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Good antivirus program?

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Diocide

Technical User
Dec 1, 2005
6
US
Can anyone recommend a good antivrus program with up to date definitions, that doesn't think it owns your computer. I want a good AV program JUST for manually scanning files, NO auto-protect nothing but just manually scanning files. I only want the program to open WHEN i open it and only then, i DO NOT want it to open any other processes, just the main program when i open it, and it completely closes when i close it. also i would like it if it has the right click feature that says scan file like in norton, whenever you right click a file. if it doesn't have that feature can someone tell me how to make that, because im pretty sure thats just adding "open with" to the right click tab. Thanks.
 
If you want to keep the Anti-Virus solution as far away as possible with minimal intrusion on your system, then use an online scanner such as those from Symantec or PandaSoftware. However, these won't provide the right click functionality you are asking for.

If I remember Norton correctly, it is almost as bad as a destructive infection itself - very invasive and consumes plenty of computer resources.. with limited ability to configure it to do what you want. It may have changed as I've not used it since about 2000/2001. However most other desktop virus scanning utilities (maybe even Norton) provide the option to turn off the on-access scanning and other security features. I use a variety of security technologies, though my main antivirus is McAffe (Entperprise edition) which allows me to turn of most of the features if I so desired.

However, if you're not going to use all the usual features and only want to scan 1 file at a time, then why not use a free service like: - or a free desktop edition like:
If you're going to have VirusScan software at all (and this is for a normal home PC) then I would recommend leaving the on-access scan feature enabled - it only takes 1 file that you forget to scan for your computer to be trashed.

Anyway, hope that helps.

A smile is worth a thousand kind words. So smile, it's easy! :)
 
It does exactly what you have asked for, no more, no less (I lie, you can schedule updates and scans).

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-No tiengo caballero, but I have un briquet.
 

Personally at home I've been using AVG's free version. free.grisoft.com. It is free, and easily configured.

I've not tried to configure it as you specify, but it has been much better at obeying my requests than Symantec or Norton ever were.

I have heard others echo Trevoke's recommendation to the Windows port of ClamAV. As I remember though, the windows port of it is not available in binary form from ClamAV folks. Personally I would hesitate to trust a binary from an unknown source for a task such as AV scanning.

Heck, you could just route all your files through one of the free email services that comes with free virus scanning.
 
you can use housecall online if you want to do ondemand scans... plus nothing to install (uses IE plugins)
 
The problem with the ones that are online scans is i use Mozilla and have uninstalled IE. most of those online scans dont have mozilla suport. Thanks for the replys ill check these programs out.
 
I am also a big proponent of AVG Free edition. But I think it is limited to private use.

It has a built in scanner, updater, scheduler and a few other features but as I remember you can use their control panel to disable or reconfigure these devices.

It has a very low overhead too: 3 processes totalling about 3k in memory. (and that is with the auto scanner thingy enabled).

Robert Carpenter
"Disobedience to conscience is voluntary; bad poetry, on the other hand, is usually not made on purpose." - C.S. Lewis (Preface to Paradise Lost)
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Agree with Trevote. WINCLAM av will do what it says on the tin, its opensource, small footprint and works. But is only suitable for basic manual scanning.

Most threats are now blended and require AV and Spyware detection. If you are a home user I suggest:

Avast AV, there is a free for home user version, its more comprehensive than Clamwin, but very effective and does not take over control of your pc like Norton.


If your are a business user / corporate I would suggest sonicwall ASAP AV or McAfee ASAP.
 
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