AVG vs. Avast -- Two major features to look for

[Moderator]

AVG vs. Avast

There are two major things that keep myself from getting AVG:
System Restore
Boot-time scan

AVG [free] does not have boot-time scanning, or a workaround with System restore.

Avast, however, does.
And it surprises me, you would think that these features would only be for the pro version, but, fortunately, for us, the people down at Avast want happy people.

What benefits are there?
You dont have to loose your System restore data when you find a virus in the System Restore.

When Avast finds a virus in the system restore, it allows you to lock the file, and remove at startup.

If your computer is infected with a virus, and its going too slow to scan (eg: Virus slipped in because you had the scanner disabled) then you can do a boot-time scan, in which it edits your boot.ini (I believe that is the file), and it acts like a DOS scanner that is able to do a quicker scan.

Now I realize that this is a half rant post, but, the truth is there.

And I would hate to start a debate (not really), but, for the sake of all the people who hit the "Google" button for this type of topic, feel free to list other benefits of Avast or AVG.

[Moderator]

Avast is a fine product.

I personally would not trust a restore point that was infected at all but to each his own.

A boot time scan is a nice feature as well but i'll stick with what i've got.

[Mod & Malware Specialist]

I've had too much success with AVG for this to sway me.  I will agree that Avast! is a good program, though, and worth having.  It's just a matter of preference, I suppose.

[Moderator]

C'mon...Zylstra is fishin for an argument.

You could at least accomodate him.

 

I for one don't like Avast.
I found it to be slow at scanning, it slowed down the PC, and was ineffective at cleaning, containing and removing viruses.
You've got your argument now.

[Mod & Malware Specialist]

You could at least accomodate him.

Er...um...Avast is for sissies!

That's right...I went there.

[Moderator]

          

I know a girl who really likes the little .wav files that play when it's doing what it's supposed to...she says it makes her feel more secure.

[Mod & Malware Specialist]

Heh, that reminds me of when I was helping my gal's sister disinfect her computer.  She had three different scanners going at once (big no-no) and they each played different sounds and animations, so whenever an infection was found, it was like a little party.

[Moderator]

I for one don't like Avast.
I found it to be slow at scanning, it slowed down the PC, and was ineffective at cleaning, containing and removing viruses.
You've got your argument now.

I found it more convenient
I like how it has different scan types, so I know that I can run a standard scan just, whenever, but run a though scan while scanning archives at least once a month.

I like its User Interface (ITS PRETTY!) I honestly believe it to be more useful, and easier to use.

As for being innefective at cleaning:
Which version were you using, Calum?
Unfortunately, I dont really get viruses, so I never got to test AVG out on this.

Avast does scan and remove most major adware applications, but I believe their scanner is focused on Viruses, not Adware. (I had a few problems with adware removal with Avast, I admit, but at least I knew it was there, and that lets me know when Windows Defender needs to be run.)


I have been told by quite a few people that Avast runs Faster then AVG.

I hated it's UI, but everyone's different.

Unfortunately, I dont really get viruses

Unfortunately?
If you're feeling left out, I can send you some?
LOL.
I was using version 4.something, it was around a year ago so I'm not too sure.
It was ineffective, I knew I had a virus and it did nothing at all to stop it, just let it go on its merry way.
The "Virus Vault" failed to hold some infected files too.
However, I'm not for AVG either, I use Avira Antivir.

[Moderator]

I hated it's UI, but everyone's different.

Unfortunately, I dont really get viruses

Unfortunately?
If you're feeling left out, I can send you some?
LOL.
I was using version 4.something, it was around a year ago so I'm not too sure.
It was ineffective, I knew I had a virus and it did nothing at all to stop it, just let it go on its merry way.
The "Virus Vault" failed to hold some infected files too.
However, I'm not for AVG either, I use Avira Antivir.

Lol, I guess I meant "Fortunately"

Hmm. I am using Version 4... lets test it out on www.eicar.org
http://www.eicar.org/anti_virus_test_file.htm
"Caution, a virus has been detected"
Successfully moved to chest

No problems

Actually, I have one other file in the chest...
Adminx.exe... which said it was a Trogan, but I don't think it really is

I have never heard of Avira

I got Avast preloaded and would never have anything else. Protected me so many times.
I tried that Avira Callum about a few months ago when my laptop was in a bad shape, but it did my head in with the same thing popping up every time I clicked on something. Even when I told it to move it to the vault it kept coming up, so I uninstalled it. It also kept bringing up pop ups to make me by their software, which in my books is spyware. Pretty crappy antivirus if it creates pop-ups.

