Replacing Avira Antivirus

As Avira users may already know, Avira partnered with malware/crapware companies ask.com and uniblue awhile back and started offering the $%*$@ ask toolbar as part of the install. This wasn't a big problem, since you could just decline to install the malware. Well, that's changed. The latest version of Avira installs a background process that checks to see if you've got the toolbar, and offers to install it if you don't. Additionally, Avira delete-protects this malware process. (All this is just that much more ironic given that Avira used to detect the same toolbar they're pushing now as the malware that it really is.)

So, I'm thinking it's time to ditch Avira for another antivirus. Does anyone have any thoughts or suggestions? Per av-comparatives.org, G-Data and Panda seem like strong candidates. Does anyone have any experience with either of them?

(FYI: In case anyone wants to know how to delete the delete-protected ask.com malware, here's how: (1) Open avira, configuration, check the box for "expert mode," general, security, uncheck the box for "protect files and registry entries from manipulation." (2) Now you can delete ApnStub.exe, ApnToolbarInstaller.exe, and ApnIC.dll from the <programs folder>\Avira\AntiVir Desktop\ directory. (3) Reverse step 1 then reboot to restore delete-protection for the legitimate Avira files.)

Microsoft Security Essentials is pretty much all you need.

avast anti-virus is a really good virus scanner, i am using it for years now, never had any problems, on my other pc I have AVG a really great virus scanner to. both are free

www.avast.com
www.avg.com

Avast is pretty good, but I like avg better.
Now I've been using MSE for about a year and never had any problems with it.
Don't take my word for it, because I'm no expert, but I think MSE is also pretty light on resources.

Used both Avast and AVG. Both good. I like Avast a tad better.

And scan with Malware Bytes free edition once a week.

I liked Avast enough to have eventually bought the paid version. It has a silent mode and a pleasant default interface.

Avast is a fav here. Used it enough that I just got the paid version. No hassle or anything.

Agreed, I use it too.

I think avast / AVG. AVG is lighter on resources faster to scan with though, iirc but it has a bit lower detection rate.

Avast for lower resource use, AVG to on-demand scan I guess.

MSE (Microsoft Security Essentials) has a lower false positive than either due to being from MS.

I use Avast also, along with the paid version of Malware Bytes, and my Puters been clean as a whistle for as long as I can remember...

Just my 2 Cents

Of course decent browsing habits go a long way to a clean system too.

avast! is my personal choice.

Been switching between AVG and Avast. I do like both of them it's hard to decide a real favorite. Right now I run AVG and it's running quietly in the background.

a few years ago I had avg...then everyone was singing the praises of kapersky, avast and avira (and how bad avg was) ....so when my 2 years was up I started looking around...I tried avira..was not impressed, nor was I happy with kapersky....so right now I just renewed my avast...not the best one I have used, but better than most.....(have yet to look into panda or nod32...but have heard good things about both---)

This. Exactly this.

Sadly, avast and AVG offer browsers and/or toolbars.

I also swapped from Avira to Microsoft Security Essentials. Runs good, never seems to slow down my computer.

I think I'll look into MSE, I have always used nod32 and have no issues, lighter resource use is big for me.

I'm gonna change to Avast soon since it seems to have a generally good score on av.comparatives.org, but then I'll run it in permanent gaming mode because all the constant popups just to tell you "all is well" is annoying.

Question though .. permanent gaming/silent mode.. I assume it will still tell me if there's any serious threats like an actual virus?

if we are talking free AV then i fully agree

Just dumped my ISPs security software and moved to Microsoft security essentials.
Initially I got the blue screen of death thanks to windows deciding to update while I was installing mse.

All running fine now and I am now relying on mse windows firewall and my router firewall to protect the system.

MSE is excellent and lightweight. Its a sad fact of life that no matter what, a paid-for program with a free version is going to make its free version suck more and more as time goes on. Not just antivirus, its true for every program that tries to split along that line.

As with all antivirus questions, I feel compelled to give a reminder: Antivirus has a near-zero detection rate against viruses that you install yourself. Statistically the average infection is from a user running lolcats.avi.exe or something, try not to do that stuff.