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1/ 21/ 13 what is better then AVG free anti virus? 2012 AVG free was great- 2013 has a new program and is terrible in many ways- needing constant updates and then when it says it needs another update the new update will not load- I downloaded a "free" or so I thought version of malwarebites and now it says my free trial is up and I must buy it-- any thoughts?

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A short, practical update that builds on the thread (noting , , and ’s suggestions) and gives a safe path off an unstable AVG install.

If AVG’s updater or installer is failing, use the vendor’s cleanup tool first: download and run the official AVG Clear / AVG Remover to fully uninstall AVG, then reboot before installing anything new. (AVG Clear remover). (avg.com)

After removal, run an offline/rescue scan before you trust a fresh install — this removes rootkits and persistent infections that can break AV installs. On modern Windows the built-in option is Microsoft Defender Offline; it runs from a trusted environment and can be launched from Windows Security or created as bootable media for older systems. (Microsoft Defender Offline). (learn.microsoft.com)

Microsoft Defender (the built-in Windows Security antivirus) is a perfectly reasonable baseline for most users today — it’s enabled by default, updated through Windows, and scores well in recent lab reports. If looking for a third-party product, consult independent test results (AV-Comparatives and AV-TEST) and pick the product that balances detection and system impact for your needs rather than a single “name.” (AV-Comparatives homepage). (learn.microsoft.com)

About Malwarebytes: the free edition is an on-demand scanner (good as a second opinion); Premium adds background, real-time protection and is paid after any trial period ends. If the trial expired, either revert to the free scanner for occasional checks or buy Premium for continuous protection — both are valid choices depending on how much automated protection is wanted. (Malwarebytes pricing & plans). (malwarebytes.com)

Cautions: don’t run two real‑time antiviruses side‑by‑side (Windows will usually disable Defender if a third‑party AV is active), and always install AV software from the vendor site, not bundled download pages. If update/install problems persist after a clean uninstall and offline scan, note the exact error and check vendor support/forums before forcing another AV install. (support.microsoft.com)

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Member Avatar for CimmerianX

I use Avast at home and for the Corp AV. IT hasn't failed me yet. Home version with just Antivirus is free to use.

BTW, AVG is free, but they tend to direct you to try the paid-for suite. In the App you should be able to switch back to the free AV only version.

Member Avatar for gerbil

Malwarebytes on-demand ANTISPYWARE scanner is still free - look for it on their site.
To remove AVG ANTIVIRUS go to their site and download their removal tool.
AVIRA or AVAST are possibly the best, free ANTIVIRUS products atm.

Edited by gerbil
Member Avatar for caperjack

microsoft security essencials is free and we use it on all the computer in our family ,with great success ,and yes malwarebytes scan tool is still free ,just the real time scan is trial

Member Avatar for wisemaster

Avast home security is good and free.

Member Avatar for BigPaw

This topic is appearing a lot lately. Have a look at this .

On all the charts I've seen, BitDefender is always top dog. I'm going to give it a go myself soon.

At the moment I'm using Avast Free. It does more than Avira Free, and doesn't impact on performance as severely as AVG.

Member Avatar for caperjack

always used a free one ,and i cant remember ever having to re-install windows because of a virus or trojan ,ect ect ,usuallt stoppen them in there tracks and used malware programs to remove them .lucky me ,maybe

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