Dear readers, we need your advice on this one--a fellow reader wrote to us asking:
For all the PC users out there - which is better; Norton AntiVirus or McAfee? Norton is less expensive and I've not had any problems with it in the past. McAfee came with the new laptop and is about to expire. So which is best?
We have heard that there are some great free options out there, and that Norton and McAfee aren't the best but that the free options are as good if not better...this message board post (near the bottom) sums it up for us.
So, readers, what do you think?
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The time of paying for these type of programs is over. I think AVG is the best - I've had it installed on two machines for three years, and have had a total of 0 problems.
As for a firewall, I suggest ZoneAlarm.
view sgt_easton's profile
I recommend avast anti-virus. The home license is free and they offer solid protection without many of the headaches caused by Mcafee and Norton.
view foglite's profile
I've used ZoneAlarm, which works well, and something called Panda AntiVirus.
And don't forget AdAware... that's a great program too.
All free, by the way.
view shani-o's profile
Back when I was a Windows user, I used Avast. It was free for home users and relatively inexpensive for business use.
view nikkiana's profile
Third for Avast. It's free. No bloat and auto update. What more can you ask.
view Jabber's profile
I'm fond of AVG personally, but the important thing is not Norton or McAfee, both of which are poisonous at best.
view moiety's profile
The best is to learn how not to get a virus and use nothing!
view DaveD's profile
AVG or Kaspersky have served relatives well.
And yeah, I'm going to go there... get a Mac!
view yakimushi's profile
Norton or McAfee?
I have 2 pc laptops that I use every day. One came with Norton and one came with McAfee. I find them both equally effective and equally annoying. The one with Norton seems to take for bloody ever to bootup. And I do disk cleanups and defrag at least once a day.
Windwolf
view Windwolf's profile
Windolf, I ditched Norton off of my Dad's machine a month ago. Shaved a minute and a half off the boot up time.
view sgt_easton's profile
I was the one who posted this question. I'm so happy to find out from all of you that I don't have to pay for a virus protection program. I didn't know I could get them free. I just installed Avast and AdAware (I had that on my old computer). I'll let McAfee expire and hope all of you are right and that I don't get any viruses. Thank you so much for this valuable information.
view anne's profile
I used to have McAfee but discovered it was the reason my computer was running so slowly. When I tried to uninstall it, I developed all sorts of operating system errors and ended up just reinstalling the OS. Now I use nothing (as DaveD suggests) and just run a scan from one of teh free programs online once a week just in case.
view The Green Cat's profile
Anne,
I would uninstall McAfee first (and hope that it doesn't trash your computer like it did for Green Cat) before installing Avast. There might be some conflicts with two antivirus programs on your computer.
view Jabber's profile
Anne,
Jabber is right on this...you really, really need to uninstall McAfee before loading up the other programs. Conflicting antivirus programs is not a fun situation.
view sgt_easton's profile
Well, I've already installed Avast. McAfee's free trial ends on Wed. I don't want the issues that Green Cat had so I'm afraid of uninstalling McAfee since it will end anyway in a few days.
Any thoughts on this?
Oh, and I wanted to get a Mac when shopping for a new laptop but they're so expensive. I couldn't afford it.
view anne's profile
With most ISPs they do give a free security software. Charter, Comcast, AOL and most of the more popular ISP do have packages.
So, just ask your ISP.
...follow the white rabbit...
view ffffffrabbit's profile
AVG... hands down. avast for a second.
view substance12's profile
What happens when you have conflicting anti-virus programs? I forget which one is active now (I'm at work at the moment) but I don't think I uninstalled the old one before installing the new. I wonder if this might be causing my infuriating, mysterious problem - my computer runs PAAAAAAAAAAAAINFULLY slow online. Dell swears the wireless card is fine, Qwest swears the connection is fine, and my roommate's computer (which is inferior in every other way) runs at normal speeds online. Could it be software related?
view mjoe's profile
Chiming in to get on the AVG bandwagon.
view Mat's profile
If I had to pick one of these two, I'd go with Norton over McAfee.
However, I would rather use AVG. I used Norton for quite some time, but my current employer uses AVG, and I've grown to like it better.
Also, be sure to use two important tools: AdAware and Spybod: Search and Destroy. No PC should be without these!
view leonad's profile
**That should have been "Spybot: Search and Destroy".
view leonad's profile