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Let’s continue the last post about defend windows with Comodo Firewall Pro freeware, Now It’s time for Antivirus. You must already know that I use two AntiVirus programs, AVG Free Edition & avast! Home Edition. Yeah, I love both. Sometimes when one doesn’t recognize any trojans, another supports the hole. As you know, in the last post, i do not recommend you to use two or more same programs, because not only will they eat your memory resources but sometimes will also generate some conflicts between each other. Actually, You can use only one which’s better (according to you) and it really fits your needs. or maybe you want both, like me too? it’s up 2 you

Is it avast! or AVG Antivirus? Let’s review both of them.

> What’s Antivirus?
Antivirus tools are essential in protecting the host client from a multitude of viral, Trojan, and rootkit Internet threats. They also can also stop virus infestation from cross media file sharing. Antivirus is also essential as a secondary preventative Internet security solution beyond a firewall.

If you are looking for the best possible protection my top recommendation is either AVG Antivirus Free Edition or the Avast! scanner. They are both come with more complete products and less intrusive in use than other ‘limited feature’ products.

> AVG AntiVirus Free Edition
AVG AntiVirus provides a free for personal use virus scanner under a business model of prevention being key to protection and selling more advanced features and services. This virus protection is basic under the free model, the Pro version adds high speed downloads and Multiple Languages; and the Internet Security version adds Anti-Spam, Spyware and firewall to its abilities.

This antiviral program offers rock-solid protection for no financial commitment. AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition provides all the necessities, including a tool for scanning your hard drive and e-mail, as well as a real-time shield to prevent infections. By default, the application is set to search for new virus definitions daily, but you always can use the scheduling tool to change this. Should a virus create serious system problems, AVG creates a rescue disk to scan your computer in MS-DOS mode. The program doesn’t tax your system when scanning or when running in the background and always proved effective in many tests.

> AVG Anti Virus Free Specifications:
License: Freeware
Version :7.5.516
(Version 7.5.516 features improvements in Resident Shield scanning and adds small improvements in installation process.)
Author: Grisoft
Date: 25 Jan 2008
Download File size: 31.5MB
Operating systems supported: Windows 98/Me/NT/2000/XP/Vista
64 Bit Capable: no
Portable version available: no
Other languages supported: no
Additional Software Required: no
Website: http://free.grisoft.com/

> AVG AntiVirus Free Edition Screenshot

> avast! Anti Virus Home Edition (Free)
avast! Home Edition Free provides a free for personal use virus scanner under a business model of prevention being key to protection. The site requires you to register (no spam, tested) for each year you use it and the software provides the same protection as most other virus software on the market, including: Anti-Virus, Script Blocking, Firewall protection, Malware and Spyware detection. The software is somewhat limited in its disinfection abilities and has a slower download on updates than paying customers (advertised, arguably crippleware). This software is also one of the few to support older operating systems such as Windows 95, 98, and NT.

Avast Home Edition guards your PC and the network with multiple shields that scan executables and files. You can select parameters for scanning, and even choose wildcards to exclude specific file types. You can adjust the sensitivity level for the program’s detectors when it comes to scanning downloaded files, instant messages, e-mails, and a host of P2Ps. Its efficient interface opens up window after window to tweak its settings to your liking, for novice to advanced level protection. This impressive software provides the same steadfast protection of well-known antivirus programs, yet it’s surprisingly free.

> avast! Anti Virus Home Edition (Free) Features:
+ Full on-access scanning - which scans files as you access them, to make sure they are safe from infection
+ Fully automatic updating - of the program and virus definitions
+ Virus Chest - a safe storage place for infected or suspected files, where they cannot harm your system
+ On-demand scanning - for scheduled or ad-hoc scans of your system volumes
+ Full scanner preference control - set avast! to work in the way you want
+ Integrates seemlessly with the WHS Console
+ Allows for easy management of all avast! installations running on your home network

> avast! Anti Virus Home Edition (Free) Specifications:
License: Freeware
Version: 4.7
Author: Alwil Software
Date: 01/12/2008
Download File size:18.0MB
Operating systems supported: Windows 95/98/Me/NT/2000/XP/Vista
64 Bit Capable: yes
Portable version available: no
Other languages supported: yes
Additional Software Required: no
Website: http://www.avast.com/eng/avast_4_home.html

> avast! Anti Virus Home Edition (Free) Screenshot

>> Which is BETTER? avast! vs AVG ?
+ Fight Virusses
Both these two, are best of the best when it comes to AntiVirus tools. They are up there with the expensive ones.
+ Real Time Protection
Real time protection, is the automatic protection you get while you are working. When I was downloading a trojan in Opera, Avast caught it before it even finished the download, which was amazing. I just clicked download, and bam. AVG actually took some time, I had to go to the downloads folder, and that is when it caught it. That proves the two have different protection approaches. Both acted the same way when I tested with the malware CDs. No lag at all.
+ Treatment
Both have similar ways of dealing with viruses and malware. Quarantine, delete, and heal. But one thing I noticed about AVG, is that sometimes it just gives up. If there is something stubborn in it’s way, sometimes it just leaves it alone. Avast on the other hand, has some advanced stuff. Move/Rename, and most importantly schedule deletion. Also in Avast, there is VRDB, Virus Recovery Database, which helps recovering the files to their exact original state after treatment. Something not available in AVG.
+ Resources Usage And Speed
In RAM consumption, both consume around 16 MBs, which is pretty light on the system. But, the boot up time of windows was a bit slower when AVG was on deck. And a significant improvement in boot speed was visible when Avast was the subject. This was measured in seconds, I actually sat down and used a stopwatch.
+ Updates
In updates, AVG was a bit faster than Avast, but on the downside, lately, in AVG it says you have got to reboot after each update, it gives you this “items inactive” message. That is not the case with Avast.
+ Scan Speed
Lastly about the scanning speeds. Both were pretty much the same. Except when Avast is on a thorough scan mode, it took a hell amount of time compared to AVG. But that maybe due to the fact that AVG doesn’t have that kind of mode.
(http://www.teknologikally.com/2007/10/avg-free-vs-avast-home-big-question.html)

> Final Conclusion
AVG Free has been continuously refined since it was first released in 1991 and the latest version V7.5 makes further improvements to an already solid product. Additionally, it’s relatively small, light on resources, has regular automatic updates, and handles email scanning. There is a free and a pro version; the only difference being that the free version has a few non critical features disabled and has no technical support other than a free user forum.

Equally effective is the free Avast scanner although its funky media player style interface is not to everyone’s taste. Avast also required periodic re-registration while AVG does not. However, Avast does not seem to suffer the signature file update problems that plague some AVG users. AVG and Avast are excellent free products that will meet the needs of most users, however, none of these offer the best malware detection available. That title belongs to commercial products like NOD32, F Secure, the full versions of AntiVir, Kaspersky AV and others. They are however capable packages that offer the financially challenged a real alternative to the major anti virus suites.

However, if you use AVG or Avast in conjunction with a sandbox for surfing, and an anti spyware product, you can achieve a level of protection approaching that offered by the best commercial AV products. Further improvement is possible running regular on demand scans with a different anti virus product. On demand scans should be run regularly, at least weekly, to check for viruses and other malware that may have been missed by your main scanner. (http://www.techsupportalert.com/best_46_free_utilities.htm#2)

So, What do you prefer?

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