best free WinXP anti-virus

Hi,

WinXP is essential on my WnXP (physical) PC. As a grandfather, this PC runs
Microsoft Security Essentials. It still upgrades to the latest definitions.
But I only run it when needed. Malware removal requires direct action.

Because WinXP is essential, I've set up a new virtual WinXP PC under Oracle
Virtual Box. I was able to recover much of a destroyed virtual WinXP PC.
Placing blame for failure of Oracle Virtual Box installs is for losers. Life
is for learning.

One learns that corporate software vendors are tying to bleed us. I cannot
find any free WinXP anti-virus apps online. The best I can find if McAfee
that is free to install with Abode PDF reader. McAfee has been denounced by
its druggie creator, McAfee.

I looking for opinions on McAfee or other free WinXP anti-virus software.

Thanks is advance.

Norm X wrote:
WinXP is essential on my WnXP (physical) PC.

I still have a WinXP install I use sometimes. Its BIOS is dated 2006.

As a grandfather, this PC runs Microsoft Security Essentials. It
still upgrades to the latest definitions. But I only run it when
needed. Malware removal requires direct action.

I recently ran Kaspersky's Rescue disk on mine to see how it behaved.

One learns that corporate software vendors are tying to bleed us. I
cannot find any free WinXP anti-virus apps online. The best I can
find if McAfee that is free to install with Abode PDF reader. McAfee
has been denounced by its druggie creator, McAfee.

I'm not a fan of McAfee ware. The John McAfee story is fascinating. I
highly recommend the several Wired magazine articles. They are
available online.

Here's a snip from the wp article about the upcoming film:

"On March 27, 2017, it was announced that Johnny Depp would portray
McAfee in a forthcoming film titled King of the Jungle.[81] The film
will focus on McAfee's life in Belize, as he takes a Wired magazine
writer on a tour of his compound. Glenn Ficarra and John Requa will
direct the film, while Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski will write
the script."

I looking for opinions on McAfee or other free WinXP anti-virus software.

I put the Kaspersky onto a USB and booted and configured and ran it. It
doesn't run on the windows, it runs on its own linuxy OS.


--
Mike Easter

https://www.avira.com/

I Have Version 15.0.19.163
On A Xp sp3 Pro

Current Version: 9.0.0.418 | Oldest Version: 10.0.0.561

http://www.oldversion.com/windows/avira-antivir/

Avira AntiVir the antivirus software from German company Avira. There are
two types of the Avira AntiVir software freeware and premium. The free
version includes basic virus protection, anti-spyware/ad-ware and web guard
with the premium version providing more advanced features making it a
complete software security package.

The engine used in the Avira AntiVir program was developed way back in 1988
and has gone on to be one of the most widely used antivirus programs to
date. Avira AntiVir is designed like most antivirus software on the market,
to run as a background process scanning and checking files on the hard drive
and any new additions of files download or copied to the hard disk. Over the
years new updates to the program include a web guard checking websites for
any malicious content which could harm your PC. An important root kit
detection and removal feature was included with the release of version 7.0.x
in 2007 preventing certain detrimental effects to the hard disk. Avira
AntiVir 8.1.x saw enhancements to the user interface along with a new and
improved engine producing faster scanning and detection times.

For compatibility Avira AntiVir 7.0.x was the last version supported for
Windows NT/98/SE, later versions are supported on Windows 2000/XP/Vista/7.
Avira has ended support for version 9.x as of June 2011; however the version
is still functional as are all older versions of Avira AntiVir.

Pros: Light on PC resources, simple UI, automatic updates, fast,
anti-spyware/ad-ware, rootkit protection.

Cons: Free version doesn Read More »

"Norm X" wrote in message
news
Hi,
WinXP is essential on my WnXP (physical) PC. As a grandfather, this PC
runs Microsoft Security Essentials. It still upgrades to the latest
definitions. But I only run it when needed. Malware removal requires
direct action.
Because WinXP is essential, I've set up a new virtual WinXP PC under
Oracle Virtual Box. I was able to recover much of a destroyed virtual
WinXP PC. Placing blame for failure of Oracle Virtual Box installs is for
losers. Life is for learning.
One learns that corporate software vendors are tying to bleed us. I cannot
find any free WinXP anti-virus apps online. The best I can find if McAfee
that is free to install with Abode PDF reader. McAfee has been denounced
by its druggie creator, McAfee.
I looking for opinions on McAfee or other free WinXP anti-virus software.
Thanks is advance.

Norm X wrote (edited to the gist):

I looking for opinions on McAfee or other free WinXP anti-virus
software.

My opinions on McAfee (and Norton but not their enterprise version) are
derogatory. No need to get into all that since that's not what you are
really after (unless you are here to instigate a flame thread). You
want recommendations for AV software to use on WinXP.

https://blog.avast.com/2014/03/12/av...usiness-users/

That was back in 2014. Then I visited:

https://www.avast.com/en-us/index

Near the bottom of the page is said "Compatible with Windows 10, 8.1, 8,
7, Vista, XP SP3".

