Computer Help and Support

left-of-center2012

(34,195 posts) Fri Jun 16, 2017, 11:57 PM Jun 2017

What is your opinion of AVAST free anti-virus?

Being poor, I've relied upon Windows Defender forever.
Then today I saw a link to a PC Magazine article on the best free anti-virus downloads.

#1, in their article, was Avast, which I downloaded.
Then I had to stop them from installing Google Chrome, and an Avast browser.
I use Firefox, although it keeps hanging ("Firefox has stopped working&quot .
I tried Chrome recently but (as I have some slight dementia, memory problems) I didn't feel comfortable with it.

Now I've just got (I think) their anti-virus installed.

Thoughts? Comments?

Thanks

4 votes, 0 passes \| Time left: Unlimited
	Love Avast
	2 (50%)
	It's OK
	0 (0%)
	Don't like Avast
	0 (0%)
	It sux
	2 (50%)
	Other (do tell)
	0 (0%)
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10 replies

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What is your opinion of AVAST free anti-virus? (Original Post) left-of-center2012 Jun 2017 OP

I buy my antivirus on black friday or cyber monday it's always like 70 to 80 percent off MattP Jun 2017 #1

"avast and avg are good" left-of-center2012 Jun 2017 #4

AVG is god awful Egnever Jun 2017 #9

I use Avast Free... PoiBoy Jun 2017 #2

Been using Avast free for years. JayhawkSD Jun 2017 #3

Better than nothing but way too invasive for my taste. Egnever Jun 2017 #5

"combining windows defender and occasional scans with the free version of malware bytes" left-of-center2012 Jun 2017 #7

I use Avast roscoeroscoe Jun 2017 #6

"Chrome is pretty solid" left-of-center2012 Jun 2017 #8

FWIW, I have the Mac version, which has been utterly trouble-free. eppur_se_muova Jun 2017 #10

MattP

(3,304 posts)

1. I buy my antivirus on black friday or cyber monday it's always like 70 to 80 percent off

Reply to left-of-center2012 (Original post)

Sat Jun 17, 2017, 12:18 AM

Jun 2017

But avast and avg are good

left-of-center2012

(34,195 posts)

4. "avast and avg are good"

Reply to MattP (Reply #1)

Sat Jun 17, 2017, 12:23 AM

Jun 2017

AVG came in a very close second.

Egnever

(21,506 posts)

9. AVG is god awful

Reply to left-of-center2012 (Reply #4)

Sat Jun 17, 2017, 02:27 PM

Jun 2017

It might work ok for a while but god forbid you ever want to remove it. It is damn near impossible to get out of your system completely.

PoiBoy

(1,559 posts)

2. I use Avast Free...

Reply to left-of-center2012 (Original post)

Sat Jun 17, 2017, 12:20 AM

Jun 2017

...been doing so on this computer for over 3 years... I'm happy with it...

Just like with any download you have to read each page carefully and make sure you're not allowing any extra crap to download as well... just say no to Chrome and the Avast browser gets pretty bad reviews, so no thank you...

You will get the occasional pop up ads from Avast daily, but nothing too intrusive, and that's to be expected with anything "free"..

JayhawkSD

(3,163 posts)

3. Been using Avast free for years.

Reply to left-of-center2012 (Original post)

Sat Jun 17, 2017, 12:22 AM

Jun 2017

It's done a fine job for me. Just be sure to uncheck the boxes during installation that make it install crap.

Gave up on Firefox and Chrome some time ago. Am using Vivaldi now. It's not perfect, but it's fast and pretty reliable. I can't remember the last time it froze on me. It's based on the Chrome engine, but has a lighter footprint.

Egnever

(21,506 posts)

5. Better than nothing but way too invasive for my taste.

Reply to left-of-center2012 (Original post)

Sat Jun 17, 2017, 12:31 AM

Jun 2017

From https://selabs.uk/en/reports/consumers

Avast Free Antivirus was the least effective product
in this test, although its performance was still strong
enough to earn an AA award. It stopped a fair few of
the targeted attacks and all of the public web threats,
but its slightly less accurate handling of legitimate
software pushed it to the bottom of the table.

Microsoft Security Essentials was the strongest
free product in the test. It was compromised five
times by the targeted attacks but protected against
all but two of the web-based attacks. It only blocked
one legitimate application.

In my experience combining windows defender and occasional scans with the free version of malware bytes you cover yourself pretty well.

PCMAG is a bunch of hacks in my opinion btw.

left-of-center2012

(34,195 posts)

7. "combining windows defender and occasional scans with the free version of malware bytes"

Reply to Egnever (Reply #5)

Sat Jun 17, 2017, 10:27 AM

Jun 2017

That's what I've been using,
along with things like CCleaner, JRT, SUPERAntiSpyware, Wise Disk Cleaner, etc.

roscoeroscoe

(1,599 posts)

6. I use Avast

Reply to left-of-center2012 (Original post)

Sat Jun 17, 2017, 05:21 AM

Jun 2017

I used the free version for a good while, but I recently paid for the year. So far so good.

Chrome is pretty solid, but the Avast browser has been handy when Windows was giving me trouble and I needed to connect to Microsoft support. It was the only one that would connect at one point. Good luck!

left-of-center2012

(34,195 posts)

8. "Chrome is pretty solid"

Reply to roscoeroscoe (Reply #6)

Sat Jun 17, 2017, 10:29 AM

Jun 2017

I downloaded it recently and it added (?) all my Firefox bookmarks but not my passwords.
I must have a dozen or more password protected sites (banking, forums, etc) and just thought "Oh, the heck with it".

eppur_se_muova

(37,357 posts)

10. FWIW, I have the Mac version, which has been utterly trouble-free.

Reply to left-of-center2012 (Original post)

Sat Jun 17, 2017, 07:39 PM

Jun 2017

I get occasional pop-up notifications (not too obtrusive) when the definitions are updated, or an event is detected. Dismiss with a click.

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