Chris

AVG vs. Avast

There are two major things that keep myself from getting AVG:
System Restore
Boot-time scan

AVG [free] does not have boot-time scanning,
...

?

Every time I boot, I see AVG's boot up scan run.

The thing I found that was really annoying with AVG was, I had it on my mom's computer and it's a slow computer and every time you booted it up it would update. So it would take you years to finally get things done. Thats why I use Avast! Can't go wrong with In real-time scanning.

The thing I found that was really annoying with AVG was, I had it on my mom's computer and it's a slow computer and every time you booted it up it would update. So it would take you years to finally get things done.

?

Just turn off the auto-updating.   Then you have to manually update, whenever you want.

Thats why I use Avast! Can't go wrong with In real-time scanning.

Which AVG does.     

[Moderator]

AVG, as I recall, only scans the files about to be booted during its bootup scan.

Boot-Time scan, however, is like running your OnDemmand scanner, but quicker, and with more resources available, and no files in use.

By the way -

A sometimes handy little tool to have:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eicar_test_file


I can't seem to find it/download it at  http://www.eicar.org/    ,   but it is easy to make it with the info found on that wiki page.


Besides using it to test your own system,  it can provide a bit of fun if you can get a copy of it onto a friends system.     

AVG, as I recall, only scans the files about to be booted during its bootup scan.

Boot-Time scan, however, is like running your OnDemmand scanner, but quicker, and with more resources available, and no files in use.

Ah.
Ok.

Thanks

ill try anything thing that works and is not a infections its self but ive grown fond of avg.

[Moderator]

AVG, as I recall, only scans the files about to be booted during its bootup scan.

Boot-Time scan, however, is like running your OnDemmand scanner, but quicker, and with more resources available, and no files in use.

Ah.
Ok.

Thanks

This is inaccurate...

p.s. Zylstra do me a favor...make a folder and nest it 5 levels deep and place eicar in there and see if Avast finds it even on it's thourough scan....a root beer says it won't.

[Moderator]

AVG, as I recall, only scans the files about to be booted during its bootup scan.

Boot-Time scan, however, is like running your OnDemmand scanner, but quicker, and with more resources available, and no files in use.

Ah.
Ok.

Thanks

This is inaccurate...

p.s. Zylstra do me a favor...make a folder and nest it 5 levels deep and place eicar in there and see if Avast finds it even on it's thourough scan....a root beer says it won't.

Just did, "Caution, a virus has been detected"

How is it inaccurate?

[Mod & Malware Specialist]

AVG, as I recall, only scans the files about to be booted during its bootup scan.

Boot-Time scan, however, is like running your OnDemmand scanner, but quicker, and with more resources available, and no files in use.

Ah.
Ok.

Thanks

This is inaccurate...

p.s. Zylstra do me a favor...make a folder and nest it 5 levels deep and place eicar in there and see if Avast finds it even on it's thourough scan....a root beer says it won't.

I'd like to know why that would make a difference.  Any scanner that can't do this would have to be very poorly designed.  I wouldn't say that Avast! is the greatest, but it's certainly not that bad.

One thing I would like to point out, though, is that AVG detects Eicar the very second it's created.  As soon as I save the file, AVG notifies me.

yep same here

Try packing it 5 levels deep in an archive then, rather than folders.

AVG, as I recall, only scans the files about to be booted during its bootup scan.

Boot-Time scan, however, is like running your OnDemmand scanner, but quicker, and with more resources available, and no files in use.

Ah.
Ok.

Thanks

This is inaccurate...

p.s. Zylstra do me a favor...make a folder and nest it 5 levels deep and place eicar in there and see if Avast finds it even on it's thourough scan....a root beer says it won't.

I'd like to know why that would make a difference.  Any scanner that can't do this would have to be very poorly designed.  I wouldn't say that Avast! is the greatest, but it's certainly not that bad.

One thing I would like to point out, though, is that AVG detects Eicar the very second it's created.  As soon as I save the file, AVG notifies me.

As soon as I click on the link to download it Avast warns me.

Chris

[Mod & Malware Specialist]

Try packing it 5 levels deep in an archive then, rather than folders.

No matter what I try to archive it with, access is denied.

As soon as I click on the link to download it Avast warns me.

Where was that?     Please post the link.

Try packing it 5 levels deep in an archive then, rather than folders.

No matter what I try to archive it with, access is denied.

I don't remember now how I did it.    Probably booted to DOS.

Here's a copy of the zip file I keep.   




[cleaning up - attachment deleted by admin]

[Moderator]

Try packing it 5 levels deep in an archive then, rather than folders.