"Norm X" wrote in
news
I looking for opinions on McAfee or other free WinXP anti-virus
software.

Thanks is advance.

I use Avira (free) combined with MalwareBytes Premium (paid).

For more research you can take a look at
https://www.av-comparatives.org/
They do all kinds of testing and reviews of anti-virus software.

Dee

On Wed, 9 Aug 2017 09:53:59 -0700, "Norm X"
wrote:

I looking for opinions on McAfee or other free WinXP anti-virus software.

I use Avast.

It seems to work OK.


--
Steve Hayes
http://www.khanya.org.za/stevesig.htm
http://khanya.wordpress.com

Steve Hayes wrote:
I use Avast.

It seems to work OK.

I would like Avast better if it would decimate its self-promotions.

--
Mike Easter

Mike Easter wrote:

Steve Hayes wrote:

I use Avast. It seems to work OK.

I would like Avast better if it would decimate its self-promotions.

Or, alternatively, you could pick another freeware AV that doesn't have
the ads but also doesn't have all the features (e.g., Bitdefender Free -
but that one doesn't mean the OP's Windows XP requirement).

VanguardLH wrote:

Mike Easter wrote:

Steve Hayes wrote:

I use Avast. It seems to work OK.

I would like Avast better if it would decimate its self-promotions.

Or, alternatively, you could pick another freeware AV that doesn't have
the ads but also doesn't have all the features (e.g., Bitdefender Free -
but that one doesn't mean the OP's Windows XP requirement).

Or you could go with open source freeware with no ads but sucks on
coverage (unacceptably low detection rate) and low on the number of
covered infection vectors (e.g., ClamAV).

My guess is the OP is not interested (or has secondary interest) in
on-demand (reactive) scanners and instead is looking for on-access
(pro-active) scanners, so booting to a Linux OS with an AV is not likely
an option to the OP.

VanguardLH wrote:
VanguardLH wrote:
Mike Easter wrote:

Steve Hayes wrote:

I use Avast. It seems to work OK.

I would like Avast better if it would decimate its self-promotions.

Or, alternatively, you could pick another freeware AV that doesn't have
the ads but also doesn't have all the features (e.g., Bitdefender Free -
but that one doesn't mean the OP's Windows XP requirement).

Or you could go with open source freeware with no ads but sucks on
coverage (unacceptably low detection rate) and low on the number of
covered infection vectors (e.g., ClamAV).

My guess is the OP is not interested (or has secondary interest) in
on-demand (reactive) scanners and instead is looking for on-access
(pro-active) scanners, so booting to a Linux OS with an AV is not likely
an option to the OP.

I was going to bring that up about BitDefender's rescue disk/usb. About
a year ago I looked at several of those including BD's, Kaspersky, Avast
and some others and liked Kaspersky's the best. Avast is a WinPE, BD's
is an XFCE Gentoo system rescue remaster with a lot of linux tools and
an installed TeamViewer. Kaspersky's is a hand-rolled linux with an old
KDE frontend.

If he's not afraid to not have a realtime scanner, there's something to
be said for periodic scans so that he doesn't have to use scarce
realtime resources. Some old XP machines don't have much to spare.


--
Mike Easter

"VanguardLH" wrote in message
...
Mike Easter wrote:
Steve Hayes wrote:
I use Avast. It seems to work OK.
I would like Avast better if it would decimate its self-promotions.
Or, alternatively, you could pick another freeware AV that doesn't have
the ads but also doesn't have all the features (e.g., Bitdefender Free -
but that one doesn't mean the OP's Windows XP requirement).
..
VanguardLH You 100% Right

For I use Avast
On Windows 98
it's A lifesaver

On Fri, 11 Aug 2017 11:59:13 -0700, Mike Easter
wrote:

Steve Hayes wrote:
I use Avast.

It seems to work OK.

I would like Avast better if it would decimate its self-promotions.

So would most of its users, I suspect.


--
Steve Hayes
http://www.khanya.org.za/stevesig.htm
http://khanya.wordpress.com

On Wed, 9 Aug 2017 09:53:59 -0700, "Norm X"
wrote:

Because WinXP is essential, I've set up a new virtual WinXP PC under Oracle
Virtual Box. I was able to recover much of a destroyed virtual WinXP PC.
Placing blame for failure of Oracle Virtual Box installs is for losers. Life
is for learning.

My wife runs Avira on her XP3. Slows the machine down, but
works fine.
I use my instincts, and do a weekly scan with Kaspersky's
rescue disk from a USB. The only hits I've ever had are stuff I knew
was malware.
Not sure if it would search inside a VM image. You will have
to download known malware, save it in your image, and then see how
Kaspersky handles it.
[]'s
--
Don't be evil - Google 2004
We have a new policy - Google 2012