What to use, to replace Avast U3?

[Asyn]

Emsisoft (formerly A-Squared) had a reputation for many false positives...

This has been fixed in version 6.

[Montmorency]

The OP wants a program that protects the pens when they connect to alien PCs.
I say there is no such a program.
First, they rely on traditional AV software with the obvious limitations of the origional principle.
Second, most of those apps are watered down versions of the mainstream, comercial offer.

I put it to you: let the pen be infected. Worry about only when you stick it into your machine.
And that's when Sandboxie comes into line.
Force your USB/CD/DVD entries to run sandboxed. Scan the contents of the externals with your resident AV, with Malwarebytes, EAM free, HitmanPro... if all scans come out clean, then take the files out of the sandbox on to your machine.

My approach won't produce 100% sureness, but it will be the less unreliable option.

[Simion]

Emsisoft (formerly A-Squared) had a reputation for many false positives...

This has been fixed in version 6.

Please don't partially quote me as it is deceiving. I further explained that the product has gotten better. Thanks.

[Simion]

The OP wants a program that protects the pens when they connect to alien PCs.
I say there is no such a program.
First, they rely on traditional AV software with the obvious limitations of the origional principle.
Second, most of those apps are watered down versions of the mainstream, comercial offer.

I put it to you: let the pen be infected. Worry about only when you stick it into your machine.
And that's when Sandboxie comes into line.
Force your USB/CD/DVD entries to run sandboxed. Scan the contents of the externals with your resident AV, with Malwarebytes, EAM free, HitmanPro... if all scans come out clean, then take the files out of the sandbox on to your machine.

My approach won't produce 100% sureness, but it will be the less unreliable option.

Not really...

So, I really need a lightweight but GOOD virus scanner that I can run portably (i.e. "green") from my USB stick.  Avast U3 edition was and still is the best I've found.

What I'm really looking for, however, is a version of avast! that I can install on my USB stick and run from there without leaving traces on the host computer.  This is typically known as a "green install" -- where the software stores all its configuration data in a disk file (such as an .INI or .dat file) instead of storing it in the registry.

[forbin]

Tech: Thanks for the definitive response.  At least I know not to waste time trying the various Avast products only to find they cannot be portabilized.  (Hm.  Is that even a word?  )

Simeon: Thanks for the suggestion.  I've used a-squared free in the past as one part of a whole battery of tools to help some friends clean some nasty infections off their machines, so I'm inclined to try them out again for myself.

Haven't had a chance to try out the other possibilities, but once I do, I'll try to ensure I post the results here for the benefit of others.


regards,
-- forbin

[Para-Noid]

If I understand correctly what you are pleading for is a portable version of avast. Which is something I have been hoping for. Hopefully this will become reality in the near future. 

avast on a USB stick...what a concept. 

[Lisandro]

Hopefully this will become reality in the near future. 

Well, as far we know, they're NOT going in that direction...