AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition 8.0

[evilfantasy]

Basic antivirus and antispyware protection for Windows available to download for free. Limited features, no support, for private and non-commercial use only.

Download Page

The computer I was trying to install this on kept getting an error that it couldn't create a Registry key. I tried twice and that was enough. The machine now is running Avast! Home Free.

My recommendation is if you have AVG antivirus and are thinking of upgrading to the new 8.0 version save yourself the time and install Avast! Home Free instead. Besides the bad decision by AVG to include the Yahoo! "Security Toolbar" the makers of AVG are in my opinion heading down the same road as Symantec and steadily creating a bloated product that will eventually slow many computers down to a crawl. Thanks for the years of protection Griftsoft, but I am now using and recommending only Avast!.

[Broni]

I tried it today, and I got some problems...
...and after spending an hour, trying to solve the problem, I went back to 7.5.
I'm on Vista here.
This is what happened...
Just to be on a safe side, I created new Restore Point.
I uninstalled 7.5,, restarted computer, and went with 8.0 installation.
At first, I got a warning about another AV present on my computer.
What the heck?
I thought, maybe AVG was complaining about ThreatFire, so I stopped installation, uninstalled TF, restarted computer, and tried to install again.
Same warning.
This time, I went ahead with installation, and I had another warning about AVG not being able to initialize Window Firewall (which I don't use).
I disregarded this warning, as well, and finally AVG said, it was installed successfully.
But, when I tried to run it, I got this:
The application has failed to start because its side-by-side configuration is incorrect
I did a lot of search. Someone suggested uninstalling Visual C++, which I did.
No dice.
Finally, I got tired of this crap, and I went back to 7.5

I may give it another shot over the weekend. I suspect, 7.5 left some leftovers, which were screwing 8.0 installation.

[evilfantasy]

I don't know. My problem was AVG cannot create registry key...... I uninstalled both AVG antivirus and antispyware with Revo Uninstaller prior to the install and it didn't help.

Strange as I did install and briefly use the AVG 8.0 Security Suite on the same computer when it was early Beta. I'm not trying again. I have been leaning towards using just Avast on everything for some time now. It's final!

[hiloed]

Aloha Guys

I down loaded AVG Anti-Virus Edition 8.0 (paid version) and I use their fire-wall. Downloading and Installation went like clock work. So far I like it. It does a full scan much faster than 7.5. It is annoying to have to remove the Yahoo Tool Bar from Firefox though. I sure hope they don't go the way of Symantec.!!!

Good Luck

Aloha

ED

[evilfantasy]

67% through a full scan with the newly installed Avast and it has found two threats in system restore points that AVG didn't find.

[Broni]

evil, you tried to install it on XP, or Vista?
I've heard about some problems with paid AVG 8.0 version, but I thought, I was immune....LOL

hiloed
What your Windows version?

[evilfantasy]

XP here.

[Broni]

I keep reading on the web about 8.0 problems, and solutions seems to point to 7.5 leftover after uninstall, which reminds me...what did you say? Norton?...I hope, not.
However, I can't see any single post about my other error:
The application has failed to start because its side-by-side configuration is incorrect

[evilfantasy]

I used Revo to uninstall it then ran CCleaners registry cleaner for good measure. There shouldn't have been anything left over that would stop a registry key from being created. I'll keep a lookout for that error and post if I see anything about it.

[Broni]

I saw number of posts, where people used cleaning tools, and installation was still complaining about some other AV installed.
I really don't want to spend another few hours fighting with simple installation. I'm gonna stay with 7.5 for now.

[mcxeb52!]

AVG installed fine on windows vista. I uninstalled the Avast first.

I hear they said AVG has a lower detection rate % than the AVAST back in 2007's test but I wonder if AVG is fine, as it updates every day like any modern AV should do.

Plus side of the AVG is that you don't need to go to the website to register for a key (even though avast's key registration is simple) and I hope it's safe enough that your computer is clear in the present....

Now how's AVG paired up with the commodo firewall instead of the AVAST or is someone gonna say that I should have stuck with AVAST?

[Broni]

I have Comodo, and I wonder now, if it has something to do with AVG installation.

[evilfantasy]

AVG Free - Checks for updated once every 24hours
Avast! Free - Checks for updates every two hours. Better chance of being current.

AVG - 45.5 MB download
Avast! - 20.7 MB download

AVG used to only be about 5 MB larger then Avast. Now it's more then double! Bloated!!!

[mcxeb52!]

and well AVG has an anti threat feature for websites. For example, searching through google, AVG will auto scan websites to tell you if it's malware linked or not (sort of like anti phishing)

AVAST checks updates every two hours. But usually you don't get so much updates so once a day should be plenty IMO.

And how do you determine whether or not a program is bloatware just by looking at file size?!!!

[Broni]

I odn't care much about once a day, or more often, but the size, and installation problems are not good.