Compressed "folders" are one single file. They dont technically hold different folders.

It also depends on the scan type.
(A lot of virus scanners allow a user to not scan .zip and other packers, since it takes longer)

I cant even start downloading the virus file, since Avast stops it before I even click "Save As"

...

It also depends on the scan type.
(A lot of virus scanners allow a user to not scan .zip and other packers, since it takes longer)

I cant even start downloading the virus file, since Avast stops it before I even click "Save As"

From where?     
The eicar.zip file attached above?      or from.... ?


Wherever it is from, that is very interesting. 
I wonder how AV software running on your computer can know what is in a file residing on another computer,  before a transfer even begins.

[Moderator]

...

It also depends on the scan type.
(A lot of virus scanners allow a user to not scan .zip and other packers, since it takes longer)

I cant even start downloading the virus file, since Avast stops it before I even click "Save As"

From where?     
The eicar.zip file attached above?      or from.... ?

Its here:
http://www.eicar.org/anti_virus_test_file.htm

Just scroll down the page a while, or use the version that was attached to the Forums. 
***WP: In this case, the and the comma were added to add sarchasitc enthusiasm

Wherever it is from, that is very interesting. 
I wonder how AV software running on your computer can know what is in a file residing on another computer,  before a transfer even begins.

How it knows what it is before its really "downloaded"?
Because part of it goes into the Temporary internet folder, thats why

Its here:
http://www.eicar.org/anti_virus_test_file.htm

That's the same place I mentioned earlier -  that I can't find it to download.
I see a link towards the top right for downloading,  but it does nothing for me.

Just scroll down the page a while,

Can't scroll down... nothing to scroll.

or use the version that was attached to the Forums. 

There are forums there?

Something is weird.... I'm missing a lot at that site.

***WP: In this case, the and the comma were added to add sarchasitc enthusiasm

Wherever it is from, that is very interesting. 
I wonder how AV software running on your computer can know what is in a file residing on another computer,  before a transfer even begins.

How it knows what it is before its really "downloaded"?
Because part of it goes into the Temporary internet folder, thats why

Oh, ok.  So it really is downloaded first.   

[Moderator]

Willy, are you using some Wanna-be browser, like "Browse Happy" that provides you with crappy unhappy time?

Unfortunately, eicar.org appears to be down at the moment.

So download the same attachment you uploaded...

Willy, are you using some Wanna-be browser, like "Browse Happy" that provides you with crappy unhappy time?

No,   where did you come up with that from?

Unfortunately, eicar.org appears to be down at the moment.

So download the same attachment you uploaded...

?
Why would I want to do that?

[Moderator]

*sigh*

***WP: Implies that I am giving up, and discluding the sarcasm. But to even things out, and prevent enemies:

 Browse Happy is this Wanna-Be web browser I ran into once. (Ugh!) its advert. came with BrowseHappy

Oh, I guess its not a browser
Its a website telling people to switch to something besides MS Internet Explorer...
http://browsehappy.com/
 

Just goes to show...

***WP: Ha! "Look at me and my mistakes"

*sigh*

***WP:

I have no idea what this means.  Sorry.

Implies that I am giving up,

Now I'm really lost.   Giving up....  on what?    I didn't know there was anything to give up on.

and discluding the sarcasm. But to even things out, and prevent enemies:

Prevent enemies?    huh?   what enemies?

Browse Happy is this Wanna-Be web browser I ran into once. (Ugh!) its advert. came with BrowseHappy

Oh, I guess its not a browser
Its a website telling people to switch to something besides MS Internet Explorer...
http://browsehappy.com/
 

Ok, I guess.

Just goes to show...

***WP: Ha! "Look at me and my mistakes"

Again...  ok, I guess.

[Mod & Malware Specialist]

WillyW, perhaps this will help clear things up for you just a little...
http://www.computerhope.com/forum/index.php/topic,34158.msg215998.html#msg215998

i already read it earlier and im still confused

[Mod & Malware Specialist]

For the rest of the week, whenever Zylstra uses "Word Psychology" he includes a ***WP note to explain what he's doing, which is why his posts look so confusing.  If you simply ignore them, his posts will make a bit more sense.

[Moderator]

For the rest of the week, whenever Zylstra uses "Word Psychology" he includes a ***WP note to explain what he's doing, which is why his posts look so confusing.  If you simply ignore them, his posts will make a bit more sense.

I disagree

Its all Street1's fault! He asked me what word psychology was! I swear!

right, you just like using big words to confuse other members (mainly me)

[Moderator]

right, you just like using big words to confuse other members (mainly me)

When do I do that?

with the wp thing