Virus Protection? And Firewall? (Edit to add firewall)

[beachbum_al]

I have been using McAfee but my subscription is about to run out. My aunt and uncle had a terrible time with them and their support. We both have Dell computers and had the McAfee subscription with them. When McAfee told my uncle that they couldn't do anything about their program causing major problems on his computer and their comment was that they could recommend a tech to come out and fix it he got mad and ran into someone who fix computers.

He told my uncle that AVG is good and that is want he runs on his. I have read some of the reviews and it seems that AVG is good. Does anyone here run AVG?

[coriolis]

I have McAfee too, and I'm not real happy with it. We get a free "home use" license for it through my work. It IT guys have it all worked out on our new machines at work. I think that my older computer just chokes on it. It seems that this new version of McAfee is a resource hog. If I let it run in the background like it wants to, it runs about 4 or 5 components and slows down my computer a lot. I keep turning it off but it keeps trying to come back - like its a virus! I have to go to system configuration and uncheck all the components and then restart the computer. Then it's ok for a while. If I run it manually, like I prefer, it seems to do a good job. I just don't like that it keeps trying to start itself in the background. I don 't see any tweaks in the control console either. My buddy at work swears by AVG. I'm about to uninstall McAfee.

[tomboudreau]

I run AVG on my laptop. I find it to be okay. But exceptional, but not horrible either. I just needed to get something on the laptop ASAP since I dont have a second license to run Norton Internet Securities/Firewall/AV on my laptop.

[southerngale]

I dumped McAfee on my Dell computers and use AVG. I would have to say it's great, since I never get viruses on my computers. I've been using AVG for a few years now and I believe it was someone here on Storm2k who first recommended it.

[tropicana]

I also have AVG..its good, never had any problems!

-justin-

[Brent]

AVG. When the guy came to install the cable when we moved here, he installed it too and it's great.

[ohiostorm]

How does AVG rate against Bullguard?

[CajunMama]

Never heard of Bullguard, ohio.

I had norton (bad choice) and have had avg for years now. I'm still pleased with it.

[Janice]

I use Spyware Doctor and love it.....

[AussieMark]

I use Norton Antivirus

[sunny]

I use McAfee. I have never had any problems with it at all! The one thing I didn't like was when I renewed my subscription and they threw in that "Clean Sweep" program. Kind of messed up my Internet Favorites. Took me a day or so to get it sorted out, but I finally got it!!

I also use SpySweeper for spyware. LOVE IT.

[HollynLA]

I use Panda Platinum.

[beachbum_al]

I did go ahead and intall AVG and their new spyware protector~ewido. So far I love it and I have notice that it doesn't soak up my memory and resources like McAffee. My next question is what type of firewall are you running. McAffee had my firewall in it. Right now I am running the one that comes with XP. Any suggestions on one?

[WindRunner]

Still running Norton, and it does its job, but luckily my computer can handle its usage. I would personally say AVG is a much better piece of software, and I'd definately get that. BTW, our school uses it on every single one of their machines, and some of those machines can't handle much of anything, so it doesn't drain your resources very much no matter how good your computer is.


EDIT: Didn't see your post above . . . haha
As for firewalls . . . the one that comes with XP is good, but the one coming out on their new OS (Vista) is supposedly much better . . . don't know if you can get your hands on a copy of that firewall without getting Vista itself . . . but like I said, I'm running Norton and never had a problem with it and don't know much about the other firewalls, so can't really help you there

[beachbum_al]

Well last night I took off McAffee. Did exactly what they instructed. My computer crashed. So I ended up calling them because the files that were corrupt just happen to be part of McAfee. I couldn't get all of them off and it wouldn't let me. I talked to McAfee support and got nowhere with them. I finally got a hold of Dell and now it is solved. I have AVG running on it like I stated above in my post. The support guy at Dell said that AVG is good. Now they don't even sell it that one and he is telling me that AVG is a good virus protector. I have had good luck with Dell so far and they keep on proving that their service is good. I think eventually I will order a laptop from them in the future.

Anyway thanks for your answers to my silly questions. I am so glad to be back online. I didn't realize how addicted storm2k is.

[Audrey2Katrina]

Ohio---reference: your query about Bullguard:

I really don't know about AVG so I can't speak to that, although those who have make me think it's pretty good.... but I've been using Bullguard for a few years, and it's done just fine by me. I gave up on McAfee long ago.. and then went to what everyone was pushing... Norton...which did better than McAfee... but OH BOY...just you better not need any tech support. I found customer service abominable, they make you jump through more hoops than Barnum and Bailey, and then if you need to actually directly speak/dialogue online with one... they don't want an arm and a leg for it--they want the torso, other arm and leg and head to boot. I found them to offer a fairly good product; but their firewall interfered with a lot of my programs, and the instructions they gave you in their 1,000,000,000,000 FAQ's you have to rifle through just about finished me (along with aforementioned money-cow tech support).... I'd never heard of AVG; but apparently it's a good product.

What I like about Bullguard:
1.) It has caught every virus that's tried to infect my computer--and removed them successfully.
2.) Customer service beats the crap out of Norton--can't speak for anyone else; but I do know that they offer 24/7 online tech support with a REAL human being! You logon with your username at Bullguard.com and get the support drop-down. I've found that when I've had any minor issues, they were always ready to help, talk friendly, and seemed to know what they were talking about.
3.) It does offer a Spam Filter, for E-mail, as well as a good Firewall that you can custom set to your own preferences... and it serves me well in that capacity.
4.) I really like the 1 GB online storage they give every subscriber as part of the basic service. This allows me to upload important documents and/or files that I truly don't want to lose if anything should cause my drive to crash--or, as in the recent case...get ruined by the floodwaters of a Hurricane... I was able to retrieve ALL of my important documents and files that I'd uploaded to my online backup, which I'd have never had with any of the other programs I'd reviewed. You can buy more space if you want it--but frankly I only save the most important and the 1 gig is plenty.
5.) I find the prices very reasonable for all the above services.. I'm fairly certain it's a better rate than Norton... don't know about AVG.. and the customer service, as I'd said... is very good. They even gave me a 3 month extension for my AV/FW subscription this year because of the time I'd been offline after the hurricane.... somehow I just can't picture Norton folks doin' that... JMHO.

And NO I do NOT work for, nor do I know anyone working for Bullguard

I just truly like the product and the services they've given me. BTW they send a regular e-mail that has some really neat links on it that are amusing as well as informative... and they keep you up on what's going on with the most recent viruses, worms, trojans, etc... I believe it operates out of the UK

A2K

[southerngale]

I've used Sygate Personal Firewall for years and I've had no trouble whatsoever and it works great. Best of all, it's free.

[coriolis]

Firewall: I use Zone Alarm. It's freeware and works well. It doesn't seem to like Morpheus, though. Something that the kids do on their computer keeps making it crash. On my computer, Zone Alarm has been rock steady. I have a cable modem too, and I just have not had any problems. I noticed that there's a new version of zone alarm out now, that's not compatible with windows ME, which I use. I guess it's about time for a new used computer.

[DaylilyDawn]

I am using avast virus protection, the firewall is filescab both are freeware programs if you like I can get you the address for both.

[alicia-w]

we use Symantec for AV and Zone Alarm for a firewall. Symantec is free for us since we work for the govt. No complaints at all about either one.