PC needed full restore. Looking for free anti virus.

I'm not sure what I should get. I'm planning on uninstalling the McAfee that's attached to the laptop, but I'll need to replace it before I do that. What do you guys use? What should I get? I'll probably need anti virus and anti spyware software.

I tend to install Free AVG or Free Avast. I also use Malwarebytes (Free) and run manual scans.

Check out this website www.ninite.com - I use it all the time, all the plugins under one roof. It's ideal if rebuilding your system and stops the need to visit lots of sites and running all the individual exe files.

I don't use any AV software except for the Malwarebytes scanner. I dislike them all. Haven't had any problems since I stopped using them about a year ago. But I use Firefox with Adblock Plus with "Disable tracking, malware domains and social media buttons" and NoScript with "Allow Scripts Globally".

I don't use anti virus software. I just keep away from porn and dodgy sites and life is pretty peachy.

I run Avast for my parents' computers to give them peace of mind and reduce tech support calls and it seems to work.

For my gaming PC's that I am the sole user of, I haven't ran any antivirus software in many years and have never had any problems. The rest of my machines are Macs.

Basically the same, using free AVG and Malwarebytes. I also have Spybot Search and Destroy, as well as AdBlock+ and NoScript for Firefox.

If you are using Windows, Microsoft Security Essentials should be all you need for anti-virus.

edit: Malwarebytes is good for occasional manual scans to, though

I don't use anything (besides NoScript in my browser I guess), but I install Avast on all of my family's PCs.

@blupotato:

I have Windows Vista. Is Microsoft Security Essentials just automatic?

Is the consensus essentially AVG and Malwarebytes?

@golguin:

I think you might need to install it : http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security-essentials-download

Been good to me so far. I use to use AVG, but stopped when an update really fuck over the clean interface I was use to and stopped doing its job quietly.

I just use AVG Free and Malwarebytes

Microsoft Security Essentials. If you're one of those people who's paranoid of any program written by Microsoft, Avast! was my go-to for a very long time.

If you visit torrent, pornography, and other sites related to the forth desk in L.A. Noire, run Spybot once a month. If not, once a year or not at all. And like everybody else mentioned, AdBlock in Chrome keeps random site visits safer while letting you whitelist domains you know are safe and want to support.

I use Security Essentials too. It's good, as good as any other virus scanner these days, which is to say next to useless for any of the new threats.

This is pretty much the truth any thing clever is one step above the rest, but as least it saves you from old tricks, and if you don't agree I have a prince in Nigeria that needs to sell you a bridge on the moon.

@golguin: I use Microsoft Security Essentials and have never had a virus. It's free and unintrusive, and it's minimal scan is so fast it takes less than a minute. Windows 8 comes with it built in as Windows Defender too.

I have to agree with the others mentioning Microsoft Security Essentials. It's pretty much as good as you'll find, while probably being less likely than others to falsely flag essential Windows files as malicious, like Norton and McAffee have had a habit of doing.

Just don't solely rely on anti-virus, they don't check for malware for example - so also add something like Malware Bytes to the mix, make sure you don't needlessly disable Windows' security features, only give admin rights to software you trust and don't do anything stupid on the web, because none of the above really protect you from stupidity.

Malware Bytes and Microsoft Windows Defender/Security Suite is my current set up.

Windows Security Suite is probably one of the best things Microsoft have ever done, completely unobtrusive and it quietly maintains your pc. Malware Bytes is good for manual scans, it's quick and usually does a good job finding stuff that may have slipped through the net.

I'm with this guy.

And that guy!

I use Avast+Malwarebytes. Haven't had any viruses since I went with that setup.

I use MSE, but most importantly learned what to avoid clicking on and have never had any malware or viruses since.

MSE seems pretty great though, according to the recommendations I was given at the time I got it. Before that I had used Norton Antivirus since my first computer, that was always a piece of shit and was very processor intensive for no apparent benefit. MSE doesn't seem to use any processing power at all basically.

Just have to know the right porn sites.

I also don't anti-virus, because years of honed knowledge are pretty much all you need to stay safe most of the time. If there's ever a question, I'll typically run a specific scan through a built-in utility like Windows Defender, or maybe an online virus scan utility.

Don't use noscript... it's just unnecessary and it will break every single modern website if you disable javascript.

I use Avast here and it's fine. Just avoid clicking on every flashing bright banner on the internet and downloading dodgy .exe files and you will be fine. Just watch Vinny on the eurotruck quick look and do the exact opposite of what he's doing lol

i use avg in combo with the onboard microsoft stuff. they are free and they work well enough.

YOU are the best antivirus. Be the first line of defense. Dont go to stupid sites and do stupid things....not that you do....

I also use the 'don't-go-to-porn-sites-and-don't-download-weird-shit' AV and nothing else.

It's been working great for years. It's totally free and is compatible with all OS's.

