Advice please on GOOD antivirus software-don't mind paying for good stuff

I'm a PC-cillin guy myself. In the UK, if you open an internet banking account with the Halifax, then PC-cillin comes free from Halifx with a lifetime upgrade.

Gerald

I did have Norton System Works 2003 Pro Edition on my computer but it messed my computer up so bad I had to uninstall it. Then I couldn't completely unistall all of it. I found out you can't just uninstall this program. Uninstall is not easy as it puts so much hidden garbage on your hard drive. I had to contact Symantec and was told I would have to pay to have tech person help me uninstall hidden junk. Couldn't afford that so I had to fdisk. reformat, and reinstall windows. Needless to say I'll never use Norton again and it was a $99.00 program. Symantec did give me a refund no hesitation after the tech person was not able to help me and he tried everything.

I now use Panda Antivirus Platinum. I purchased it at a computer store that is authorized to resell Panda Software for $59.00. Purchased it Aug. 2002 and I had free phone tech support until Nov. 2002 and also have free updates and email tech support until Aug. 2003. You can get in online at www.pandasoftware.com for lot less. I just happened to see it locally and since I don't like to buy anything on line I bought it right then. Also got one for my daughter and she loves it as it is not hard to use, once you get used to it. I have had to contact tech support via email and it does take awhile for them to get back to you (located in Spain) but was very helpful, walked me through my problem and was fine after that. (try to get symantec to help, I was told would have to pay) I love Panda Antivirus Platinum Platinum. You can get updates everyday. It will scan compressed files. That is important as I have WinMe that has system restore. Panda antivirus found a virus in my restore files. It said it could not repair. The reason being is because I had to disable system restore then run the Panda antivirus again set it to auto repair, which it did then I had to go back to system restore and re-enable it. I then ran the Panda antivirus again just to be sure it was clean and it was. (I'm paranoind). LOL.

Panda Antivirus also has a free online virus scanner at their web site www.pandasoftware.com that I use also. It is also updated daily. I don't want to wait a week for updates. A lot can get on your computer in a week. I do my updates daily and run my antivirus daily. That way if I do get infected its not running around on my computer for a week before I know its even there.

I want to thank all of you for your suggestions and advise and importantly your experiences with the antivirus programs you have used.

I think because money is a factor at this moment and also I have found just yesterday that McAfee Security Center that I have been using was totally messing up my system that I am now downloading Grisoft AVG. I will give that a try for a while. Not so concerned at this time about tech support.

I have been having problems with my PC over the past 3 weeks or so and just couldnot figure out what it was. Now that I have completely removed McAfee my system runs much much better. Almost like it did before. Something must have become corrupt which cause my system to really get screwy. I had even reinstalled McAfee thinking that was the problem but did not make things any better until I completely removed it.

So for now I will try AVG and see how that goes.

Once again thanks to all of your for your help.

Anytime. Just if things go awry and you're getting other problems. you might start a new post but link this post within your new one.

http://discussions.virtualdr.com/new...hreadid=137348

If things are running as good as you say? You might run scandisk "standard" without the surface can when you cold boot to the desktop. (i.e. shut the machine down start from powerup) a few times and run at least weekly.

Also suggest an Uninteruptable powersupply. UPS.. will definetly make your system run smooth!!

hope we can help.

mach <[email protected]>

Mark A : I just read your post from a few weeks ago regarding McAfee Anti Virus and although I know you are serious, I really enjoyed reading it! It was funny and I sympathize with you because I know how frustrating it is to not be able to just get to the solution without being hammered to buy buy buy!!! Thanks for making me laugh out loud!

sometimes when you delete an app,there are pieces left behind,i reccomend downloading REGISTRY CLEANER to clean out those pesky files no longer used/needed.