This is a copy of something I posted on a games forum, but the point of my question is still in there …
As modern games are VERY processor/memory intensive, AND being an artist I work on CG rather regularly, I need anti-viral software with a very low cpu/memory footprint, and/or able to COMPLETELY shut it down easily such that it leaves nothing in memory. I want intensive apps to have full access to all of my computer’s capabilities.
Been offline for awhile, and used to use AVG and liked it, but the new version eats over 300megs while running(I’ve only got a gig, so with xp+avg, over half my memory was unavailble without HEAVY swapfile use), and is nigh impossible to completely shut down, so I’ve uninstalled it. Now looking for something that actually fits my needs.
Any recommendations?
@pappy – looks interesting. And while I AM all for open-source software, I’m a little hesitant to use open-source anti-virus sw. Seems it would be too easy to bypass as such.
@Uncle Entity – thanks, but linux only it appears. I use win xp. i like linux, and have it on one of my boxes, but xp plays the games i want …
@hessiess – that’s where i’m currently at, but i DO want to prevent people from getting into my machine or hacking it thru web-pages i visit as well. but if it comes down to it, i’ll go ‘the old fashioned way’ as you suggest.
also heard about Comodo on another forum i asked this, and it looks promising. waiting to hear back from them about my complete shutdown requirement before i try it.
that’s where i’m currently at, but i DO want to prevent people from getting into my machine or hacking it thru web-pages i visit as well. but if it comes down to it, i’ll go ‘the old fashioned way’ as you suggest.
Using Linux also bypasses almost all of the common security problems, though as you are a gamer that wouldent be an option for you. Most of the sccurit problems with windows stem from the fact that its a multi user os which was created by nailing functionality onto a single user os, basically the architecture is fundamentally broken. Newer versions like Vista and 7 are a lot beater on this front, but the only way to truly fix the problem would be a complete braking of backwards compatibility.
There is a Clam version for Windows called ClamWin, but until they add realtime monitoring like the others, I wouldn’t recommend it.
I used to use Avast! Anti-Virus, which I would highly recommend. It’s pretty out-of-the-way and doesn’t suck up a lot of resources.
Right now I’m using Microsoft Security Essentials. I put it through some tests and boy does it work. I don’t know of its compatibility with Windows XP, but it’s worth checking out.
Any other free ones out there like Antivir and a few others I wouldn’t recommend, no matter how good they might be, due to their in-your-face nature or consistent “upgrade to get the best protection today!” pop-ups and such.
Other measures to take are to use Adblock Plus with Firefox and go do a search for Spybot Search & Destroy for a free anti-spyware solution. If you install that, don’t let it install TeaTimer. That bugger is pretty pointless these days.
@pappy – looks interesting. And while I AM all for open-source software, I’m a little hesitant to use open-source anti-virus sw. Seems it would be too easy to bypass as such.
I didn’t just pull the idea of Clam out of my butt. And yes, it does not scan in realtime, but it DOES fit your needs.
Reality is that virus’s are a VERY small part of the problem currently. Rogues, rootkits and userlevel issues - Limewire / Bearshare, (and much more) and over confidence in security software - is the real problem.
Every day we clean out machines that my customers (especially gamers) assure me could not possibly be infected because they use x, y, or z firewall, security suite or whatever total crap that the Windows world has come up with to sell or give to them. The ONLY software I trust is open source.
If you were not a gamer, I too would suggest Linux or Mac.
don’t remember mem usage but when I was using win this was my choice http://www.free-av.com/
pretty good one, free for noncommercial use and comparable to eset’s nod32 (look at some reviews)
