I am using version 7.5 ... today I got a message from grisoft that's only be free until January 15, 2007

I think that's a bug. From their website:

"GRISOFT is announcing a new version of the AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition. This new 7.5 version with improved performance and full compatibility with the latest Windows Vista version is available. Users that are using AVG Free 7.1 will be provided with a specific dialog, within the next few weeks, with the opportunity to choose the right option fulfilling their needs. AVG Free 7.1 version will be discontinued on 15th of Jan 2007."

As an update, I am quite pleased with Eset's NOD32. Much lighter on system resources than Kaspersky, but seems to provide as much protection. Doesn't add too much to startup time and scans equally quickly.

Combined with the COMODO firewall I think it's quite an effective yet lightweight solution.

I also got fed up with Norton. It seemed to bog things down and sometimes wouldn't play nice with some of the ThinkVantage applications on my ThinkPad. I even tried going back to a Corporate Edition of Norton that I dug up from an old W2K laptop, but that was too old and didn't communicate its status with the XP Windows Security Center control panel.

I checked out a couple of different trial versions of other anti-virus programs and settled on a free version of Kaspersky offered by AOL (of all firms), the AOL Active Virus Shield. You can find the download through CNET's download.com. You don't have to be an AOL subscriber, but you do have to give them an e-mail address (to get the activation code by e-mail).

It seems to be lighter on system resources than Norton, works with the XP Windows Security Center, and plays nice with the ThinkVantage applications. The underlying Kaspersky engine seems to be well-regarded. And the price is right. So far so good. If I do end up with a virus, I'll probably check out the full version of Kaspersky Anti-Virus to try to get rid of it. The free version from AOL is only a scanner and shield. Recovery and clean-up requires the full version.

I tried Kaspersky out, it absolutely was not lighter in use than Norton was. The problem was that it would scan incessantly and I couldn't change it's behavior. While scanning, it slowed the system (dual core 2.13 running at 3.2Ghz, 2GB ram, 10k RPM HDD, NOT slow) noticably and hammered the hard drive. It did seem to be a better virus engine though, if I could've sorted the issues out i would still use it. I went back to Norton Corporate. Still looking at other options.

From reading this post, I think you would like NOD32 a lot. Check out the demo version for 30 days. Good luck!

I've been using AVG 7.5 for a while. Like it so much I sprung for the paid version for my 2 notebooks.

Replaced Norton with AVG over a year ago and never looked back.

AVG loses out when it comes to detection rates.

I would recommend Kaspersky, NOD32, McAfee, and Norton.

If you're going to go McAfee or Norton, try to get your hands on an Enterprise copy.

Another vote for AVG. I've been using it for years and never had a virus, though it's caught a number of them in downloads from "questionable" sources.

McAfee has been running on three desktops and 2 notebooks for the past 4 years and they scan daily, full system scan and never once had a problem. So would I switch no, I use firewall and virus scan

I'm not an expert computer user. Do uninstall Norton before I download something like NOD32? I have a feeling the answer is yes because I'm sure Norton, even though it's off, will do something that causes a problem, but just needed to ask.

You do need to uninstall Norton before installing NOD32, but it won't interfere with downloading it.

One word for me: Avast

Free for home user and trouble free. Also use Spybot Search and Destroy and AdAware. could not be happier.YMMV

Nod32 ^