Why I Switched from AVG to Avast Antivirus - Comments Page 1

I am running Windows 7 64bit and I upgraded my AVG 2013 free to AVG 2014 free with no problems. I had experimented with Avast a couple of months ago and I liked it except it disabled my "Gadgets" on my Windows 7 desktop so I went back to AVG free.

Thank you for your news letter.

Wasn't 30 minutes ago that I finished signing up for 2 years of AVG. !!!!!! Darn!!

Just last week I decided I better give up on MS Defender(where did I get that idea?). I'd used AVG in the past, do that was my first stop. But- they wanted me to download it from cnet! I poked around a little, every time I ended up back at cnet. So I did not even try to install it. I like Avira just fine thanks! No tricks on install, and it caught something the other day, so I know it DOES work. And no money was spent- just have the free version. I'd used Avast on wife's laptop before, couldn't complain about it either. So there are at least two packages better than MS and AVG.

When I got frustrated with these av tools, I switched to Ubuntu... 7 years ago. Never looked back.

Similar problems here too trying to "get updated". I had an installation of B with a free 1 year license but after only 3 months, said I was expiring so I looked around and decided on AVG... but had the same problems: computer stopped in mid install and ANY efforts to reinstall met with: AVG is already installing and will continue... but it never did so I had to resort to Revo to get it off my machine. Then I decided on Avast AV 2014 9.0.2006 and the installation went smoothly and so far, so good. I am sort of suspicious of proggys that offer "bootable rescue disks"... does it mean that the protection program which the company says is the "best" can fail and I would need to use a bootable rescue disk? I hope not (but I mad one anyway). So I will give Avast my attention and see if it is what 25 years should produce. Thanks again for a very comprehensive review and recommendation.

I switched from AVG to www.malwarebytes.org quite a while ago and it has been working well for me. I can even watch p**n sites and Malwarebytes will catch any unwanted intruders.

I've been using Avast in the past, but as more options were added, it also significantly slowed down my pc. I'm still using MSE even though I realize it's not Bob's recommended option.

Bob, glad to see that you have joined the Avast group. LOL :)

I have used Avast for years and just went the Internet Security route, this year and got a super deal for 3 PCs, for 3 years! I needed one for myself, one for hubby's PC and one for my daughter's PC, that I take care of. My daughter and her family are the kind that, will just about click on anything, so it was more for my computer headache sanity, trying to "fix" her PC's issues, that I get her an Avast Internet Security license.

I only know that, I have been pleased with their product, since, the beginning. The learning curve to setting up Avast, can be a bit trying, but, once you've got it all set up ... Avast is simply, good to go!

The main reason, I have stayed with Avast is because, they were the first FREE version Anti-Virus Program, to include Root Kits in their scanning. This aspect was done, several years ago.

Again Bob, welcome aboard the Avast train. :)

Did a comparison about five years ago and settled on Avast then. Been using it at home and in the office ever since.

Am I missing something? You're now suggesting Avast as a better alternative to AVG, yet I only see a direct link to AVG and not Avast.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Actually, I hadn't linked to either in this article. Just added a hotlink to Avast.

Hi. I have made a different experience. I've been using AVG many years, but got tired of all these problems when upgrading. I allso was met With a lot of questions...
I tried Windows defender the last two years. Then now recently i installed BitDefender on Our android Phones. The Next step was, since we where so satisfied With their android solution. It made some trouble after installing it, i had to reinstall Outlook ++. iExplorer stopped working and BitDefender itselves didnt start up...phuhh
After some rebooting, including a DOS screen With error 0xe8e101e i think it was, it finally started up. I scanned my pc and it found 4 viruses infecting 10 files, inkluding emails. I healed or deleted files/emails rebooted again and now everything Works beautiful:-)
The UI is good and info about the computer status is fine. I will continue using BitDefender:-)

To Omer or anyone else, who want their "Gadgets" on their Window 7 Desktop ...

The reason Avast disables them is because, they are a major security hazard. Microsoft tells it all on their website ... They will no longer support the Gadgets and you will use them, at your own risk.

When, I first got my Windows 7 PC, this year, I got the Gadgets. I thought, they were neat. It was about a month later, when I went to get some Gadgets put on my hubby's PC, that I really read what Microsoft was saying and then did some research.

Bottom line, the Gadgets on Windows 7 Desktop are one method that hackers/crackers can use to access your PC and infect it with all sorts of bad stuff, like Worms, Trojan Horses, Malware, Spyware, so on and so forth.

I immediately, removed them from both my PC and my hubby's. So, be forewarned. :)

I was really disappointed to read several times over the last couple weeks that Microsoft Security Essentials is no longer recommended as it once was. As a result, I've been hitting all the free alternatives looking for a replacement. My criteria are: effective, low memory usage, extremely simple interface. Avast's footprint is greater than MSE, the interface/user interaction is more complicated than MSE, but the effective criteria is much better than MSE. Even though it certainly doesn't hit all my marks as well as I'd like, it seems to be the best of the many alternatives. Clamwin scored higher in my opinion, but the lack of a real-time resident scan is unacceptable and ultimately ruled it out as a contender. Thanks for your review.

The anti virus software and the amount of innovation that is there, lets take sports teams or car manufactures, from year to year because they are in competition, someone will be on top for a year or more but someone will come with a greater innovation. We have seen Kaspersky, Avira, Norton etc have high scores.

Also you have to take account of software update, OS used and browsers.

However always treat the internet as a stranger, Identity theft and aggressive malware advertising makes it less pleasurable to use the internet.

I've been using Avast! for some time and have never had a problem with it--including with "Gadgets" on my Win7 64 bit machine! I had tried AVG but had had similar problems that Bob has had and went back to Avast! No muss, no fuss.

I, like many have tried several paid and unpaid antivirus products and had endless trouble running AVG. I finally tried Avast Internet Security (I don't mind paying ) and can honestly say it has run perfectly on Windows 7 since the day I Installed it two years ago. Apart from occasionally checking the firewall applications I can leave it to itself with confidence.

I'm so happy with it when my current licence expires I will pay the full renewal fee to the Avast website without shopping around. The support is also excellent, just hope Avast keep it this way.

I had the same type of problems last year with AVG and switched to Avast.

AVG just got to be a hassle trying to get me to switch to he paid version.

My mother-in-law got tricked into the paid version. It was hell getting rid of it and installing Avast.

It warms my heart to learn that I achieved Enlightenment years before you did, Bob. :-)

Avast has been running in "silent gaming mode" on my machine for at least five years. Occasionally, I remember to check it to see what it's caught and neutralized. It never brings itself to my attention by slowing me down or popping things up in my face.

Tried AVG once, for ten minutes. Very noticeable drain on system resources compared to Avast, so out it went.

My copy is set to update itself automatically so I assume it's now Avast 2014. Does version 8.0.1489 sound right? It was last updated October 27. The company did not bother me with a sales pitch.

I've never caught a virus, although I did fall for one Paypal-imitating phish last year. Avast had that phish gutted within two hours after I ran afoul of it; I could no longer go to the bogus Web page.

I dumped Avast last year, which I paid for in 2012, as I needed some help with their site. After dealing with someone in India, which the language was so very difficult to understand, they wanted $74.00, before checking out my puter. I didn't really need that, especially after paying the yearly amount.
I went to AVG after that, and am still with them. Now, AVG wants money to protect? I'll go to 'free Avast' but sure won't call them if I need some help with their product.

I dumped AVG almost 3 years ago after praying to it for a long time but saw that it was getting big for it's britches, i love avast wont run anything else.i'm running avast free on my win7 machine and love it.