Good Free Anti-Virus/Anti-Spy Ware?

[Ohaigaiz]

That's nothing compared to Avira. Have you used it?

Depending on the resolution you're using, the pop-ups will cover the entire screen. They'll take you out of full screen apps, and so on.

Nah, I use avira and the only pop up that comes up is a 'go to premium' thing whenever it downloads updates. Not annoying at all.

[Effluo]

MalwareBytes is the current leader at cleaning out malware.

^ This. We use MB here at our office, shit is amazing. One of the few things we have found that can reliably remove Antivirus 2009/XP/360 and with minimal tech time invested.

[Ambir]

I know it sounds absolutely batshit stupid, but here is my methodology.

No preventative AV software. Spybot Teatimer's registry edit notifier if I'm feeling particularly bored with my machine not harassing me. Run Ccleaner if I get bored.
If you do get infected, MalwareBytes. If it's crazy bad (rootkit'd, how you pulled that off who knows) ComboFix. Not having to deal with AV software updating, eating resources, the feeling that it's "not really working", or the worst, that it isn't actually catching the stuff.

Can you have Spybot and Malwarebytes both installed at the same time? I've got Spybot S&D, but it's doing a poor job of getting rid of Virtumonde (sp?) atm, and I've heard Malwarebytes will do it betterm but wondering if I have to get rid of Spybot S&D first?

[Kohan]

I know it sounds absolutely batshit stupid, but here is my methodology.

No preventative AV software. Spybot Teatimer's registry edit notifier if I'm feeling particularly bored with my machine not harassing me. Run Ccleaner if I get bored.

Stupid right? It's not

It is. It sounds "absolutely batshit stupid" for a reason.

Doesn't matter if you're seasoned in fixing other people's machines, it's stupid to not have an anti-virus program. Though a computer literate and cautious user will see more "false positives" than genuine warnings, you never know when an ordinarily trustworthy site has been compromised, a friend sends you something unknowingly that's infected, and so on, so forth.

Your argument is about as valid as someone saying they've had a lot of sex, are careful about picking their partners, and thus, they'll never have to use a condom again. Makes no sense. Experience doesn't protect you.

Furthermore, the better AV programs nowadays, such as Avast, don't take up many resources at all. Computers are significantly faster than they were when everyone's office machine had a slow-as-hell copy of Norton or McAfee. There is especially no good reason not to have a well-designed AV, including others that haven't been mentioned in here (mostly because they're not free), like Kapersky or NOD.

There is no reason not to have an AV, and if you are seriously giving people this sort of advice, you shouldn't be responsible for repairing computers.

Also, you can have both MalwareBytes and Spybot on one machine. Multiple anti-spyware programs is practically always okay, but multiple AV programs is not.

[Amastacia]

It is. It sounds "absolutely batshit stupid" for a reason.

Doesn't matter if you're seasoned in fixing other people's machines, it's stupid to not have an anti-virus program. Though a computer literate and cautious user will see more "false positives" than genuine warnings, you never know when an ordinarily trustworthy site has been compromised, a friend sends you something unknowingly that's infected, and so on, so forth.

Your argument is about as valid as someone saying they've had a lot of sex, are careful about picking their partners, and thus, they'll never have to use a condom again. Makes no sense. Experience doesn't protect you.

Furthermore, the better AV programs nowadays, such as Avast, don't take up many resources at all. Computers are significantly faster than they were when everyone's office machine had a slow-as-hell copy of Norton or McAfee. There is especially no good reason not to have a well-designed AV, including others that haven't been mentioned in here (mostly because they're not free), like Kapersky or NOD.

There is no reason not to have an AV, and if you are seriously giving people this sort of advice, you shouldn't be responsible for repairing computers.

Also, you can have both MalwareBytes and Spybot on one machine. Multiple anti-spyware programs is practically always okay, but multiple AV programs is not.

Bolded is very true.

NOD is not free but it is delicious. I in no way regret spending the $40 a year it costs.

[Ambir]

Also, you can have both MalwareBytes and Spybot on one machine. Multiple anti-spyware programs is practically always okay, but multiple AV programs is not.

Thanks for the confirmation