AVAST 4 Home Edition

• Small footprint ideal for even older PCs
• Scan on bootup helps thwart resuscitators
• Removes some adware and spyware

• WinAmp-style interface may not appeal to all users

• AVAST 4 Home Edition is a free antivirus scanner.
• Support options are limited, but this is increasingly the case with even paid-for scanners.
• Sports standard antivirus features, plus adware and spyware removal.

AVAST 4 Home Edition installs an interface that could be described as either clever or cumbersome, depending on your point of view. Borrowing on the WinAmp-style skins, the look can be changed by downloading a new skin from the vendor's website. Regardless of the skin, however, it's less than intuitive for those who prefer a standard Windows interface with easy-to-browse menus. AVAST 4 Home Edition is the only one of the free scanners to offer scans on bootup. This can greatly increase the chance of removing stubborn infectors, particularly those that use resuscitators to thwart removal attempts. (Each of the free scanners can be run in Safe Mode, however).

AVAST 4 Home Edition provided limited adware and spyware removal, nabbing 33% of the active components we tracked on our test system. Though 33% is certainly a poor removal rate, it is the only one of the free antivirus scanners to offer adware and spyware removal - and is one of the few to do so even among paid-for antivirus scanners. Further, the deficiency appeared to be due to a lack of signatures, rather than any particular struggle to remove infectors. (Indeed, the scan on bootup option virtually ensures AVAST an easier time of removing adware and spyware, provided the appropriate signature is in place).

Alwil Software, makers of AVAST, offers support for the free version via email, online help forums and knowledgebases.

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