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Do I need to get anti virus protection if I now have Windows 7

Last response: in Windows 7
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Windows 7 Expert

Hello,

ABSOLUTELY!!! You need a good antivirus program on your Win-7 machine that is connected to the Internet.

There are commercial programs like McAfee antivirus and Norton Antivirus or Internet Security, and free programs like AVG Antivirus, or the relatively new Microsoft Security Essentials.

http://www.microsoft.com/security/pc-security/mse.aspx

Win-7 has a built in bidirectional Firewall, and Windows Defender to protect you from other malware, as well as the monthly download of 'Malicious Software Remover', but a good antivirus program is a very important part of safe computing.
Windows 7 Authority

Free and all run on windows 7

Antivirus and Antispyware


* Microsoft Security Essentials
http://www.microsoft.com/security/pc-security/mse.aspx

* Avast Free Antivirus
http://www.avast.com/free-antivirus-download

* AVG Anti-Virus Free
http://free.avg.com/us-en/download-avg-anti-virus-free

* Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Free
http://www.malwarebytes.org/products/malwarebytes_free

* Superantispyware Free Edition
http://www.superantispyware.com/index.html

* Panda Cloud Antivirus
http://www.cloudantivirus.com/en/

* Avira AntiVir Personal
http://www.avira.com/en/avira-free-antivirus

* Outpost Internet Security Suite
http://free.agnitum.com/

* Spyware Blaster
http://www.filehippo.com/download_spywareblaster/

* Spybot Search & Destroy
http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/index.html

* PC Tools Antivirus FREE 2011
http://www.pctools.com/free-antivirus/
Related ressources
Ask the community

Honestly if you dont look you porn sites or download weird files you dont need to worry about viruses. i have a virus system but it too up too much ram from my games so i dont use it too often but i do scan every month or so. I havent gotten a virus for may be 5 years and ive used the internet almost every day and my computers have never been cleaner =D

if you ask me 99% of all antivirus products behave like virus's and spyware these days - take norton for example (installed on more then half of new laptops):

* It asks to be updated
* It slows your system down
* It asks you to pay some money for "renewal"
* It bugs you and drives you mad

Doesnt that sounds more like spyware and virus's? Whats the difference??



I agree with shieldhead, and i dont bother with a/v products, id rather 100% performance and a small risk (well thats actually BS i never get virus's - awareness is the best protection from virus's/spyware etc) of getting a virus then crap performance and some lame product telling me im safe when in reality its the same just a slower system.

Products like AVG are rubbish, scanning every day, for WHAT? something it missed WHEN ITS BEEN RUNNING THE WHOLE TIME? Do they not trust there own product to pick something the first time?

Avast is more like a stupid toy i dont need sounds and colour on my a/v product and some bs GUI - same goes for norton, trend etc

Trend's new TITANIUM product on 50% of the systems its on doesnt want to install ( mostly crappy XP's problem) or it just quits randomly for no reason - great product that is.

Kaspersky.... seems to work ok, then again to activate it is too much for a customer to handle rather then entering a simple key to use the product

Malware bytes and spybot, spyware blaster, superantispyware comeon one antivirus/security product on your system is enough, when theres 2+ its just stupid - dont even bother

Its all gay, seriously get educated about what to avoid and you will be fine, get some experience.

I'd advise about getting some AV and anti-malware. I'd also advise not running as the administrator on your computer.

Being careful and aware does help, but there are many ways to get infected besides just surfing to shady sites. Viruses have been known to be attached to legitimate sites as well...even if for only a few seconds or minutes before they are taken down.

I will agree that AV uses some resources, but honestly, those resources are pretty plentiful nowadays.

If you want to be secure, why not browse in a Linux VM (or even a Windows VM)? If it gets infected, blow it away and start again...
Windows 7 Expert

It all depends on how you use your computer and how experienced you are. I personally do not use a resident anti-virus program on Windows 7 as the operating system is quite good at defending itself from viruses. However I do use the FREE version of Malwarebytes anti virus software to scan (on demand) files I am not sure about and as it is not resident it does not cause any performance hit on your comnputer.

I only install a Anti virus once in a while to do a scan and then I uninstall it. I think the advantage of a expensive paid suite vs a free option is not enough to justify its price and hit in resources on your system. Less is more in my opinion. If users would spend as much time learning how to avoid malware by avoiding those free movie downloads from torrent sites and files from unverified sites. You would avoid so much of the malware out there.

I totally agree. This whole antivirus software arena is a scam. I own 9 computers in my office and store and for 19 years I have not had a problem. Guess what, I also have 4 employees using these computers. BUT there is a 0 tolerance policy in place on what to not do with our computers. So it is ALL in how you use your computers. This antivirus software garbage hoging resources and constantly interfearing with my computing experiance is a no no. I am living proof that you do not need it if you educate yourself a little bit and if you do not have to have everything somebody else tells you you should get/download onto your computer. Oh yes I am not ignorant. I do use online scanners when I suspect something. I do stay on top of that but not every day are you kidding me? once every 2 months every machine gets scanned. It works.
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