Author Topic: Is Avast Free! Good Enough???  (Read 30974 times)

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ben3236

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Is Avast Free! Good Enough???
« on: May 14, 2011, 11:52:43 AM »
Hi.After my dad formated his pc because of Kaspersky he wants to install a good anti-virus.I trust Avast but my dad doesn't trust it really much.So does Avast Free have the same detection rate as Avast Pro or Avast Internet Secuirty.Does it have sandbox?I don't really care for the firewall because i can download a free one.And how many realtime shield does Avast free have and which shields???If someone could answer this question i will be really happy.
P.S.If you could answer this question today.I wan't to make him a suprise!

Offline TerraX

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Re: Is Avast Free! Good Enough???
« Reply #1 on: May 14, 2011, 12:04:53 PM »
Hi,

Quote
So does Avast Free have the same detection rate as Avast Pro or Avast Internet Secuirty.
Yes!
Quote
Does it have sandbox?
Yes, but it´s a autosandbox.
Quote
And how many realtime shield does Avast free have and which shields???
Look here!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avast!
Win10 64bit / Avast Premium Security / MBAM Free / Firefox ESR [NS/uBO] / Thunderbird / AOS/ASB

Offline Lisandro

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Re: Is Avast Free! Good Enough???
« Reply #2 on: May 14, 2011, 02:04:52 PM »
There are 8 shields.
The best things in life are free.

Rick F

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Re: Is Avast Free! Good Enough???
« Reply #3 on: May 14, 2011, 04:48:57 PM »
I've used avast (free version) for about 4 years now.  I've been happy with its protection and frequent virus data base updates (about 2 per day on average). I've not gotten a virus/malware infection on my PC in those 4 years.

Consumer Reports (June 2011 edition) just reviewed security software — both free and paid versions.  Avast is listed as 3rd under the free versions just behind Avira and (surprisingly) AVG... but ahead of Microsoft's Security Essentials. Just as additional info, Kaspersky was rated at 6th in the paid versions (McAfee – which I used to use – near the bottom at 13th.).

I could scan a copy of their chart but that would be copyright violation. If interested this issue should already be on magazine stands.

vbwx

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Re: Is Avast Free! Good Enough???
« Reply #4 on: May 14, 2011, 04:56:57 PM »
avast! free provides a premium defense against viruses from all kinds, he shouldn't be so worried about that.
the threat detection between the free and the paid one are identical.
and for the sandbox question, although avast! free comes with auto sandbox, he should download sandboxie free as well.

ben3236

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Re: Is Avast Free! Good Enough???
« Reply #5 on: May 14, 2011, 05:38:39 PM »
Thanks Guys! :)  :)
I installed this anti-virus on my dads pc.Also i downloaded Comodo Free Firewall and Malwarebytes Free.Im sure now he has the maximum protection!

LunarWolf

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Re: Is Avast Free! Good Enough???
« Reply #6 on: May 14, 2011, 05:42:56 PM »
Make sure your father knows what to click for Defense +. It defeats the purpose if he just click allow on everything. Also, use sandboxie and run any browser in sandbox.

vbwx

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Re: Is Avast Free! Good Enough???
« Reply #7 on: May 14, 2011, 06:41:13 PM »
Make sure your father knows what to click for Defense +. It defeats the purpose if he just click allow on everything. Also, use sandboxie and run any browser in sandbox.
defense+ makes win xp sp2 crash while avast! is installed. so it's unnecessery and should be disabled anyway.

Offline Asyn

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Re: Is Avast Free! Good Enough???
« Reply #8 on: May 14, 2011, 06:47:53 PM »
defense+ makes win xp sp2 crash while avast! is installed.

Well, XP SP2 isn't supported by MS anymore, update to SP3...!!
No problems with D+ here...
W8.1 [x64] - Avast Free AV 23.3.8047.BC [UI.757] - Firefox ESR 102.9 [NS/uBO/PB] - Thunderbird 102.9.1
Avast-Tools: Secure Browser 109.0 - Cleanup 23.1 - SecureLine 5.18 - DriverUpdater 23.1 - CCleaner 6.01
Avast Wissenswertes (Downloads, Anleitungen & Infos): https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=60523.0

vbwx

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Re: Is Avast Free! Good Enough???
« Reply #9 on: May 14, 2011, 06:50:28 PM »
defense+ makes win xp sp2 crash while avast! is installed.

Well, XP SP2 isn't supported by MS anymore, update to SP3...!!
No problems with D+ here...

i dont want SP3 and i probably won't use it because i afraid that part of my softwares won't work with that.

Offline Asyn

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Re: Is Avast Free! Good Enough???
« Reply #10 on: May 14, 2011, 06:53:10 PM »
i dont want SP3 and i probably won't use it because i afraid that part of my softwares won't work with that.

