Free Anti virus software.

[Scuderia_Russ]

Can anyone recommend any? My free Norton trial with my laptop has expired and I could do with one with all the trimmings (or as many as possible) if possible, fire wall etc.

Cheers.

[alleyoop]

Avira AntiVir PersonalEdition Classic is a good freeware option.
Use it with some Spyware (i.e. SpyBot)

http://www.free-av.com/

[tomislavp4]

The same thing happend to me about six months ago

I use AVG now...and it´s quite good

[Scuderia_Russ]

That's great, thanks. If I download the free package wil my Windows firewall be able to handle anything else?

[Ray]

I use Zonealarm for both XP(desktop) and Vista(laptop) and it works great, even the network setup between the two and my 360 was a breeze. I even turn off Windows firewall because my 360 doesn't like going through it sometimes over my home network. Won't let me listen to my music from media center with both on either, seems Zonealarm by itself works but Windows firewall by itself won't work.

[rkn]

I recommend Avast! antivirus, even though it's free you have to regsier with them after 3 months or so. With Avast! you can search through files one by one (an option when you right-click). Very useful when you are downloading doubtful files. I've discovered my fair share of trojans with this function.

http://www.avast.com

[Carlos]

rkn is right Scuderia_Russ and tha'ts not just because I agree with him. Avast...it's like coating viruses with teflon that your computer will laughingly juggle on it's fingertips while quarentining them in a vicious digital hell of an incomprehensible agorithmic prison. Soar above those binary devils as if aboard a civilian U2 spyplane smiling at the puny earthbound construction known as a virus
And imagine...it's been improved. Everything improved is better!
rkn is in the know but now you get 90 days of the home edition free...then a free key for a year...which can be renewed over and over until you are as old as I am, are consigned to an aged home, dribble gruel and forget what a computer is
It works really well, really , really well, so well that I'm starting to think the absolute jerk who reccomended it to me... may be a decent human being afterall.
I'm learning things, I thought a Trojan was something I slipped on to prevent the world from invasion by minds such as my own
You know me Scuderia_Russ. I cured your laptop (really SR...it's back on the net...got to be a fortunate accident) when no one, no one even dare suggest a solution. SR ...even though I am totally computer illiterate; unable to make a file let alone create a folder I FIND THE GOOD STUFF
Like rkn says, you can go through a download line by line, since I'm retired that adds new meaning to my life, yes I have a little time on my hands as you can tell, and for you, something to do when your getting an ear full
Look to the future, leave virus fear behind... I have seen the future... and it's name is AVAST!
Is a firewall different from a fireplace?
(Slightly Edited)

Free Forever Home Version At:
http://www.avast.com/
The opening page looks really good too
Quicklink>Desktop>Free Avast 4 Home Edition
EDIT - I'm just going to be serious for a second. Disable your firewall while you download and start it up after you run Avast once , also no need to register now, just pass that screen, in about 70 days they will suggest you renew or buy the Pro version, just renew the Home Version forever, for free, with a free registration key, to get the key just requires your email, they mail you a key, which you don't even have to type in, when you next open Avast it is already in use. I write down all my registration numbers.

[flynfrog]

If you are not an idiot and don't let idiots use your computer you don't really need any virus protection. I haven't had one for over 8 years now with no problems

[Ray]

If you are not an idiot and don't let idiots use your computer you don't really need any virus protection. I haven't had one for over 8 years now with no problems

JINXED!

[Fiero Brick]

I use AVG. I personally prefer it over AVAST. It annoys me less, and I have been using it for the better part of a decade. I haven't had any problems with viruses during that time, in spite of some that made it to my inbox and snuck into my downloads. It has never let me down.

I strongly advise use of some antivirus software, any antivirus software, if you plan on using the internet, portable music player, USB drive, the CD drive, a local (home or business) network, or anything similar. If you don't use AV, you might not ever know you need it until your computer crashes or your ISP turns off your internet service because your computer is sending out 10,000 spam emails every hour. At that point, you'll really wish you had some form of defense.

Kind of like the 10 gigabytes(!) of precious text documents I lost when my computer's last hard drive failed. I really wish I'd bought a $40 back up hard drive. Now I'm stuck trying to find someone competent and trustworthy enough to retrieve the data. And paying them for it instead of, say, buying toys for my hobbies.

[flynfrog]

AV makes your hardrive wear out faster since it scans the whole thing every night

if you keep up on your updates you will have very little virus problems stinger will get rid of most of anything you get infected with


and who said it was my isp neighbors have unprot3ected wireless

viruses rarely make your hardirve fail its more likely it was your AV