Hey up kids! Mr B now has a Windoze pooter* (mercifully upgraded from the steaming turd that is 8.1 to the desktop-friendly v7), and consequently has to deal with the joys of the interwebz Neanderthals.

So what are you hep cats using to protect your pooter's innards from viruses and the like? I'm really looking for effective rather than free, although I think a reasonable AV suite should be available for less than 50 drinking tokens. 

This pooter came with Norton Internet Security bundled with it, but it has less-than-top performance reviews. And besides I'm always wary of bundled software, since quality is less of a driver for the manufacturers than the kick-backs.

I installed F-Secure demo, but it kept nagging me to upgrade, which is bad manners when only 1 day into a 30 day trial so I showed it the door.

Currently I have Kaspersky trial installed, but Bitdefender might be a better option. And then there's NOD32, which doesn't seem to get reviewed or compared, so I've no idea how that compares.

Oh, it's all so much easier when using an OS that no one gives a shit about.

* only for work, not enjoyment

Avast free seems to do the job and it is *free*.

Microsoft Security Essentials. Free, lightweight and effective.

Isn't that like recommending a Ford fire extinguisher for a Pinto, or a Chevy seatbelt for a Corvair?

Thanks. But I read that although Avast is the best of the free AV, it isn't as good as some of the paid-for versions. As I noted in the OP, I'm more interested in effective than free.

Thanks Dan. For some reason I was under the impression that MSE was limited in W7 compared to W8, but I may have got confused with Windows Defender. Or something else.

But MSE doesn't seem to be doing too well in terms of protection: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Security_Essentials

Ah. Send me your credit card # for a professional consultation.

Last time I looked into this MSE was best avoided.

All the free options seem to have annoying pop ups. Bit Defender (I think) always seems to come top in the various tests.

I use NOD32 Antivirus (not their Smart Security), have done for 6 years (or more). I like it because compared to other paid antivirus it sits there quietly, preferring not to bug you endlessly and doesn't stick it's branding everywhere it can (Looking at you McAfee).

Instead it just gets on with the job it's designed to do without trying to get too clever or overwhelm with extra needless functionality. When it needs to tell you about an infection it does so in an easy to understand way, showing a native-looking Windows dialog with easy to pick choices, not some confangled counter-intuitive brand heavy UI like others do.

It seems lately that Antivirus applications are competing to see who can bolt the most shit on to your OS, including browser toolbars and extras like anti-spyware and anti-spam filters and anti-this-that-and-other. Many of them even alter (and sometimes break) the functionality of other applications without telling you, which is fucking annoying to unpick (still looking at you McAfee). NOD32 does none of this, it runs in the system-tray and mines it's own business.

I agree with HermannD.  Microsoft Security Essentials works fine for me.  I burrow about in the darker corners of the interweb on a regular basis, and MSE has always picked up on bad shit and rarely identifies a false positive (I intermittently install other ones for their free period to double check)

Thanks Matt. I seem to have noticed pages opening slower since I've installed some of this stuff. I like the idea of NOD32's unobtrusiveness. One to check methinks.

"I burrow about in the darker corners of the interweb on a regular basis"

Why am I not surprised by this?

Used to use AVG but it got over-bloated so switched to MSE. No problems, but then again it isn't until malware is missed and it starts messing up your system that you wish you used a different product. Mind you I suppose no products 100% effective all the time, so MSE might miss something that Avast picks up and vice-versa.

I think having regular back-ups going back a week or so at least is more important should something go wrong.

Ahh, yes, backups. That's the other thing I need to work on. But backup is so boring, isn't it? (until you need it, that is)

I use NOD 32 as well and as Matt says, you pretty much just install it then ignore it. Works for me.

I have been leaning towards Bit Defender for all my free AV needs.  Seems light and ranks really good.

Last I heard MSE was about the worst of the heap.  I used to recommend it all the time, my thinking was who would know how to protect Windows better than MS?  Turns out it's some other company!

I've had not problems with it so far.  Cross fingers.

I can't say I've had problems with it, but the people who test these types of things say it's pretty shit.  I got the attached information from this site.  The only thing MSE did well was not wrongly block files.  I think that's because it lets pretty much anything execute! :)  Anyway, I just wanted everyone to have this info, makes not to me what people use as long as I'm not the poor bastard that has to clean it up!

*Well wtf? I guess Matt's chosen a more stringent AV here at Teh!  It won't even let me attach pictures!  I shall remedy this shortly! 

Ah, ok then... here is what I was trying to show you! :)






This is easily fixed by going here!