[tomtom]

Hello, not sure if anyone here uses AVG, but I'm getting frustrated by the auto update. It wont seem to see past the firewall at work. There are options to configure using the settings for the proxy for the browser and AVG seems to find the site - then wont download. THe site isnt blocked by work, as I can stick the url into a browser, look at and save the virus def file then update manually. Just frustrating that it wont seem to do things automatically 

Any clues? (I suspect no one uses AVG - and am duly expecting the use Linux instead of XP comments...) 

[Bubba]

Hasn't work got it's own antivirus strategy?

You can manually download the updates here but you have to get the full update each time, not just an incremental one.

I stopped using AVG due to hassle with the updater and use Threatfire and Avira now.

[nik at work]

My AVG stopped updating a month or so ago. After a net search it became apparent that I had to locate and delete a couple of files in the AVG program folder (or something, can't remember exactly). Anyway since then it's been fine. Dunno if that could be your problem??

A google search along the lines of "AVG no automatic update" or similar should give results. Of course if iour problem is something else then I'm all out of ideas....

[GCW]

Like Bubba, I have moved to an Avira , plus I use it with SuperAntiSpyware.  I find it much better than AVG was.

[slackline]

ClamAV is another Free Open Source Software alternative.

[BB]

I used to use AVG until i read that it has the lowest detection rates of any free Av solution so swapped to Avast, which has the highest. It's also the only free one that scans for boot sector infections...or it was when i switched.

[tomtom]

Hasn't work got it's own antivirus strategy?

You can manually download the updates here but you have to get the full update each time, not just an incremental one.

I stopped using AVG due to hassle with the updater and use Threatfire and Avira now.

Thanks Bubba and everyone - the one work uses (sorry forgoetten which one) really really clogs the machine. Old work had Sophos - which was EVEN worse. The PC itself came with a 90 day McAfee but that seemed to slow it down, and AVG seemed small and quick.
BUt having read the comments below I might give one of them a trial instead...

[Johnny Brown]

Just had a load of hassle updating AVG to V8 - 6 hours of failures and reboots. And the new version is really annoying - unneccesary extras, wants to scan the entire pc every day, processor hungry etc. Several programs which never crash have since crashed.

On the advice above, I'm going to try avira. Anyone else using AVG? I sugget you ditch it quicksmart.

[tomtom]

Hi JB,
I ditched AVI and have been using AVAST! since feb.. been fine. Quick, easy downloads, works fine with my works firewall... Only downside is it says "virus data base updated" in a slightly sleazy californian accent.. 
Seems great to me... and FOC...
T

[Jim]

ditched avg when it went to v8
tried avast and didn't like it at all, its too busy.
Avira is definatley the best free antivirus around at the moment, sits nicely in the background and does its job relatively silently.
Slight down side is the occasional pop up advert for you to upgrade to premium but it only takes a second to close it and its a small price to pay for quality free software

Get avira

[tomtom]

ditched avg when it went to v8
tried avast and didn't like it at all, its too busy.

Yup - the window when you set it up/do a scan is a bit over 'skinned' for my liking.. I was a bit concerned about this at first (if thats what you were talking about Jim).. but once everythings been set Avast just sits there and silently chunters away.. never seen that busy screen since setting up. It does put up a brief intro screen when I fire up outlook, but that auto disappears,....

I should relay the virus program tale of horrors that work are presently having trouble with.

I work at a Uni, so they have c. 5000 machines on campus and we have an image.. the AV software there is MCshield - and its slow. Really slow. Stupidly slow. We have modern dual core desktops with oodles of memory running slower than my Atom powered netbook.

Why do we have MCshield? Because it costs 30p per machine. Because its so shit slow many machines are having memory upgrades to cope (£30+..). Why not just use different AV software? because the AV software is funded centrally (so would come out of IT's budget) whereas the memory upgrades would be funded by individual depts. Bonkers. If they shelled out £3 or so for the better AV software,...

Rant over. Avast, Avira, AVI.. miles better than the shit we have to have at work.... at least the machine works!

[slackline]

Why do we have MCshield? Because it costs 30p per machine. Because its so shit slow many machines are having memory upgrades to cope (£30+..). Why not just use different AV software? because the AV software is funded centrally (so would come out of IT's budget) whereas the memory upgrades would be funded by individual depts. Bonkers. If they shelled out £3 or so for the better AV software,...

Or made a donation to an FOSS AV software project such as ClamAV it would be even cheaper (even more so if they opted to use GNU/Linux on the computers instead, you can then effectively forget about viruses, but thats running before being able to walk!) 

[tomtom]

Why do we have MCshield? Because it costs 30p per machine. Because its so shit slow many machines are having memory upgrades to cope (£30+..). Why not just use different AV software? because the AV software is funded centrally (so would come out of IT's budget) whereas the memory upgrades would be funded by individual depts. Bonkers. If they shelled out £3 or so for the better AV software,...

Or made a donation to an FOSS AV software project such as ClamAV it would be even cheaper (even more so if they opted to use GNU/Linux on the computers instead, you can then effectively forget about viruses, but thats running before being able to walk!)  

Indeed- but sadly that would require foresight, planning and at least half a brain. Sadly all are lacking....