Computer newbies forum: What is the best FREE antivirus and computer cleaner?

Forget Registry Cleaners and other Optimizers. They can do more damage than good. The only cleaner we would recommend is CCleaner from piriform.com and only use that with it's default settings to clean out temporary files and temporary internet files. It has a registry cleaner, but it is not necessary to use that.

As to free anti-virus scanners, most of the big named Anti-Virus utilities have free options and they all work, so asking which is best is difficult to answer. You will get as many different answers as replies. We suggest using an AV and also a couple of stand-alone manual anti-malware scanners that do not run in the background, like MalwareByte's Anti-malware and SUPERAntispyware.

What are you using now, and why do you want to change?

Mark

Registry/computer cleaners can break more than they fix. I'll echo the CCleaner as I use it at use the default settings. It's good for cleaning some clutter and clearing cookies and temp files.

I've used free AVG and Avira for AV programs. The latest results from PCWorld and PCMag testing have shown that Avira is a little better. I've been using it for about a year and am completely happy. I also use MalwareBytes and Super Anti-spyware.

Wayne

Good info at AV-TEST.
http://www.av-test.org/en/tests/test-reports/

I don't use a free anti-virus program for my PCs, but I am avid user and supporter of Advanced System Care. I was so pleased with its performance, I made the one-time affordable investment to get the full suite of ASC programs.

I use comodo and am perfectly happy with it ...
and advanced system care
never had a problem with them

but i don't know anyone else who uses Comodo Internet Security ...
Does anyone else use it?
Care to share opinions about it??

I am surprised that no one (so far) has answered with Microsoft Security Essentials which is getting very good reviews.

Good spyware and antivirus cleanup.

Linux. Get rid of XP if you can.
Windows 7 will do a good job too, but it does not come free and your computer may not be up to it.

.......so the ONLY items I've EVER used are all freebies, but I swear by 'em all (and have recommended as well). Since my very first computer system waaaay back in the day (I think I'm probably on number 4 or 5 by now) I've always installed:

AVG Free
Spybot Search & Destroy
Lavasoft's Ad-Aware
Javacool's Spywareblaster
Piriform's CCleaner
ZoneAlarm Free, and last but not least,
Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware

I update all at LEAST once a week (my usual routine is to manually update a couple of 'em every Wednesday and Saturday...and the rest are scheduled to automatically update on alternate days durin' the week) and I faithfully run each weekly except for CCleaner which I run daily to clear out all the crap that my son's surfin' may leave behind.

And there ya have it.

Now everyone knows all about MDJ's computer habits.

I've used AVGFree for years. the same goes for spyware programs Safer Networking's Spybot S&D is one if if not the best spyware program in the world, and it is FREE. About the only real difference between free software and the paid version is that most free software are usually manually controlled, and the paid version is automatically controlled, and the paid version might have more features included, but why pay for something that you might not ever use, if you only are going to use the parts you can get for free?

I am using AVG since 3 years - It is working best and I never had viruses in my computer

i am using eset not32 antivirus whiten 1 year and never need anything ales.

I am using ESET NOD32 Antivirus from 1 year with no problume