Any software that works with SP2, also works with SP3..!!!
W8.1 [x64] - Avast Free AV 23.3.8047.BC [UI.757] - Firefox ESR 102.9 [NS/uBO/PB] - Thunderbird 102.9.1
Avast-Tools: Secure Browser 109.0 - Cleanup 23.1 - SecureLine 5.18 - DriverUpdater 23.1 - CCleaner 6.01
Avast Wissenswertes (Downloads, Anleitungen & Infos): https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=60523.0

Jack 1000

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Re: Is Avast Free! Good Enough???
« Reply #11 on: May 14, 2011, 09:25:14 PM »
To the OP,

Yes, Avast Free is outstanding and I have used it for the past six years.  The only critique I have is that some newbies might be put off by the license key registration after the program is installed.  If Avast ever releases a totally automated registration system, I think it would be flawless!  (An idea for version 7, Vlk, or any of the other techs?!!!) Hehehehe.  :D

The only other AV that I would sort of trust if I had someone who was a know-nothing about computer security would be MSE, because it does not require a license key after being installed to renew each year, BUT the downsides of MSE are:

1.) If only updates once every 24 hours.  Avast updates almost always 2-3 times a day in 12-hour cycles.
2.) Avast has Sandox Technology, MSE doesn't.
3.) Avast has Boot Time Scan, MSE doesn't
4.) MSE takes forever to do a full scan, as in overnight.  Avast can do it in about about 20-45 minutes, depending on the size of your hard drive and what is found.
5.) MSE just seems a little "too light" for users who may want more protection.

All the other competition AVG, McAfee, Symantic (Norton) just use up too much memory and speed.  Avast has the best and easiest to understand GUI around.  MSE doesn't seem to have enough there.

To the OP.  Why does you father not trust Avast?

Jack

Nesivos

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Re: Is Avast Free! Good Enough???
« Reply #12 on: May 14, 2011, 09:33:37 PM »
Avast Free does not have an anti-Spam feature like AIS does.  So you will need to fight spam some other way if you use Avast Free rather Avast AIS.


Offline Asyn

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Re: Is Avast Free! Good Enough???
« Reply #13 on: May 14, 2011, 09:38:35 PM »
Avast Free does not have an anti-Spam feature like AIS does.  So you will need to fight spam some other way if you use Avast Free rather Avast AIS.

Most mail clients have antispam features.
But, more important, usually your ISP will (should) filter spam.
W8.1 [x64] - Avast Free AV 23.3.8047.BC [UI.757] - Firefox ESR 102.9 [NS/uBO/PB] - Thunderbird 102.9.1
Avast-Tools: Secure Browser 109.0 - Cleanup 23.1 - SecureLine 5.18 - DriverUpdater 23.1 - CCleaner 6.01
Avast Wissenswertes (Downloads, Anleitungen & Infos): https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=60523.0

Jack 1000

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Re: Is Avast Free! Good Enough???
« Reply #14 on: May 14, 2011, 09:44:42 PM »
To the OP,

Yes, Avast Free is outstanding and I have used it for the past six years.  The only critique I have is that some newbies might be put off by the license key registration after the program is installed.  If Avast ever releases a totally automated registration system, I think it would be flawless!  (An idea for version 7, Vlk, or any of the other techs?!!!) Hehehehe.  :D

The only other AV that I would sort of trust if I had someone who was a know-nothing about computer security would be MSE, because it does not require a license key after being installed to renew each year, BUT the downsides of MSE are:

1.) If only updates once every 24 hours.  Avast updates almost always 2-3 times a day in 12-hour cycles.
2.) Avast has Sandox Technology, MSE doesn't.
3.) Avast has Boot Time Scan, MSE doesn't
4.) MSE takes forever to do a full scan, as in overnight.  Avast can do it in about about 20-45 minutes, depending on the size of your hard drive and what is found.
5.) MSE just seems a little "too light" for users who may want more protection.

All the other competition AVG, McAfee, Symantic (Norton) just use up too much memory and speed.  Avast has the best and easiest to understand GUI around.  MSE doesn't seem to have enough there.

To the OP.  Why does you father not trust Avast?

Jack

In addition to Avast, you should also get Malware Bytes Anti-Malware.  Updates are required to be run each time the free version is used. I have the free version, it is good.  If you want full-time protection from MBAM, you can purchase a $25 USA dollars license key, which might help just in case Avast misses something.  Avast hasn't missed anything, so right now, I just have Avast and the free version of MBAM.  Works very well.  You can get the program at www.malwarebytes.org

Note however, that your first line of defense is ALWAYS an up-to-date Anti-Virus Program.  Optional malware removal catches what your Anti-Virus might miss.  I always manually update Avast defitions, than do a full scan, than update MBAM and do a full scan, when I want to check for malware.

Jack
« Last Edit: May 15, 2011, 12:51:09 AM by Jack 1000 »