PC Problems? - links to free online virus scanners

superscaper

zipman23 wrote: »

I'd have said my previous post was relevant to this thread as I was asking if anybody else had had a problem with installing AVG or if it was just a coincidence that since trying to install it that I can't check my emails!

Well no because AVG isn't an online scanner which is specifically what this thread is about. If it you'd posted it in a thread about anti virus programs then maybe...

zipman23

Sorry. I see you've found my new thread though

superscaper

hannoja wrote: »

Not very confidence inspiring..

Nor the fact they can't even spell "update" on that page. Far from being the best, it has to be the worst online scanner I've ever seen. Only one file at a time and limit of "1Mb" (I wonder if they actually meant MB, since Mb is megabit which is 8 times smaller than MB). I'm certainly not going to start uploading my files to an unknown site. Kind of defeats the theme of this thread in terms of computer security.

superscaper

wendb69 wrote: »

Can you help. I try to open a link from a web site and get error on page. Any free software to help get rid of this. Free software that I dont have to pay for.

Thanks

You may want to start your own thread (i.e. new thread per problem). Unless this has something to do with online virus scanners?

Also you may want to indicate what the error is, what browser you're using, is it a specific web page etc...

rabialiones

advice please.
do not have any anti virus installed on laptop and think i may have some virusi/es
should i do a scan from one of the sites in first post before installing anti virus software?
if so any recommendatioins would be welcome
thanks
thanks

phoenixbbs

Try Sysclean by Trend Micro first - it has 3 parts to the download, and uses the full commercial version of virus signatures, but as a one-off scan. There has been a recent update to this (it used to be the Sysclean and LPT file only) and it now scans for spyware.

1) http://www.trendmicro.com/ftp/products/tsc/sysclean.com
2) http://www.trendmicro.com/download/viruspattern.asp (LPTxxx.ZIP)
3) http://www.trendmicro.com/download/spywarepattern.asp (.DA5 third from bottom)

Download each to a folder on the desktop (for instance), and unpack the LPTxxx.ZIP and SSAPIPTNxxx.ZIP to the same directory, then run the Sysclean program.

After that, if you want good protection, i'd recommend Avast, but if you want superb protection (to extreme paranoia levels) i'd strongly recommend Avira (http://www.free-av.com)

You can check out the relative protection levels offered over at http://www.av-comparatives.org - it might not be a comprehensive survey, but it's a useful guide to effectiveness.

gimme4free1

How does anyone rate the free edition of AVG?

There has been rumours that the software picks up "fake" viruses to make it look good against other antivirus products that do not detect these viruses.

This is just a rumour so please don't quote me on this, does anyone use AVG? If so what are the advantages/disadvantages of it?

I also found it quite memory hungry!!!

superscaper

gimme4free1 wrote: »

How does anyone rate the free edition of AVG?

There has been rumours that the software picks up "fake" viruses to make it look good against other antivirus products that do not detect these viruses.

This is just a rumour so please don't quote me on this, does anyone use AVG? If so what are the advantages/disadvantages of it?

I also found it quite memory hungry!!!

I think it does pick up more than its' share of false positives but I doubt that's a marketing conspiracy though since it's putting legitimate files into quarantine so it's in AVG's interest that false positives are reported and can be accounted for in the next signature update.

I don't personally use AVG any more, I use Eset Smart Security.

JDPower

gimme4free1 wrote: »

How does anyone rate the free edition of AVG?

I have used AVG free for 5 years, never been infected, never had a false positive and up until recently would have recommended it. BUT the new version (AVG 8) has prompted me to dump it, and the recommendations, due to it having morphed into a bloated, resource hungry average AV program.
Have now switched to AntiVir which blows away AVG 8 in the resource department (though not quite AVG 7) and so far seems to be performing fairly well (only time will tell though). And for anyone else using Antivir here's how to disable the upgrade nag screen:

http://www.elitekiller.com/files/disable_antivir_nag.htm

All of which is completely OT if course, this thread being about ONLINE av scanners

rabialiones

rabialiones wrote: »

advice please.
do not have any anti virus installed on laptop and think i may have some virusi/es
should i do a scan from one of the sites in first post before installing anti virus software?
if so any recommendatioins would be welcome
thanks
thanks

i am with virgin media, would it be ok if i did a scan and then installled pc guard from virgin media