Following Tarun's recommendation, I removed Grisoft's AVG Antivirus from my computer and replaced it with Avast to see which is better. I've only had it on my computer for about 15 minutes, but I can already tell that it is better than AVG in so many ways!

• The GUI is excellent; it looks very nice, but isn't flashy or full of useless visuals (AVG, with all due respect, looks like crap)
  
• It is easy to use and configure; all settings are where you would expect them to be (with AVG, some options are in one place, others are in another... not very user-friendly)
  
• There is a simple and an advanced view, depending on how many features you are comfortable messing around with
  
• It offers protection for dozens of P2P and chat programs (including the two I use: Shareaza and Google Talk)
  
• It installs very clean (doesn't create junk registry entries like AVG)
  
• It supports WinXP 64-bit (I don't have it yet, but when I buy it and dual-boot with XP32 and XP64, it will be nice to be able to use the same antivirus app for both)
  
• It's FREE
  

Sadly, Avast still isn't perfect, but my quibbles are small:

• Conflicts with the ZoneAlarm firewall (although they say they are working on these, so I'm pretty confident that they will be fixed eventually)
  
• You can't access the "Program Settings..." from the On-Access Scanner window (the main program window); you have to right-click the tray icon to find them; not a huge deal, but it would be nice...
  
• You have to register it or it will stop working after a few weeks, and then you have to re-register it every 14 months; once again, not a big deal, but it is definitely a nuisance
  
• It is skinned; I just don't see the point in offering skins for a program that is basically intended to be installed and then forgotten about; skins should be saved for media players and browsers... oh well, at least you can turn the feature off
  

All in all, Avast is probably the best free antivirus program I have used. I liked AVG, but after using Avast, I had no doubts whatsoever about making the switch.

G'day Lokoike,

mind posting how much of bite it takes out of your RAM?

Reason I'm asking is that I currently use TrendMicro (free from work) but it chews up a large amount of RAM, but then again that may partly be due to that I use it as a Firewall as well.

Cheers :D

G'day Lokoike,

mind posting how much of bite it takes out of your RAM?

Reason I'm asking is that I currently use TrendMicro (free from work) but it chews up a large amount of RAM, but then again that may partly be due to that I use it as a Firewall as well.

Cheers

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Oh, good thing you mentioned that. It does use more page file than AVG, but I didn't think it was too awful. (of course I am working with 3,072 MBs of RAM...)

Anyway, here is the list of processes:

ashDisp.exe - 1,692k

ashMaiSv.exe - 1,948k

ashServ.exe - 8,260k

ashWebSv.exe - 13,476k

aswUpdSv.exe - 228k

Total - 25,604k

Hmmm, still looks greatly smaller than TrendMicro.

Will have to check it out once I get home...... which isn't far off and the weekend beckons...

Cheers :D

I've personally ran Avast for about 19 months now, and ran AVG about 5 months before that so i have experience in both, and I find Avast a lot better then AVG and ANY "pay" anti-virus.

I have it on every comp in my house and while the registration and having that "cd-player" looking skin those are my only gripes with avast. I completly agree with many of the points you mentioned above as well lokoike.

My process on installation that makes Avast pretty much completly silent except for when a virus is found.

1. Install + insert key + merge the VRDB icon in the tray.

2. Right click tray icon and hit program settings.

3. sounds -> check box for "Disable sounds"

4. Updates(Basic) -> press auto for Database and Program.. then hit details -> click silent, and uncheck all the checkboxes.

5. Updates(Connection) -> press the checkbox for always connected.

6. Alerts -> I add my Server to the WinPopup and have messenger service enabled on my server so any infection on my LAN and i know about it.

don't even have to worry about it after that. except the serial number every 14 months or so lol.

*EDIT*

*wow shows how much i watch these forums... just saw this is 6 days old hahaha*

I switched from e-Trust and it's the best decision ever. Did the same on my VPC which I had loaded as a honeypot (completely infected with viruses, trojans, and other malware). Avast found 13 infected objects that e-Trust missed.

I'm very pleased with Avast and the service they offer. :D

I switched from e-Trust and it's the best decision ever.  Did the same on my VPC which I had loaded as a honeypot (completely infected with viruses, trojans, and other malware).  Avast found 13 infected objects that e-Trust missed.

I'm very pleased with Avast and the service they offer. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's great Tarun I've used Avast! for over a 2 years and it has provided me with great protection and low Memory usage

I used avast for like 2 days.

It didnt work well with Zonealarm or outpost. They cancelled eachother out and my computer didnt even boot up properly.

Ive never really used AVG but I dont like their products at all. I now use NOD32 which is great =]

This topic has prompted me to hurry up with what I'm calling my Technical Anti-Virus Comparison. I've currently compared 18 individual anti-virus products and I'm going to post my results on my blog (which is work-in-progress). This has nothing to do with virus definitions (which you can find all info for the very anti-virus products on www.av-comparatives.org). This has to do with memory usage, services, processes, filesize of the installer and filesize of the installed program files/application data/etc, and GUI. I look forward to sharing my results with all of you. :love:

Still prefer the GUI of AVG Antivirus than that of avast!

Skinned GUI on security software is so toyish and unserious.

I usually do a Minimum install and you don't have to worry about the skins on Avast. :happybday:

How do I uninstall the skins from Avast? I just don't need them.

Add/Remove Programs > avast > Change/Remove > Change > Red X beside Skins.

Cheers.