>FWIW, I use avast! anti virus (free for personal use) ->especially like the integration with Outlook and Instant>Messenger.I do too, and really like it! Plus it found a virus that Norton's bloatware had missed, even though the virus defs were up to date. Speaking of that, Avast updates every few days and takes mere seconds compared to Norton's usual once a week schedule (unless a major virus/worm threat appears)and several minutes to update.

Folks, PC World and Consumer Reports both like Trend Micros PC-Cillin. Both note that Trend Micros product has a much less effect on a computer's speed performance. The Trend Micro Anti virus, however, is among the best at protecting viruses. There is a free version called "Houseware". PC World did note that NOD32 had the best performance, but PC-Cillan was the only other one mentioned as performace frendly. Cheers, Bruce

I got rid of Norton System Works about 4 months ago or so at the behest of FS-GS. I also use the freeware version of AVG and have been virus free ever since. FS runs perfectly smooth, unless complexity conditions are super excessive.Noel

I used PC-Cillin for about 6 months, then had a problem with it. It went "berserk" somehow, and used all my resources. Opening a window took 30 seconds or more, and FS was out of the question- frame rates no higher than 1 fps. Apparently there is a known issue here, I think with a component in my computer (sorry, I can't remember which one was the culprit).I had to uninstall PC-Cillin. I'm trying out AVG currently, but not locked into it. I may try one or two of the others cited here.Good thread, by the way.

Just to stir it up a tad, I have Norton 2004, and no effect on Fs whatever.Just a bog standard P2.4, FS middle to maxed display settings, and smooth as glass.Yes I agree Norton is very deep and pervasive in the system, but then again with so many millions of spammers, hackers, and spys really out to get me, I like a intrusive programme working on MY behalf.Even have SP2 running well!

>Folks,> PC World and Consumer Reports both like Trend Micros>PC-Cillin. Both note that Trend Micros product has a much less>effect on a computer's speed performance. The Trend Micro Anti>virus, however, is among the best at protecting viruses. > There is a free version called "Houseware".>> PC World did note that NOD32 had the best performance, but>PC-Cillan was the only other one mentioned as performace>frendly.> Cheers,> Bruce>I went to the PC World article http://www.pcworld.com/reviews/article/0,a...939,pg,4,00.aspI received a recommendation to use the NODD32 product which lots of people on the Forum like. I've used Norton for years but recently received a recommendation to uninstall Norton anti virus to help my FS stuttering problem. In the course of doing some investigation I appreciate all the input Forum members offer. After reading the above article I'm concerned that the NOD32 product wrecked the PC World system while trying to remove a virus - not a good thing to be sure. Not a definitive reason not to buy, but a concern nonetheless. Just curious if folks have more input on Pc-cillin and FS9. Thanks,

Here's a late, great followup on this thread...I reloaded and used AVG (free) for my Antivirus. Yesterday, I noticed some odd behaviour with my computer... slower internet access, odd email speeds, VERY odd search engine behaviour. The kicker was seeing a "new" file in my C: (root) drive "syss.txt" with what appeared to be an IRC log. >YIKES!http://virusscan.jotti.dhs.org/I send my file, and low and behold, it was infected with various backdoor trojans and such. Only a small handful of the engines queried detected the trojan... and the only one that detected it which was discussed above was NOD32.Seeing as I haven't yet reloaded my machine in it's entirety, I'll be re-formatting (again!) and purchasing NOD32 for my rig. From what I've read through these threads, and now what I have experienced with an in-the-wild virus, it would appear that Norton, and perhaps even AVG, aren't quite what they are cracked up to be. On the performance side - I did notice a mild MSFS improvement with AVG on my machine rather than Norton. I hadn't reinstalled FS2004 yesterday to do another preception test against it, though. -Germ

And of course you condemn a program because it failed to find backdoor trojans when it is designed to detect viruses. Apples and oranges , sir.

Actually, I condemn TWO programs for not finding them. While I understand the technical difference between viruses, worms, trojans, backdoors, and the like, they all fall into the same class as far as I am concerned. Malware. Going by the apples and oranges logic, aren't all those "antivirus" programs misnamed because they hunt out worms and trojan backdoors as well? From Symantec:"Symantec's Norton AntiVirus

While you may think they all fall into the same class, and a lot of folks do, that doesn't make it so. They are not the same; otherwise there wouldn't be different names and behaviour patterns, different means of infection or access. The programs that are created to defend are not necessarily built to handle everything and they will usually spell out just what they are designed to detect. You quote Symantec as being one who claims to be able to prevent it all......no way can anyone build something like that. Your insistance upon a "magic bullet" is unrealistic and dangerous. Even your claim that NOD32 is good, and there is nothing to reflect different, doesn't mean that there isn't something down the pike that it too will fail to detect. The responsibility for your PC's defence rests with you and not upon some company or other whose claim to fame is that they stopped x number of nasties. Not everyone can afford NOD32 or Kapersky and AVG is still better then nothing at all. To cast dispersions upon a product, and a free one at that, doesn't do anyone a service; especially when the test it failed was beyond its expectation.

I've tried out a lot of AV software and Kaspersky is my favourite too -- solid and robust, easy to understand, lightweight, and it does well in the tests. What more could you want?I couple that with the Sygate Personal Firewall for my software firewall. It seems to be a nice combination. No worries running FS with both of them on.Ghttp://members.rogers.com/gmoffatt/images/ERJ_CRT.jpg

>I am lucky. All of my email is scanned by my ip provider>using Postini. And I have a Linksys router that protects me>from outsiders.>Plus I am careful about where I download -- Never have had a>problem with AVSIM or Flightsim. We do scan other downloads>with NAV.>With a router is a software based firewall still necessary?Matt