Getting tired of fighting Norton Internet Security (NIS) sporadic Symantec Framework errors.

 

Looking for a replacement software that handles AntiVirus / AntiSpam (works with Outlook 2010). This would be for a Windows XP machine.

 

Any suggestions.

 

What would you say would be the pros/cons over NIS in your suggestion?

 

Have worked with Norton Support but less than pleased. Seems all they want to do is uninstall Norton, reinstall it, and it works for a bit but then the errors come back again.

Edit/Delete Message

Yep,  Symantec & friends == warm fuzzies and headaches.

 

MS security essentials was great for a time, but it's become the assumed target and is frequently defeated. If the system is important I vote ESET NOD32. Their Smart Security is good as suites go but has more quirks than the basic anti-virus.

Spam filter http://www.spamfighter.com the free version.

 

For virus checker, i use http://www.avast.com/free-antivirus-download

 

Both free

forgot to add: send your email via gmail (its got a good spam filter)

Sandbox machine for browsing and other "dodgy" stuff.  Common Sense 1.0 installed on my main windows desktop

Firewall/ Antivirus: ESET NOD32/64

 

AND

 

SANDBOXIE (Open any file that is suspect, or use full web browser sandboxed) (free/ 1 time per day nag screen)

 

Thank me later! 

Moved from AVG to avast a few months ago. AVG was getting.... Bloated. Seems pretty good, and the price is right. (free)

Still use AVG (2012, currently!) for all my stuff...just works. The Free version is all you need. I also use Malwarebytes Anti-Malware. Spybot has become useless and like yourself, I find Norton plain annoying . I have used Avast! as well - it is good stuff, especially for XP. Best of luck!

I heard ESET is pretty good, but that yearly plan thing makes me feel like I'm buying a cell phone contract. Whatever happened to the good old perpetual software? Where you just buy it and it works until it is obsolete? Who ever uses ESET, does it use or hog up resources like Symantec stuff does? Right now I'm using Mcafee 8.8 but it is the Enterprise version which runs quiet and doesn't need attention much.

 

 

I use Eset because it doesn't bog down my system like Norton.

 

I heard ESET is pretty good, but that yearly plan thing makes me feel like I'm buying a cell phone contract. Whatever happened to the good old perpetual software? Where you just buy it and it works until it is obsolete? Who ever uses ESET, does it use or hog up resources like Symantec stuff does? Right now I'm using Mcafee 8.8 but it is the Enterprise version which runs quiet and doesn't need attention much.

 

 

Yea, Symantec/Norton, same dues. While Symantec is geared more for corporate it still has hogging software. Not nearly as much as Norton though. Norton has to be the worst I have ever seen.

 

I use Eset because it doesn't bog down my system like Norton.

 

I heard ESET is pretty good, but that yearly plan thing makes me feel like I'm buying a cell phone contract. Whatever happened to the good old perpetual software? Where you just buy it and it works until it is obsolete? Who ever uses ESET, does it use or hog up resources like Symantec stuff does? Right now I'm using Mcafee 8.8 but it is the Enterprise version which runs quiet and doesn't need attention much.

 

 

I've messed around with heaps of different AV/IS suites over the years and my "favourite" definately changes as the years go by; Kaspersky 7 was fantastic but the newer versions are bubbly and bloated. AVG is in the same boat, the older versions used to be great and is now way too bloated, has ads, uses too many resources.

 

My personal pick for a free setup at the moment is a hardware router + Windows Firewall + Microsoft Security Essentials although I do agree like anything, having common sense 1.0 installed beats ANY software. Haven't used ESET/NOD much but Avira AntiVir & Avast are also quite good as far as hit rates & resource usage go. Stay away from Zone Alarm/McAfee and Trend Micro seems to be very hit & miss over the years as well.

 

If you want a little extra protection you could also setup a smoothwall box. I'll probably do that down the track when I'm not feeling so lazy 

I have used Nod32 for several years and like its light footprint and its pretty effective. I dont like there annual payment tho. Some have use cracked versions. wink, nudge.... But since I got the limewire using computer breaking teenagers out of the house, its less of an issue. Also I out of 5 pcs in the house only two are running windows on a regular basis. One is strictly a HTPC the other has Nod32. The firewall can be a bit quirky, blocking out stuff I dont want blocked at times. Avira is my fav free (are used to be) AV.

 

For spare change to buy PC gear I do malware/virus cleanups a month. Malwarebytes is my tool of choice. There are some really nasty one about, that write to the MBR and I have never been able to clean, without reformatting. I highly recommend getting the paid version of MB which provides active protection. In several cases of the mbr written virus, MB would blocked the Trojan downloader that was still present after the OS had been re installed. It can prevent a minor malware infection from becoming a big problem.

Yea, Symantec/Norton, same dues. While Symantec is geared more for corporate it still has hogging software. Not nearly as much as Norton though. Norton has to be the worst I have ever seen.

 

Umm... Same company. Symantec bought out Norton a while back. As far as NIS goes, I am running 2012 on all my mahcines (6+ for now) and I haven't had a problem so far. Guess I live a blessed existence

For spare change to buy PC gear I do malware/virus cleanups a month. Malwarebytes is my tool of choice. There are some really nasty one about, that write to the MBR and I have never been able to clean, without reformatting. I highly recommend getting the paid version of MB which provides active protection. In several cases of the mbr written virus, MB would blocked the Trojan downloader that was still present after the OS had been re installed. It can prevent a minor malware infection from becoming a big problem.