On a more serious note though I don't have java and only let flash run on trusted sites (which is an option built into safari, probably other browsers as well). That might not be necessary but it's something.

I wonder where people are finding these viruses because I haven't had any problems this century (even when I ran Windows and checked for malware every month), can't remember the last time someone said they might have a virus

MSE is all I use, it's great.

@regal: There's nothing wrong with having Java runtime installed. People discovered some security issues with Java applets on websites but you can disable that (at least in Chrome but I'd imagine that's universal)

MSE is the way to go, I remember hearing somewhere that the reason they don't package it into windows by default is that doing so was a monopoly lawsuit risk, or some other anti-competition infraction.

Another vote for Microsoft Security Essentials, I use to use AVG & then Avast years ago, not sure what they're like now but MSE is so much better than how they were.

This man speaks truth this is The Best combination no question, when you install Avast uncheck the gadget, and remote support and then set it to Silent/Gaming mode at all times. Wonderful setup.

On my burner system I use AVG and Malwarebytes. I also run the Malwarebytes Anti-Rootkit from time to time. The best thing to do is run full scans of AVG and Malwarebytes several times in a row when either finds something.

Since it is my burner I also sometime just do factory resets on it once a year and run a drive erase program to perform a "US DoD Seven pass erase"...which is overkill but safer is better then sorrier.

This is a computer I can loose without having to worry because of that...I don't buy anything on it, I don't bank on it, and its just for web browsing or letting family use when they visit.

I use Panda Cloud Antivirus and its never let me down yet.

I've been using MSE for a few years and malwarebytes for regular manual scans. Zero problems. If you're using Firefox, the no script add on always made me feel a little bit safer.

But who uses Firefox over Chrome anymore anyway?

I've been running with Microsoft Security essentials for a while with no problem. I also run adblock in chrome.

Not going to sketchy websites/avoiding sketchy emails is the biggest thing when it comes to computer security. Don't download sketchy shit, have a basic understanding of what's running in your process bar. If you see something running that you have no knowledge of, google it. Don't click on links from unknown sources. Set your browser to ask for permission before downloading something. I even have it so windows asks for permission before installing something. Antivirus programs are a good safety net, but good judgement is where it really counts

Microsoft Defender/Essentials + Malwarebytes. MSE is fast and most importantly, non-obtrusive.

I also run Emet 4.1, don't have Java installed, and use No Script.

I run AVG Free for viruses Malwarebytes and Spybot between the three you have your bases covered. Just be aware AVG really likes to false flag a lot of old PC games.

I now use Microsoft essentials. Sure didn't do me any good with my old Vista OS. Something crawled so far up it's rear end(and vista was noted for it) that an Anti-virus could not get it out. Even AVG as it turns out.

Now I have the 7 OS and MS-Essentials and am holding there till I hear better things (as I am beginning to) about 8.

@mchampton: this guy still uses Firefox... I tried chrome when it was gathering hype and found it to be awful; not to mention I'm sure Google is watching your every move.

Also, I'm with everybody else, MSSE and malwarebytes with adblock on sites I don't care about supporting.

I use Microsoft Essentials but I'd also recommend using superantispyware and malwarebytes as a tandem with ME for specializing in removing spyware and malware. Spybot search and destroy is also useful to just immunize your net.

I've installed Microsoft Essentials and I'm now running adblock on Chrome. If I notice any issues I'll use AVG and Malwarebytes, but right now I'm running great. Everything has been freshly installed (took around 12 hours) and I even added around 300 new fonts and everything is still running great.

I was getting massive slowdown whenever I tried to watch any kind of video full screen (youtube, giant bomb, twitch) so I had to constantly shut down processes. Svchost.exe was eating most of them.

@chrjz: To be clear the only reason I stopped using Firefox is because it runs slow as hell on my pc; I have nothing against it.

And if Google is watching my every move then I'll neverrr be lonelyyy...

I uninstalled Chrome for the final time after it caused malware problems again. Firefox is a lot more stable and safe for me. That wasn't the only reason. I'm pretty disappointed that the new Firefox UI is more like Chrome's.

MSE is hands down the best anti virus out there for Windows. It's not a hog on your system and doesn't have annoying interfaces like pretty much everything else out there.

Not like I would know, but a basic firewall and Adblock should keep ya safe on large porn sites.

NOT LIKE I WOULD KNOW

I use MalwareBytes (It really is worth paying for, fantastic software) and Spybot Search and Destroy. Spybot has kept me safe for a long time.

MSE is usually enough unless you browse the really shady parts of the internet regularly. Even then you might still be fine.

Or you could be an asshole hipster like me and use Kaspersky.

My top 3 FREE antivirus recommendations are given below:

Immunet: http://www.immunet.com/free/index.html

AVG: http://free.avg.com/us-en/homepage

Avira: http://www.avira.com/en/avira-free-antivirus