVG and Zone Alarm. I did not receive a warning from Avast regarding a potential conflict with either of these programs.

What I'd like to know is......Is Avast's free version adequate in providing protection, or is a person better off purchasing one. Also, has anyone had a problem running Avast with AVG and/or Zone Alarm?

Thanks so much.......Gina
Title: Re:Avast or Norton???
Post by: lee16 on June 22, 2004, 06:47:04 PM
If you install and run 2 Anti virus softwares they will conflict
Title: Re:Avast or Norton???
Post by: DavidR on June 22, 2004, 06:57:17 PM
These forums are full of people who have jumped ship from the likes of Norton (harder to get rid of [uninstall] than some viruses), and AVG, not even close to avast.

When I uninstalled AVG and installed avast, my first scan found two viruses that had been happily living under AVG.

Just do a search on these forums for Norton and AVG and you will get some idea of what I mean.

HTH David
Title: Re:Avast or Norton???
Post by: se7engreen on June 22, 2004, 06:59:39 PM
Running two resident AV's at the same time is never a good idea.  Bad things happen to your computer that way.  If you want to use avast! you should uninstall norton and avg before installing avast!.

As far as running with zone alarm, I've never tried it but I've never heard of any conflicts.  I'm sure someone here will have something to tell you.
Title: Re:Avast or Norton???
Post by: lee16 on June 22, 2004, 07:06:19 PM
If you are just talking about Zonealarm firewall (good software btw just make sure you install the antivirus before the firewall) then you should be able to run Avast fine with it, but i don't suggest you run it with zonealarm antivirus or any other antivirus software because they will conflict.
Title: Re:Avast or Norton???
Post by: Kobra on June 22, 2004, 07:11:51 PM
I always recommend a windows reformat when you change AV's, especially if one was Norton.  Norton is nearly impossible to fully remove from your system, and personally, I hate Norton.  Its just not a very good product.  You should never have more than one AV on your system unless you are very knowledgable in the field...

As for your software firewall, it should be fine.. I will admit I think software firewalls are lousy (Hardware firewalls are cheaper, and more effective for inbound attacks), they seem to be popular for some reason.  If you seek outbound protection, theres plenty of non-firewall applications out there that offer that.  But thats going off topic a bit too much.
Title: Re:Avast or Norton???
Post by: GinaPA on June 22, 2004, 08:15:03 PM
Thank you all for your help! I think the skeptic in me had a hard time believing that a free program could provide equal (or even better) protection than the pay programs. But when actual users are very confident with a program, I can now feel comfortable un-installing Norton and AVG and installing Avast.

Thanks again for your help and also for responding so fast!.......Gina
Title: Re:Avast or Norton???
Post by: RejZoR on June 22, 2004, 08:42:42 PM
I have a Norton Antivirus cleaner project under work for a very long time,but i need more informations. Right now i'll have to establish a virtual environment and install Norton inthere (i don't wan't to mess my current machine :) ). If anyone can provide me with informations on where Norton stores specific files,registry entries and other object,i just might be able to develope a perfect cleaning program for this menace :) I especially count on Kobra :)
If you have any info,you know where to contact me :)
Title: Re:Avast or Norton???
Post by: Lisandro on June 22, 2004, 10:32:07 PM
If anyone can provide me with informations on where Norton stores specific files,registry entries and other object,i just might be able to develope a perfect cleaning program for this menace :)

The worst part is here:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\VirtualDeviceDrivers
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet002\Control\VirtualDeviceDrivers
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet003\Control\VirtualDeviceDrivers
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\VirtualDeviceDrivers

NAV will add a double pair of zeros "00 00" at the end of the string, avoiding any other adding (it will be consider a comment).
This will prevent scanning on DOS under XP (an other Win16 applications).

You deserve the Nobel of peace if you develop such this application  8)
Title: Re:Avast or Norton???
Post by: RejZoR on June 22, 2004, 11:10:43 PM
Ok virtual machine is up und running,now im backing up virtual disk drive if i'd have to repeat anything. Damn WinXP is running freakin slow on it lol hehe. I had to turn all i mean really all effects to get it to work decent. I think those zeros shouldn't be a problem. I got Norton Antivirus 2004 Pro and it will be installed and tested asap.
Title: Re:Avast or Norton???
Post by: RejZoR on June 23, 2004, 10:51:22 AM
Strange,i don't see any extra zeros anywhere. Its just:
C:\PROGRA~1\Symantec\S32EVNT1.DLL

Value name is VDD.

Anyway in what kind of state should this value be?
Do i just blank it so it will be empty or i delete entire VDD value?
Or something third?
Title: Re:Avast or Norton???
Post by: Stephan123 on June 23, 2004, 11:17:20 AM
Avast can catch more virusses then Norton.Avast updates more then Norton ;)
Title: Re:Avast or Norton???
Post by: RejZoR on June 23, 2004, 11:39:43 AM
Ok Norton Antivirus 2004 Cleaner is completed. Now i have to test it. Currently its only limited to Windows 2000/XP and Norton Antivirus 2004!
Version for Windows 9x will follow soon.
Title: Re:Avast or Norton???
Post by: Lisandro on June 23, 2004, 01:55:25 PM
Strange,i don't see any extra zeros anywhere. Its just:
C:\PROGRA~1\Symantec\S32EVNT1.DLL
Value name is VDD.

Try to install avast and see what happens...
Maybe they correct in version 2004. I'm sure that 2003 were buggy.
avast! must be added to the end of this value
(C:\ ... \aswMonVd.dll)

Anyway in what kind of state should this value be?
Do i just blank it so it will be empty or i delete entire VDD value?
Or something third?

If you install another antivirus, only the new dll must be here, I suppose.
Title: Re:Avast or Norton???
Post by: RejZoR on June 23, 2004, 05:41:45 PM
I finished this cleaning app and its already integrated in new AEC.
VDD entry was set correctly after i uninstalled Norton,cleaned with cleaner and installed avast!.
Title: Re:Avast or Norton???
Post by: Lisandro on June 23, 2004, 08:02:48 PM
I finished this cleaning app and its already integrated in new AEC.
VDD entry was set correctly after i uninstalled Norton,cleaned with cleaner and installed avast!.

Does it keep avast entry?
Does it remove all other Norton keys?

I'm starting to believe that AEC is almost better that avast itself  ;D