# Norton vs. Free Avast



## rusty baker

Norton is terrible. It's a waste of money. It slows down your computer also.


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## hellothere123

Best site for anything freeware...really good programs


http://www.techsupportalert.com/


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## poppameth

Avast will blow Norton away, even the free version. Norton is bloated non-effective junk. Make sure you run the Norton Cleanup Tool to completely get rid of Norton before installing Avast.


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## nosbusch2005

Don't pay for Norton. Avast, AVG, and Microsoft Security Essentials are all free and are better than Norton.


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## RedHelix

I'm certain that the feature you described that you like with Norton (having it tell you "hey, this website's dangerous, run away") is available in AVG, which is also a free product.

I used Avast for a number of years but was turned off to it when Vista came out; I'm sure it's gotten better since then, but for now I use AVG. Virus free since 2005.


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## RedHelix

I'm certain that the feature you described that you like with Norton (having it tell you "hey, this website's dangerous, run away") is available in AVG, which is also a free product.

I used Avast for a number of years but was turned off to it when Vista came out; I'm sure it's gotten better since then, but for now I use AVG.... Virus free since 2005.


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## poppameth

Avast will also do a very good job stopping you from going to an infected site and letting you know that a virus tried to infect you. I'm the exact opposite with AVG and Avast. I used AVG for a long time. Then it started getting as bloated as the paid programs like Norton and recently they've started cutting back on what the free product is capable of handling in a effort to promote the purchase of the full product. Right now AVG has fallen to the back of the pack with the free solutions. Generally Avast, Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE), and Avira are the three to chose from. They all have their own benefits and drawbacks. Avast for example has better scan times and better on demand scans than MSE, but MSE has better detection of new "in the wild" infections, and a little better real time protection.


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## kwikfishron

Since this popped up again I’d like to say thanks for the post.

I ended up using the Norton removal tool to get rid of that a few weeks before my trail was up. Installed Avast and am happy with that. Wish I knew about it years ago.

A couple of weeks ago I got a e-mail from Norton informing me that my subscription was renewed. Checked the CC and sure enough I was billed. Don’t remember using the card for the trial but I guess I did.
I called and asked for my money back and after 20 min of listening to the reasons (in broken English) why I should stay and was offered 30% off and an extra 6 months they finally credited the card.


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## sam floor

The Norton removal tool doesn't remove it all. Norton has files hidden all over your computer.


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## kwikfishron

sam floor said:


> The Norton removal tool doesn't remove it all. Norton has files hidden all over your computer.


Well then, what will?


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## Rasputin

NRT removes more than enough that it's not 'extant' anymore. I wouldn't worry about it.

I've become a huge fan of Microsoft Security Essentials.


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## ianc435

Rasputin said:


> NRT removes more than enough that it's not 'extant' anymore. I wouldn't worry about it.
> 
> I've become a huge fan of Microsoft Security Essentials.


Security essentials is a scam that locks up you computer there is an imitaion one beware of it. It tried to infect my ipad an i laughed when an windows screen popped. If you did accsess run menu and type in %appdata% and then change the name of the only different file in the file window. Some kind of tv image icon. Add a one tomthe name and that the program cannont accsess it. My wife accidently clicked on it and got the trojan. Run a restore and give it time to do its thing. You shoul be fine. You can down load a rkill program to a USB from another computer to kill the process also. I advise anyone if they don't believe to research this. It is a sucky scam.


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## poppameth

MSE is not a scam. There are plenty of scams out there if you are not careful in your browsing habits and fall victim to one. But the legitimate MSE is not one of them.


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## ianc435

poppameth said:


> MSE is not a scam. There are plenty of scams out there if you are not careful in your browsing habits and fall victim to one. But the legitimate MSE is not one of them.


Yeah mse is a good one but there is one viscious imitaion out there. Locks up eveything you can't even access the internet to diagnose or combat it. This type of scam should be illegal and the pieces of crap that made thhem should gomto jail forevere.


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## poppameth

It is illegal. Most of this stuff comes from outside the US where there isn't much we can do about it anyway though.


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## ianc435

poppameth said:


> It is illegal. Most of this stuff comes from outside the US where there isn't much we can do about it anyway though.


I hate bad people.


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## polarzak

Another good free one is AVIRA. I tried Avast but preferred Avira.
And in my opinion Norton IS a virus.:furious:


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## ianc435

polarzak said:


> Another good free one is AVIRA. I tried Avast but preferred Avira.
> And in my opinion Norton IS a virus.:furious:


Its funny you said that, norton would not let me install an update for itself once. I thought that was funny, and stopped using the product.


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## it help

Panda is really good to

I have used avast and panda they are both good anti virus software. Nortthen and macfee..I have had nothing but problems and they take up so much memory.

Panda is orginated from europe and since they are ahead of us, they get informed w. The latest virus updates. Part of the reason is that they create majority of the virouses everyone is faced w. Now a days..


