Greetings! If you are looking for a free alternative AntiVirus app, and are not finding AVG viable, try www.comodo.com. I have the tenants in one of my homes using it, and thus far used in conjunction with Spybot in Resident Mode they have not had any issues. Of course, just because they have not had any evidence of attacks on their PCs does not mean the Comodo/Spybot approach has been working, as things may have gotten through undetected <g>. But, thus far there have been no symptoms of attacks since installing Comodo/Spybot. Previously they ran AVG, and they did get attacked. During a recent visit to SoCal I cleaned the PCs up for them using SpySweeper, CA AntiSpyware, Spybot and Ad-Aware. They did not want to spend the $ for Norton AntiVirus for 2 PCs, AVG did not protect them to their satisfaction, so I went the Comodo/Spybot route.
For a more mainstream alternative I recommend and use Symantec Corporate AntiVirus 10.x (SAV). Configured correctly you can eliminate the performance problems found with the default setup (same for Norton AntiVirus, but NAV will not run on Windows Server class PCs). Do not get the SAV Small Business (SMB) version, go for Corporate or Value edition. Price ought to be the same between versions (actually less than the Norton AntiVirus version from Symantec!). The "SMB" version requires a license key file on each client PC, whereas the Value/Corporate version does not require any silly annually updated license key files on the PCs (Server or Client PC). Properly configured I find SAV offers great protection, tremendous Tech Support, minimal performance impedance and can be had for less per PC than the retail Norton AntiVirus solution. The SAV "Server" does not have to be a Windows Server class PC. I have SAV Server software running on a Windows 2000 Pro machine for one client. Nor does using SAV require you to even have a SAV Server PC to oversee and manage the other PCs on a network. But, having a PC used as the SAV Server allows you to configure, monitor and manage all PCs (Windows Server or Client O/Ses) on a network from a single "Symantec System Center" application. Very slick, and once you figure out the ins & outs of configuring the system you will love it. Also, you do not need or want to install the optional Servers for Centralized Updates, or their Rollout Tools. Unless you are running SAV for hundreds of PCs (like 500+), just let each PC hit the symantec.com site for their updates. SAV will run on either Server or Client class PCs with Windows 2000, 2003 or XP. Version 10.x will not run on NT4, 98, ME or earlier O/Ses, but the predecessor v-9.x will. Symantec will let you download v-9.x for Win 98, ME or NT machines under your v-10.x license. You may need to call Tech Support for that, although my 10.x packages included a SAV v-9.0 CD for legacy Windows O/S versions. And on a SAV "Server" the Symantec System Center can be configured to manage any other PCs running SAV v-7.6 or later IF it is configured correctly (my documentation covers that, see below). If you do go for the Symantec AntiVirus app there are some settings you need to configure to maximize your performance. I put together a document with Screen Shots that show the various settings I found help prevent the software from impeding performance, and yet offer tremendous protection. The documentation covers version 10.0.1. There are several slightly later releases on the market now, still of the v-10.x vintage. There may be slight differences with these newer versions, and my documentation should still offer some good info. But YMMV as compared to those versions and my documentation. One place you can get SAV for reasonable is where I purchase license for myself and clients at Amdex Computers (Ask for Ed O'Brien) at 585-321-2840, tell him Gil Hale referred you (no kickback, but I like him to know I am beating the bushes for him, he is an honorable person). Or you can go to www.buycheapsoftware.com. You can snag my Symantec Corporate AntiVirus documentation at: gilhale.dnsalias.com If using an ftp Client app, be certain Passive ftp mode is OFF. Log on as an anonymous user If you are using IE make certain "allow ftp views" is ON, and "Passive Mode" is OFF, in the IE Advanced Internet Options screen. Connect using ftp://gilhale.dnsalias.com, which logs you on as an anonymous user. Navigate to the "SymantecAntiVirusInstallationDocumentation" directory and download the file named "SymantecAntiVirusInstallationDocumentation.zip", or download each non-Zip file individually if you prefer. My documentation is more geared to upgrading from v-9.x to 10.x, but you will find it is a good guide to follow for an initial v-10.x installation anyway. Good Luck! Gil > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of George > Sent: Monday, December 04, 2006 6:42 AM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: An Alternative to Norton ... Suggestions Please > > > I recently upgraded my Norton anti virus to the 2007 version. Big > mistake (for my box anyway) as it keeps going into “Do Nothing” mode. > > It seems a program named AppSvc32.exe (part of Norton) keeps sucking up > 75 to 98 percent of the CPU. The only way I've found to get out of it is > to reboot. The box is basically useless now. I don't think I can afford > this much protection! > > There must be something better out there. What are other folks using > with satisfaction? > > TIA, George > > > > [excessive quoting removed by server] _______________________________________________ Post Messages to: ProFox@leafe.com Subscription Maintenance: http://leafe.com/mailman/listinfo/profox OT-free version of this list: http://leafe.com/mailman/listinfo/profoxtech ** All postings, unless explicitly stated otherwise, are the opinions of the author, and do not constitute legal or medical advice. This statement is added to the messages for those lawyers who are too stupid to see the obvious.
