New 'Protect Your PC For Free: No-cost Anti-Virus and Other Software' discussion

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download avast and the norton removal tool, uninstall norton, run norton removal tool, install avast, register it. If you are going to try avast, try it now, if you don't like it, uninstall and pay for norton (which is often available cheaper than the renewal price anyway)

the freeware malwarebytes is manually run, it doesn't detect things as they infect, that's what your chosen virus scanner is supposed to do, it's main benefit is a second opinion, and it is good at finding and removing hard to remove infections that may have slipped past your av - try it, and see how clean your pc really is.

spybot functionality is duplicated in avast and malwarebytes, don't really need it imo, and it can slow your pc/browsing down, but it's upto you

Avast is much better than avg, don't let your bad experience with freeware influence your decision.

Buzzz

Hi Closed, thanks for your help.

Even though Spybot has to be manually run, can it still slow down your PC whilst it's not actually running? This would explain a lot, a lot which I blamed on Norton!

So, sorry for a couple more questions, do I still need need to run the norton removal tool even though it's a paid for version which is going to run out in a few days?

Also, if I download Avast, run the removal tool and uninstall Norton and then install Avast, won't I be unprotected for a short while in between uninstalling Norton and installing Avast?

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http://www.safer-networking.org/en/faq/33.html this can slow browsing, but it could be norton, could be a hidden infection, could be slow connection, could be shortage of ram or too much bloat on the pc. Start a new thread if you need specific advise on speed, but I suggest you do the malwarebytes scan first.


Assuming you've got a router, or windows firewall turned on, you won't get infected in the 2 minutes it takes to install avast.

Buzzz

No, that's fine, it's not a speed problem, just when the computer first starts up. Spybot and Norton aren't showing any infection, and i've no reason to think there is one....touch wood.

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How much ram have you got, and which operating system. Norton and spybot can miss things.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2436849

Buzzz

Hmmm, interesting link, i'll have to sit down with that one later!

Just downloading Malwarebytes now and will sort out Avast over the weekend and removing Norton. Once i've done all that I shall have a look at your link.

Cortez

My Norton ran out last night and I installed Panda Cloud Antivirus as recommended in the article.

It seemed a good idea however on doing some research this morning I am not certain...

Any thoughts?

aliEnRIK

Cortez wrote: »

My Norton ran out last night and I installed Panda Cloud Antivirus as recommended in the article.

It seemed a good idea however on doing some research this morning I am not certain...

Any thoughts?

If your not sure then remove it and put something we are sure about (AVAST or AVIRA)

hgm

Does anyone know of an AV program that still runs under Windows 98SE? Have been using Avast but they have issued a new version that doesn't work any more. Keeps telling me to update though.

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version 4 still works