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## Jim F

Norton is a huge ripoff. It did not protect my PC. When I asked for support they wanted me to pay for their help to get rid of the virus their product did not protect against. I had to take it to a shop and pay to have it removed. The shop installed Trend which is less than half the price of Norton and will cover 3 other computers.


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## Zyzzx85

My resources for these types of questions are BOTH:
www.techsupportalert.com
www.Makeuseof.com

Hope this helps.


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## del schisler

kwikfishron said:


> Well then, what will?


If you know about your registry and can go in their and you will find lot's of norton left in their. Also lot's of other junk you can get out of their. Now don't go in their if you don't understand the registry and how it work's . Get some one that know's. I go in their all the time been around these for 20 or so yrs. good luck


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## Xen

Microsoft Security Essentials is all you need and it's free from Microsoft. No antivirus is full proof, the best way to stay safe is safe browsing and knowing what you are doing.


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## get-r-done

I prefer ESET NOD32 been using it for years, never got a virus and have never even needed to disable it during certain software installs as I did w/norton.

Norton must be disabled during many software installs and if you don't know this who knows what one may do to fix it.

Unfortunately you must purchase ESET NOD32!! One warning there renewal process is a night mare the have more login names and passwords that the pope had pills.


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## SirGSS

As with get-r-done, I've personally been a fan of ESET's NOD32 for a long time. However, a friend of mine who owns a computer repair shop swore up and down to me that Avast is better. Seeing as I know he knows his stuff, and he formerly was a NOD32 advocate, I'm inclined to say that Avast is probably the better choice.

In any event, I've not had a virus in years, both under NOD32 and Avast. At the very least, I can say they're both solid products. But Norton.. Yeah, no. Norton is a waste of time, I think.


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## poppameth

NOD32 is still better. But Avast is free and for a home user it's generally plenty good.


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## trav2001

I used Avast for a long time and loved it myself. Switched to MS Security Essentials about 6 months ago and I'm liking it even better.


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## poppameth

I've tried MSE on a couple customer computers. I do like the simplicity of it. It's a set and forget style solution that doesn't require much from the user. It also has some of the best malware detection out there. My main problems with it are that it doesn't update but about once a day so you don't have as frequent updates to your virus signatures, and my big complaint is that it is ridiculously slow at scanning. If you have to do a full system scan with it you'd better set aside several hours. I recently did a full system scan on a relatively new PC for customer with it. They didn't even have that much on the hard drive. It took 8 hours for a full scan.


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## Hourglass52

*Protection*

I am not a computer wiz, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn last night.

On my laptop I opened a visitor account. On the visitor account I have, MalwareBytes, and Microsoft Security essentials installed. I got around a nasty virus by using the visitor account. Both programs are free although I did buy the Malwarebytes.

Bob


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## trav2001

If i understand this correctly, MSE is a all-in-one app and should not be run with other apps like malwarebytes and such. It has conflicts with each other and allows more virues into the PC because neither is protecting to its full potential...i maybe wrong tho.


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## Hourglass52

*Antivirus7*



Hourglass52 said:


> I am not a computer wiz, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn last night.
> 
> On my laptop I opened a visitor account. On the visitor account I have, MalwareBytes, and Microsoft Security essentials installed. I got around a nasty virus by using the visitor account. Both programs are free although I did buy the Malwarebytes.
> 
> Bob


The virus I got around was Antivirus 7


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## poppameth

MSE is an all-in-one but you can run other programs with it like MBAM and SAS. Just don't install another active virus scanner along side it. Two active scanners at once is an issue.


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## LarryCo

LIL (last in line for those that don't know) Any anti-virus program is as good as it's last update, meaning if you don't keep it up to date then don't bother running it. More importantly, be careful where you go on the web, stay away from pron sites and don't install free programs you're not sure of. Also, pay attention to programs you install. Don't just click through their prompts, alot of them install search engines or other goodies you don't need or want.

Personally, I use MSSE, Microsoft Security Essentials, I keep it up to date daily and it has served me quite well. I refuse to pay to pay for protection but then I'm a bit savvy about how to protect my computer. Just be sure to go into Settings tab and set it to scan daily and be sure the check box for 'Check for the lates virus & spyware definitions before running a scheduled scan is checked. Should be the first check box you can check in the 'Settings tab'.


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## get-r-done

I"ll back Ant on that!! I've been using it for years now!!

You gotta view the new state of the Art Tool Belts and Suspenders!!

http://www.workingbelt.com
GetRDone


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## Komadori

I'm in the same boat as others here. Used AVG for a long time, but switched to Avast about a year ago. I like it much better than any other protection I've used.the only complaint I've had (from my wife - I actually don't mind it) is that the notification that the software has been updated is loud and startling. That's pretty minor in the scheme of things.

As far as security, I've had no complaints.


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## poppameth

Check your options in Avast. The voice effect can be turned off and the other sounds can be turned off as well.


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