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  • Recommend Virus Protection Software for XP
6/1/2014
WDI
OK, so I have a XP machine that still runs good and does what I need it to do. It's always been very good.
 
Today I turn it on with a big warning from Microsoft stating XP is no longer supported and Microsoft Security Essentials will no longer protect my machine. Crap! I knew support for XP was ending sometime but it never dawned on me MSE would be shut off. 
 
MSE has been great in the fact that I never thought about it, guess it was doing it's job as I have never gotten a virus and seemed to be processor friendly as it never seemed to bog down my machine. Which is the opposite of my experience with when I previously used Norton and then Zone Alarm before using MSE.
 
Does anyone have any virus protection software recommendations that are comparable to MSE? Free would be nice, but I would obviously pay for something that worked good, does not get in the way and is not processor intensive.
 
Sorry, but I used to keep up with this stuff. But not anymore. I'm so lazy when it comes to PC maintenance now a days.
6/2/2014
slartabartfast
AVG free still supports XP and is one of the most highly recommended of the free AV's.
http://free.avg.com/us-en/platforms
 
6/2/2014
Mesh
I've used MSE for quite a few years and do like it as well. However, I got Webroot_SecureAnywhere and I am extremely pleased with it. For the tiny amount of space it takes on my PC, it does an impressive job in protection. Like MSE, it runs in the background without any disturbances.
 
Fry's has it for $9.99 until June 5th.
http://www.frys.com/product/7815709?source=google&gclid=CjkKEQjwwbCcBRCxvJn9-N6dorwBEiQAVriOinuCtWNFoAn6flqEowvKnk6IcgqdQg2yZs6dbdEnlbfw_wcB
 
6/2/2014
spacealf
I am using free Avira which is also on my XP machine, but I have not upgraded it on that machine for a while now. It works fine, but you have to updated it every day and while it never interferes and is updated on my Windows 7 computer, I have yet to see if it will update since XP demise from Microsoft. Usually that means that a new computer is needed (but with Windows 8 or 8.1 or whatever it is now) but at least Windows 7 life is still till 2020 and all that can be found by doing a search at Microsoft's website.
Service life of an OS.
But with me I do not need to get on the Internet or anything with my XP computer, I use Windows 7 for that, but still I will have to see if the program updates. Usually programs have to be written for an OS because of new CPUs and other hardware during the years into the future. That is why old programs (or games) only work for the OS they were programmed for and compatibility mode does not mean that any program will run with a newer OS. That is just the way that it is. So that means that a program may not keep XP support anymore. Last time I did update on my XP machine with Avira, I think it downloaded 180 files but then all of it downloaded and upgraded and everything worked fine but that was before the end of life from Microsoft. It would be a few months later now, and I have not convinced myself that I need to update anything in XP just use it and not be on the Internet with it. But there are still a lot of people in the world using XP and businesses so will the expense to a new computer be necessary? That, that is always the question when the OS company announces the end of life for an OS.
 
 
 
6/3/2014
WDI
Thanks for the replies. Much appreciated!
 
I have not chosen an antivirus program yet. I was leaning towards Bit Defender as it sounded like a minimalist approach to the interface and configuration. Then I would try AVG but it looks like the most recent reviewers were complaining about bloat. If both fail I'll try webroot.
6/11/2014
DRanck
+1 on AVG
6/26/2014
ohgrant
I use to recommend AVG, but last couple of years, started getting repeating infestations from folks with common browsing habits.  Now for XP I recommend a combination of the free versions of Avast, and spybot search and destroy for real time protection. I also like to keep and run a monthly malwarebytes scan.  
6/26/2014
batsbrew
i use Avast.
 
works well.
 
6/26/2014
Ruben
If you check out some of the web sites that compare antivirus programs, you'll find that Bit Defender is consistently a top performer for free programs. Avast also rates well. I would stay away from AVG, its gotten too bloated and doesn't rate as well as the other two. And Microsoft did you a favor with MSE. ;-)
7/15/2014
outland144k
I've been using Norton and it's kept out of my way nicely. Years ago, I had it and quit it in favor of ESET (which worked very well), but after two years, I went back to Norton and haven't been sorry.
 
Check the Maximum PC magazine site for a comparison of antivirus s/w.
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