Avast! Antivirus Home Edition 4.1

[+Warwagon MVC]

Nice review, question regarding the registration...

Why do you have to register every 14 months?  I thought the program is free?  My boss is planning to use this on his home computer, but I want to make sure that if he doesn't register, he will be able to still have his program working?

Thanks.

well if he doesn't register he will have 60 days to use it (in demo mode), after of which he will not be able to open the main program and do scans. Will the virus def updates work after the 60 days?... thats anyones guess because I've always registered it. Its a free register that only has to be done every 14 months... so why not register.

i cant help to say it's much much better than Norton .

ya norton what a fricken hog damn that thing can degrade performence on a pc. If you compare the time in which it takes Avast to install which is oh about 10 - 15 seconds. and then the time it takes Norton 2004 to install, its night and day.and who can beat the boot time avast virus scanner, Then to think someone actually pays per year for norton geesh.

[dreamthief]

@warwagon

You do know do you not that VirusBtn's antivirus review. Avast failed. It's trach record isn't any much better either. How trustworthy is that?

June 2004: Windows XP Professional

Status: FAIL

Product name: Alwil Avast! 4.1.399

More: June 2004 in full

(source VirusBtn)

Norton may not be the best program, (resource hog and etc), it does get the job done, i can't say for Avast. If you want trusted and a freeware, go for AVG.

Trusted by my definition, never fail an antivirus test review for the past 3-5 years. That's trustworthy. Anything before that are ancient history, they might have improve. If they passed tests during the recent years, that's a good antivirus scanner.

[+Warwagon MVC]

AVG sucks, the update servers are slow as crap, once it finds an infected file, you have to to find the file and remove it, or run the virus scan because it won't remove it itself, and the virus defs are rediculously big. Avast hasn't failed me yet as far as detecting viruses.

[Ehrihk]

@warwagon

You do know do you not that VirusBtn's antivirus review. Avast failed. It's trach record isn't any much better either. How trustworthy is that?

June 2004: Windows XP Professional

Status:  FAIL

Product name: Alwil Avast! 4.1.399

More: June 2004 in full

(source VirusBtn)

Norton may not be the best program, (resource hog and etc), it does get the job done, i can't say for Avast. If you want trusted and a freeware, go for AVG.

Trusted by my definition, never fail an antivirus test review for the past 3-5 years. That's trustworthy. Anything before that are ancient history, they might have improve. If they passed tests during the recent years, that's a good antivirus scanner.

AVG has a worse record (source) than avast! (source)

While avast! may not be the best virus scanner ever, it does get the job done. I used Norton but I grew tired of the damn resource hog. Sometimes, while installing software that I know is safe, Norton will try and scan each file, sometimes locking up the install! warwagon, I agree that avast! is the best Free Virus Scanner. :cool:

[b3ta]

Excellent review of a very capable AV product. Was a pleasure to read. (Y)

[b3ta]

ya norton what a fricken hog damn that thing can degrade performence on a pc. If you compare the time in which it takes Avast to install which is oh about 10 - 15 seconds. and then the time it takes Norton 2004 to install, its night and day.and who can beat the boot time avast virus scanner, Then to think someone actually pays per year for norton geesh.

Not a resource hog and as good as Norton AV!

[Mr. Broad]

Interesting read and thanks to all contributors.

[Stonkwell Bogtrotter]

The thing I also like about Avast, is you can shedule a !boot time scan".

Right click on avast.

You wil get these options

It will ask you to restart

This will then, BEFORE Windows XP loads, scan your entriee HDD for any viruses, and as such remove them. :)

If you want to set extra options for the scan, select Advanced in the second screenshot.

Very good :)

[Jon]

While avast! may not be the best virus scanner ever, it does get the job done

Well as I clearly stated I've delt with many networks where AVAST did a very poor job of cleaning infections. It really can't deal with *active* infections very well. AVG can.

So in my experience, you're wrong. AVAST can't get the job done. Infact I really dislike the product (and I work with AV software 40hrs a week.. it's my job so I've got a damn good idea of how they should / shouldn't perform).

[+Warwagon MVC]

It really can't deal with *active* infections very well. AVG can.

Are we talking free AVG or the one you buy

because if you consider it telling u to "Please run the virus scanner to clean the infected file"(or something along those lines) as dealing with active infections, then ya.

[Keldyn]

Looks promising. Cheers for the heads up. I am going to try it out.

[insanekiwi]

i tried avast few days ago. nothing for me. its limited to a 30day trial and wassomewhat hard to use cuz it had so many options to set. antivirxp does a good job for me :yes:

[Stephan123]

you can get a free license key at avast.com

[Dejon]

Very nice review.

[Stonkwell Bogtrotter]

i tried avast few days ago. nothing for me. its limited to a 30day trial and wassomewhat hard to use cuz it had so many options to set. antivirxp does a good job for me :yes:

Not right. Get a free licence key from Avast.

[DavidR]

- warwagon

Cons

-you can hightlight, copy, cut,paste, a virus around your hard drive and it won't detect it until you try to open it.

