bugged down computer (1 Viewer)

njlarsen

Gallery Moderator

Opus Editor

Supporter

• Nov 8, 2015

• #1

Hello all,
I have a win7 PC that has been running OK for a while, but recently it is slowed down. I am running AVG antivirus (free edition) and it recently updated to a new version. Is this a powerhoarder, and is there a better free antivirus right now? And if I bite the bullet soon for updating to Win10, is there anything that I need to think about re different virus checker etc?

Niels

 

B

bfoutch

Well-known member

• Nov 8, 2015

• #2

Try removing AVG completely and then installing Microsoft Security Essentials (Free). See if your computer's performance improves.
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security-essentials-download

 

D

d.steeley

Well-known member

• Nov 8, 2015

• #3

Hi Niels, I use Avast free and it seems to work fine on XP. I subscribe to Computer Active magazine and they (allegedly) do their own tests on free and paid for AV progs and they name Avast as the best free one. If you try it, once installed go to 'settings' and select 'gaming mode' and it should run unobtrusively in the background. MSE, as mentioned above, has come in for a lot of criticism about it's poor performance of detecting virus/malware of just 66%, which is poor. But when windows updates are set to 'automatic' it's performance increases to 97%, which is good (all figures from Computer Active magazine. I run MSE on my W7 laptop. W10 comes with Windows Defender, which is an anti-virus/malware suite based on MSE. This will automatically be your default av on W10 but turns itself off if you download something else, such as Avast.

Dave

 

Mono

Hi!

Staff member

Supporter

• Nov 9, 2015

• #4

But when windows updates are set to 'automatic' it's performance increases to 97%, which is good

Click to expand...

What is the point of even testing Anti-Virus software if you don't let it update?

 

njlarsen

Gallery Moderator

Opus Editor

Supporter

• Nov 9, 2015

• #5

I have so far changed to Avast. I am looking to see what if anything changes.

Niels

 

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Peewit

Once a bird lover ... always a bird lover

• Nov 9, 2015

• #6

Yes. AVG has recently upgraded its system becuase I found myself having to 'reinstall;' it on my PC. Not to easiest to deal with when major upgrades occur with the 'noted' programme - just an inconvenience. :smoke:

Personally I do not feel AVG takes up much 'disk' space on my own PC in any way at all... no more than anything else does.

I set my AVG Virus do it's daily 'update' in the middle of the night (3am in the morning) because I find my PC slows down to '0' and it is impossible to use any applications while AVG is running in any way at all. :eek!::C
Same applies to the Microsoft Disk Defrag programme as it is as bad if it does not do its business set times in the middle of the night with daily defragmentation on my PC.

Just my thoughts

 

njlarsen

Gallery Moderator

Opus Editor

Supporter

• Nov 9, 2015

• #7

Thanks Kathy,
it is not about what AVG takes up on the disk, it is about what AVG does to the running of the computer (if it is worse than the alternatives).

Unfortunately, I live in an area where having the PC stay on overnight is not really an option. I agree it was a pain when AVG did its thing, and in options, there was no gaming mode or similar to make it take up less resources while running.

Niels

 

colincurry

Well-known member

• Nov 9, 2015

• #8

Me, I know nothing! But, presumably you are defragging regularly and running something like Malwarebytes?

Is there an emoticon for a grandmother sucking eggs?

Colin

 

P

Peewit

Once a bird lover ... always a bird lover

• Nov 13, 2015

• #9

njlarsen said:

Thanks Kathy,
it is not about what AVG takes up on the disk, it is about what AVG does to the running of the computer (if it is worse than the alternatives).

Unfortunately, I live in an area where having the PC stay on overnight is not really an option. I agree it was a pain when AVG did its thing, and in options, there was no gaming mode or similar to make it take up less resources while running.

Niels

Click to expand...

Hi Neils

It is a shame that your name that you is part of the world is a little more difficult than what we have in the UK

I think we get let of blue murder compared with you.... :gh:

I do not have the experience to know if someone out there can help you in your area of the UK - so to speak

Love to hear if your can resolve this issue as it is

Please let us know

 

njlarsen

Gallery Moderator

Opus Editor

Supporter

• Nov 13, 2015

• #10

Thanks Kathy,
I am still trying to diagnose the problem (do I have a faulty USB connection, a faulty image processing program, or what). At least Avast seems to run pretty unobtrusively.

Niels