 multiple anti virus programs |
Welcome Guest ( Log In | Click here to Register a free account now! )
Register a free account to unlock additional features at BleepingComputer.com
Welcome to Bleeping Computer, a free community where people like yourself come together to discuss and learn how to use their computers. Using the site is easy and fun. As a guest, you can browse and view the various discussions in the forums, but can not create a new topic or reply to an existing one unless you are logged in. Other benefits of registering an account are subscribing to topics and forums, creating a blog, and having no ads shown anywhere on the site.  |
 Nov 20 2009, 06:15 PM
Post
#1
|
|
|
New Member  Group: Members Posts: 5 Joined: 13-November 09 From: toronto Member No.: 402,706  |
symantec and avg free can this be the source of its insanity? how many anti virus programs are good to run at the same time which one should I remove? if any Edit: Moved topic from XP to the more appropriate forum. ~ Animal |
 |
 
|
| The weatherman |
Nov 20 2009, 06:35 PM
Post
#2
|
|
Guests |
You should only use one anti virus program, I would dump the symantec to be honest, it's a bit of a system hog.
I have used Avast for a long time and have had no cause for complaint at all. There is a tutorial here at Bleeping Computer if you would like to take a look. How to Install, Configure, and Use Avast Antivirus. |
|
|
|
|
Nov 20 2009, 07:31 PM
Post
#3
|
|
 To INSANITY and BEYOND !! Group: Moderator Posts: 25,444 Joined: 10-September 04 From: NJ USA Member No.: 2,608 |
Also to completely Remove your symantec program run.... Download and run the Norton Removal Tool
-------------------- How do I get help? Who is helping me?
Staying Updated Calendar of Updates. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.... Become a BleepingComputer fan: Facebook |
|
|
|
|
Nov 21 2009, 09:10 AM
Post
#4
|
|
 Bleepin' Janitor Group: Global Moderator Posts: 19,389 Joined: 9-July 05 From: Virginia, USA Member No.: 26,513 |
Using more than one anti-virus program is not advisable. The primary concern with doing so is due to conflicts that can arise when they are running in real-time mode simultaneously and issues with Windows resource management. Even when one of them is disabled for use as a stand-alone scanner, it can affect the other. Anti-virus software components insert themselves into the operating systems core and using more than one can cause instability, crash your computer, slow performance and waste system resources. When actively running in the background while connected to the Internet, they both may try to update their definition databases at the same time. As the programs compete for resources required to download the necessary files this often can result in sluggish system performance or unresponsive behavior.
Each anti-virus may interpret the activity of the other as malicious behavior and there is a greater chance of them alerting you to a "False Positive". If one finds a virus or a suspicious file and then the other also finds the same, both programs will be competing over exclusive rights on dealing with that virus or suspicious file. Each anti-virus may attempt to remove the offending file and quarantine it at the same time resulting in a resource management issue as to which program gets permission to act first. If one anit-virus finds and quarantines the file before the other one does, then you encounter the problem of both wanting to scan each other's zipped or archived files and each reporting the other's quarantined contents. This can lead to a repetitive cycle of endless alerts that continually warn you that a virus has been found when that is not the case. Anti-virus scanners use virus definitions to check for malware and these can include a fragment of the virus code which may be recognized by other anti-virus programs as the virus itself. Because of this, most anti-virus programs encrypt their definitions so that they do not trigger a false alarm when scanned by other security programs. Other vendors do not encrypt their definitions and they can trigger false alarms when detected by the resident anti-virus. Further, dual installation is not always possible because most of the newer anti-virus programs will detect the presence of others and may insist they be removed prior to download and installation of another. Nonetheless, to avoid these problems, use only one anti-virus solution. Deciding which one to remove is your choice. Be aware that you may lose your subscription to that anti-virus program's virus definitions once you uninstall that software. Anti-virus vendors recommend that you install and run only one anti-virus program at a time I have to agree with The weatherman and boopme. Although Symantec (Norton) is as good as any other well known anti-virus program, it is known to be a resource hog that can slow down your system and affect performance. The program requires numerous services and running processes that consume a lot of system resources and often results in complaints of high CPU usage. -------------------- "THE BAD GUYS DON'T NEED A SEARCH WARRANT. ARE YOU PROTECTED?"
Microsoft MVP - Windows Security 2007-2010  Member of UNITE, Unified Network of Instructors and Trusted Eliminators |
|
|
|
|
Nov 21 2009, 10:05 AM
Post
#5
|
|
|
New Member Group: Members Posts: 5 Joined: 13-November 09 From: toronto Member No.: 402,706 |
QUOTE(The weatherman @ Nov 20 2009, 06:35 PM)  You should only use one anti virus program, I would dump the symantec to be honest, it's a bit of a system hog. I have used Avast for a long time and have had no cause for complaint at all. There is a tutorial here at Bleeping Computer if you would like to take a look. How to Install, Configure, and Use Avast Antivirus. Thank you both for such quick input is avast and avg the same thing? |
|
|
|
|
Nov 21 2009, 10:23 AM
Post
#6
|
|
|
To INSANITY and BEYOND !! Group: Moderator Posts: 25,444 Joined: 10-September 04 From: NJ USA Member No.: 2,608 |
They are both Antivirus applications,but 2 diifferent companies.
-------------------- How do I get help? Who is helping me?
Staying Updated Calendar of Updates. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.... Become a BleepingComputer fan: Facebook |
|
|
|
|
Nov 21 2009, 12:05 PM
Post
#7
|
|
|
New Member Group: Members Posts: 5 Joined: 13-November 09 From: toronto Member No.: 402,706 |
I've removed symantec
thx for link things seem to be quicker still a little flicker in curser am looking out for glitches so i'll stick with avg for now and continue therapy |
|
|
|
|
1 User(s) are reading this topic (1 Guests and 0 Anonymous Users)
0 Members:
| Lo-Fi Version | Time is now: 19th March 2010 - 02:30 AM |
© 2003-2010 All Rights Reserved Bleeping Computer LLC.