If you change the On-Access Scanner settings to HIGH or to Custom (Customize...) so files are checked on creation/modified and scan all files see image, etc. etc. This has picked up test virus files on my system when I entered the folder before doing anything to the actual test file.

Obviously the more sensitive you make the on-access scanner the more likely to have an effect on cpu load and may slow your system slightly if your system is under resourced already; again you choose, strength V speed.

I have used Mc Afee, PC-cillin, AVG and now avast! Home 4.1 (free) - I much prefer avast!, in fact it found two viruses that had been on the system, living hapily with AVG for some time. It found those on the initial boot scan after installation (XP/2000 only).

There are many decisions you have to make when choosing an AV, NOD32 without doubt is very good, does it provide email, MS Outlook/Exchange plugin, the Bat plugin, p2p and IM protection (and in this context, is it free, the review was about avast Home 4.1 free). What are your needs does the AV cover those areas.

Is avast the best, I doub't it, but I provides a very good all round level of protection and well worth a try. You can try it for 60 days on the trial reg no (built in) and register on-line and the home version key will be emailed, that lasts 14 months at which time you just repeat the registration and another key will be sent to you.

I have nothing to do with the company other than being a very happy user of an excellent free AV.

David

[DavidR]

Well as I clearly stated I've delt with many networks where AVAST did a very poor job of cleaning infections.

There is a version for servers that should work for networks, that however, is not free. The avast Home/Pro are desktop versions that don't work across networks I believe.

[DavidR]

Nice review, question regarding the registration...

Why do you have to register every 14 months?  I thought the program is free?  My boss is planning to use this on his home computer, but I want to make sure that if he doesn't register, he will be able to still have his program working?

Thanks.

You can install and use the program for 60 days using the trial registration key, it is fully functional during this period. At the end you will be prompted to register, but I don't believe it immediately cuts you of, I believe it extends the period by 7 days.

I think that after 60 days you should have decided if it's for you and the registration is simple, quick and doesn't get too intrusive. Must free AVs have to be registered and I remember jumping through manu hoops with AVG.

I can't remember why the registration lasts 14 months (not 12 months) but as far as I am aware the company wants an idea of how many active users they have. I will happily re-register when the time comes, rather than pay a 12 month subscritpion for another AV.

[Verbatim]

Well if I've learn anything from this thread, its that I should look into NOD32. Thanks for the heads up

[bilemke]

I will definately recommend Avast... Symantecs products have become bloated and flashy (except for their corp versions) resource hogs. I deffinately do not have what you could call a "slow computer", but NAV can drag my machine down a lot more then Avast ever does.

The big thing I dsilike about Symantecs Noron Anti-Virus 2002-2004... messssssssssssyyyyy installlers.. If you ever decide to switch to something besides NAV, cross your fingers when you click uninstall/remove.

[Hurmoth]

Interesting, but I think I'll stick with my Panda Titanium AntiVirus :D

[QuarterSwede]

Well if I've learn anything from this thread, its that I should look into NOD32. Thanks for the heads up

Same here. I haven't heard a negative thing about it yet.

Easy access: NOD32

What I have done is uninstall my pirated version of Norton Antivirus 2003 (I'm going anti-piracy). I am amazed at the boot time now. Thanks for the shove in the right direction folks!

[EDIT]Whhhaaaa!? I didn't realize NOD32 was $39.00 for 1 User. Not bad but I was looking for something a little cheaper, mainly free.

But when I do buy it (and I will) it is because of this, "NOD32 expands its record of being the only antivirus system in the world that has not missed a single "In The Wild" virus, in the comprehensive testing conducted by the industry's leading authority, the Virus Bulletin."[/EDIT]

Edited August 19, 2004 by Jstphish

[bob3160]

I could never get used to the Interface myself.? It takes a lot of getting used to since buttons aren't labeled except with a tooltip.? There's a Skull, an "A", and a lightning bolt.? Those aren't exactly self-explanatory...

I can't tell you about a Skull cause I've never seen one in Avast! unless you meant this? which simply shows when your e-mail is being checked.

However, the "Lightning bolt" , is actually an and the pictures shows what it's for. (this by the way can be merged with the so that normally there is only one icon in your system tray.

Hope this clarifies things.

What really seperates Avast! from all the rest is the Users Forums where help is always available and just as the Home Version of Avast!, it's totally FREE.

Edited August 23, 2004 by bob3160

[chconline Veteran]

how about AVG?

[Plarkster]

I can't tell you about a Skull cause I've never seen one in Avast! unless you meant this? http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v190/bob...astMailScan.jpg which simply shows when your e-mail is being checked.

However, the "Lightning bolt" , is actually an http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v190/bob3160/AvastVRDB.jpg and the pictures shows what it's for. (this by the way can be merged with the http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v190/bob3160/Avasta.jpg so that normally there is only one icon in your system tray.

Hope this clarifies things.

What really seperates Avast! from all the rest is the Users Forums where help is always available and just as the Home Version of Avast!, it's totally FREE.

He means the icons in the main interface - see the pic below. Although I agree that it's not obvious what these icons do, there are tooltips and Avast can also be controlled from the file menu.

Personally, I never click these icons anyway as I have it set to automatically update and only use the interface when I want to run a full system scan.