This post was originally posted on Debiprasad’s Techno Expressions
Many friends often ask me, “I have (oops… my system) infected by a virus”, “Hey, tell me good Antivirus”, “I got a new PC, give me all good (they call it good, I say essentials) software you have”… so on. As I am helpful in nature, end up with spending some time to guide them step by step to fix there issue. They why should not I write about this? So here it is.
A good Antivirus
A good Antivirus is an essential part of your healthy PC. What are the basics of a good Antivirus then? In my opinion,
- It should use less resource as it need to run in the background always for residential protection, so that when any known virus tries to get into the system, it can restrict
- It should update its virus database frequently so that it can know which is a virus as soon as possible
- Can able to delete or move to chest (jail ;^) ) any virus,
- Can able to remove the virus from memory, even before booting completes (boot time scan)
Avast
From the above mentioned points, I consider Avast 4.8 Home Edition is good for me and most of the other people. The advantages are:
- It’s free for personal use
- Uses very less resource as compared to the big guys in this field
- Automatically updates it’s virus database more than once daily (Your system need to be connected to internet for this), for those don’t have internet connection, can download updates for Avast.com and run in there system
- Scans your system completely, having residential protection and on access scanner (scans every file upon read and write)
- Having a boot time scan features which cleans all the virus who run while system startup
It has only one disadvantage is that you can’t schedule scan, but I never felt it’s necessity in my use.
How to start using Avast?
- Go to avast.com and download Avast 4.8 Home Edition from this page.
- Remove all other Antivirus installed in your system.
- Install Avast Antivirus. If your system is not connected to the Internet or network, then you can customize the installation by not installing Instant Messaging, Internet Mail, Network Shield, Outlook/Exchange, P2P Shield and Web Shield. Only Standard Shield is enough. So that it’ll use less resource. Else go by default settings.
- While installing it, one option will come to schedule boot time scan. Say yes to it, and while rebooting your system it will scan your system, this way it cleans many worms and virus from many systems. This is an most important step.
- While boot time scan, it often shows that some virus or worm is in windows folder, and asks for confirmation to delete. Don’t mind, delete it without any worries. This often happens with worms of Brontok family.
- Get your 1 yr free registration key from this url. You can renew it after 1 yr, for free.
- Open avast and enter the registration key on the starting screen.
Updating Avast
It updates itself very frequently (more than once a day), if the system is connected to the Internet. Otherwise go to this url and download update and run it in your system, it very easy and convenient as compared to some other Antivirus. You should do this as often as you can (I suggest download it whenever you go to Internet cafe), not less than once a month.
My experience with Avast
I came to know about it from Digit magazine. After some months they provided it in their CD. Before that I have tried some other free Antiviruses including AVG. Then I tried Avast once and never looked back. Then some friends told me that they are infected and I installed Avast in their systems and removed thousands of virus, worms, Trojans from their system. Some also started calling me as virus killer. Rahul, one of my best friends become such a big fan of Avast that he remembered the license key of Avast (The fun fact is that, he remembered my license key and forgot his). Another friend Subhendu started calling it as Agasti for fun. If I could add all the number of virus I removed from all the systems, it would be in some lac. I am using Avast since 2005 and never got infected. If any more information needed, then please post a comment here.
Image credit: Fickr – Amber B McN – Vinnie the Virus and Mini-Vinnie
Leave a Reply