 

I too recommend Malwarebytes.  For serious infestations, it is the second part of my attack, the first being a Kaspersky live rescue CD (set to search everything including root kits).  The Kaspersky CD is a bit of a clumsy gorilla, if it finds a nasty in an archive - generally wants to delete the whole archive, and does not deal with the registry, but it invariably finds and destroys the nasties, and allows the machine to boot almost normally.  Then I install a fresh Malwarebytes and let it clean up the rest, including the registry.  I recommend a fresh install of Malwarebytes, because even if it was previously installed on the computer, it may have been disabled or compromised.

Virus/Trojan/Malware detected.

 

Remove the hard drive. Install it as a slave in another computer or just use an USB adapter. Copy the most essential files you need. Reformat hard drive.

Don't forget one thing I sometimes do with a clients system - check Windows Restore - typically if I can restore to a point previous to the infection, everything is good. Then can figure what happened.

 

I use right now hardware firewall, Windows Firewall and Windows Security Essentialls. Then my malware bag includes MalwareBytes, SuperAntiSpyware and the ESET online scanner. Te ESET one is about the only one I have found that gets rid of some JAVA based infections.

 

Shawn

I''m thinking of getting a new antiVirus software, any suggestions? I have AVG now, well I always had AVG, I'm just thinking of trying something else.

Don't forget one thing I sometimes do with a clients system - check Windows Restore - typically if I can restore to a point previous to the infection, everything is good. Then can figure what happened.

 

There's a lot of viruses out there now that also target system restore files so often this won't solve the problem. It can even leave you in a worse state then before you tried to recover. Also a system restore won't modify your "personal data and files" which is another place nasties like to hang out. System restore certainly has its place but I personally wouldn't rely on it as a solid fix.

Whichever one you choose, understand that no single AV product is perfect.

 

Use VirusTotal to check any suspicious files against multiple AV engines.  Handy uploader tool:

http://lifehacker.com/5427159/virustotal-uploader-20-instantly-scans-files-for-viruses-against-41-av-apps

 

Use Sandboxie to run suspicious files in a sandbox, preventing them from altering system files/registry/etc:

http://www.sandboxie.com/

I like NOD32 AV if for some reason I have spare cash.

 

Otherwise I use MSE.

I like NOD32 AV if for some reason I have spare cash.

 

Otherwise I use MSE.

 

Same, its really the best pay-for AV around, then MSE would be (from my own independent reading again) the best free AV these days. Gotta remember that at one time AVG was good, same with AntiVir & Kaspersky. After time when you look back and read about independent stats for catching viruses they usually drop out or go lower and lower each year. There's always new viruses and malware, it depends on the company to keep those definitions timely.

 

Sidenote: Symantec AV (Business/Enterprise offering not residential Norton product) is also good.

Additionally: Malware-Bytes in safe mode catches anything that might fall through the cracks of what some might categorize as virus... There is an option when installing NOD32 to block unsavory apps that could be malware but it may not be checked by default.

Using mcafee saas.. happy with it, never any issues..

I recommend eset nod32 as well. Their heuristic detection engine is light years ahead of everyone else and you will not feel it running. It utilizes very little resources unless you're copying in hundreds of thousands files.

 

They're experienced to say the least. Many of their staff came from the US-CERT and they release new signatures before most. They tout about their always catching and not missing live viruses. It's true.

 

If you find yourself infected McAfee's stinger application is a good mitigation strategy.

 

Beyond all else have good surfing habits and teach whoever is using the PC proper sense. No anti virus can replace common sense.

The #1 absolute best anti-virus/anti-malware protection is a RECENT IMAGE of your OS 

 

You don't need to do this often ... once a quarter or so is fine => if you get hit with a nasty that your A/V package lets through and can't remove, you simply restore to the latest image you have;  then do the Windows Updates to get it up-to-date;  and then restore your most current data from your backups (which, of course, you SHOULD do daily).  [by the way, your UnRAID server is a great place to store your latest image  ]

 

Having said that, I agree with MSE for a free product (now integrated with Defender in Win8);  ESET for a paid product;  and MalwareBytes Pro (the paid version) for real-time anti-malware protection.    If you don't want to pay for the Pro version, the free version of Malwarebytes is fine as long as you run frequent scans.

 

You're advocating a reactive approach to viruses vs an proactive approach? ... for shame.

 

Personally I use MS Security Essentials for my home PCs (Keep in mind, I run NoScript, and Flashblock on my main browser) however, MSSE is a middle of the pack AV solution. It's not the best, but overall system resource consumption? It's far better than the others.

 

Otherwise I tell people to run Avast Free or AVG Free.

 

The #1 absolute best anti-virus/anti-malware protection is a RECENT IMAGE of your OS 

 

You don't need to do this often ... once a quarter or so is fine => if you get hit with a nasty that your A/V package lets through and can't remove, you simply restore to the latest image you have;  then do the Windows Updates to get it up-to-date;  and then restore your most current data from your backups (which, of course, you SHOULD do daily).  [by the way, your UnRAID server is a great place to store your latest image  ]

 

Having said that, I agree with MSE for a free product (now integrated with Defender in Win8);  ESET for a paid product;  and MalwareBytes Pro (the paid version) for real-time anti-malware protection.    If you don't want to pay for the Pro version, the free version of Malwarebytes is fine as long as you run frequent scans.