Some advice - Switching AV soon

My new laptop (a few months old) came with a trial of McAfee Internet Security and until now it was fine.

It was supposed to expire today, and once it refuses to update I will remove it.

Now, I was thinking of replacing this with ESET Smart Security (beacuse it also has built-in firewall, and I can get the username and password it needs cheap)

What do you guys think, is this a decent product??
Also, I would like something with a decent user-interface, I once tried Avast and it drove me crazy, looking like a media player

Thanks

EDIT - It was a stupid typo is all, my bad, I wasn't talking about serials

 

Hey Ray92

Serials? And I thought you knew better...
http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/696488

Look at these sites for a comparison of antiviruses... I think the answer's pretty obvious:
ttp://www.virusbtn.com/news/2008/09_02
http://security.nl/artikel/22931/1/...Data,_Avira,_F-Secure_en_Norton_bovenaan.html
http://www.av-comparatives.org/

Best Regards

 

Thanks for that creaky

@CD
I'm serial clean now, no more WinZip or any other cracks/keygens, its all paid or freeware for me

The links you gave me that were in english show that Avira is the best.
Is this the free version or the full one???

Also, if I install this soon (which I probably will) what would you recommend I use along side of it, in terms of anti-spyware/malware, firewall, etc. I'm asking beacuse Avira doesn't seem to be a full suite to me.
Also where is the best place to download it

Thanks

PS-I do know better
re-read my first post to see what I really meant

 

Hey Ray92

Glad to hear it!

Haha, yes, I was recommending Antivir Free, but if you can buy it cheap, then Antivir Premium is for you.

Here's what I recommend besides it:
SpywareBlaster
Spybot (With Immunization and SDHelper)(Without Teatimer)
Advanced Windowscare Personal
Comodo Firewall Pro
Superantispyware or Malwarebytes.

Best Regards

 

Thanks for that, I haven't seen the premium version of Avira here, so I'll probably go with that.

I also have Malwarebytes (updated, and used for weekly scans),
and Advanced WindowsCare Personal (YAY!! )

So I plan on getting and installing these programs.

AV - Avira Free
Firewall- Comodo Firewall Pro (I had it once and it was a little hard to use)
Other - SpywareBlaster, and Spybot (Search and Destroy)
Alongside what I have mentioned I already have above

Also, how does Avira update, automatically, and does it have real time scanning???

Thanks again for your help

PS - Will all these work on vista??

 

Antivir free works just like a paid antivirus, just without the spyware detection.

And yes, I believe all of these will work on Vista.

Cheers

 

Thanks for your help.
I just have 2 more questions

1-I got an e-mail telling me that my McAfee trial has run out, but a message still pops up telling me to update, and it does update.
Does this mean the program is working and I should leave it be, or should I just un-install in and install the programs I mentioned above????

2-If you don't mind me asking would you tell me what security software you have on your pc(s)???

I'm just wondering,

Thanks

 

Hey Ray92

1. I think that perhaps you should keep McAfee. It isn't everyday that anyone gets a free paid antivirus, however oxymoronic that might sound. However, if you wish not to trust McAfee, then get the programs listed below.

2. My security setup isn't for the everyday person. Here it is:

Real-Time protection:
Antivir Free
Superantispyware Pro
Comodo Firewall
SnoopFree Privacy Shield
Filseclab Firewall

Browser protection (I use IE, by the way):
Premium Booster
SpywareBlaster
Spybot
Advanced Windowscare Personal

On-demand scanning:
Malwarebytes
Advanced Spyware Remover
GMER
A-Squared Free

Perhaps a little too much, but then again I might be paranoid.

Best Regards

 

Thanks for that, I see you take your pc's security seriously

I'll stick with McAfee until it stops updating beacuse it has a lot of stuff like firewall ,anti-spam, etc. built in so why not

If it stops working then, I'll go down the free path

PS - Don't your 2 firewalls clash??

 

Good point made there; I even have Windows Firewall turned on. No, they don't clash, but work perfectly well with each other. I don't notice any conflicts between them, because I suppose that they work on different levels of the TCp/IP stack.

Glad to hear that you've gone with the McAfee. Perhaps, in time, you might come to like it.

Cheers

 

It's not that I didn't like McAfee, I was just worried that once the trial ran out it, would become out-of-date, and thus not protect me to the fullest.

Since it IS updating i don't have a problem.

 

Haha... I meant "like" as in "trust, love, respect"... etc

Cheers

 

DO YOU
"trust, love, respect"... etc
Mcafee??

lol

 

Actually, no. ):

There are a few programs I do not trust:
AVG, Norton, McAfee, and Kaspersky

These programs I trust and respect:
Nod32, Antivir, Comodo

Yeah... well... experience will teach you what you need to know.

Cheers

 

So in your opinion is ESET Smart Security good???
Uses NOD32 antvirus

Guess you have experience
I may yet leave McAfee

 

I haven't used Eset Smart Security yet or have gotten the chance to test it. However, Nod32 2.7 was an excellent antivirus.

Best Regards

 

Right, well what would you suggest to someone who wants to secure their system.

--McAfee that doesn't seem to be working anymore
--Eset Smart Security (NOD32 V3/Firewall/anti-spyware)
--The program list I mentioned above

Thanks

 

I cannot really make a decision, as both Eset Smart Security and the program list you mentioned have their pros and cons.

Eset Smart Security:
Pros- Has real-time spyware protection.
Cons- Might not have as good firewall or antivirus protection.

Avira, Comodo, Superantispyware...
Pros- More complete in every aspect of security
Cons- No real-time spyware protection.

Make your choice!

Best Regards

 

I'll most likely go with ESET smart security, but

IF I was to get Avira, Comodo, Spybot, and Malwarebytes, what program could I use for real time spyware detection.

Also, will using a number of protection programs (mentioned above) bog down my system, beacuse I know from experience that Eset Smart Security doesn't

Thanks

 

Yes, multiple programs will slow your PC down more than a security suite will, which is why security suites were invented!

There is no good free real-time spyware protection that I know of, and my current Superantispyware Pro, which offers realtime protection, is a paid-for program. Antivir Premium has excellent spyware protection, by the way. Better than Superantispyware.

Best Regards