AVG Free Edition

The Bottom Line

AVG Free Edition provides
free antivirus protection for Windows XP/2000/NT/ME/98. Installing only
30Mb of files and 4 running processes, AVG Free Edition is the smallest
antivirus scanner we've tested and may well be the best choice for an
older PC with severely limited system resources.

Pros

• Small footprint ideal for even older PCs
• Easy-to-use, attractive interface

Cons

• Limited support for compressed/archive types
• Higher than average rate of false positives

Description

• AVG Free Edition offers core competency in virus detection.
• Support options are limited, but this is increasingly the case with even paid-for scanners.
• Attractive interface is easy-to-use; updates quickly and efficiently.

Guide Review - AVG Free Edition

Like
any scanner we feature in our reviews, AVG has been certified to remove
100% of in-the-wild viruses - but results with zoo viruses are a low
81% and those same tests resulted in 11 false positives (detection of
viruses in non-infected, legitimate files). Despite these drawbacks,
AVG Free Edition has a long list of admirers who will be quick to point
out that tests reflect a snapshot in time and may not always be
indicative of future or past performance.

AVG Free Edition does not provide adware/spyware removal (though
it is available in the paid version of the product). As with other free
antivirus scanners, support options are limited to online help forums
and knowledgebases.

AVG Free Edition can be used in Safe Mode, a definite plus for
removing stubborn infectors or cleaning a system that might otherwise
be unable to boot into Windows.