The Bottom Line
AVG Free Edition provides free antivirus protection for Windows XP/2000/NT/ME/98. Installing only 30Mb of files and 4 running processes, AVG Free Edition is the smallest antivirus scanner we've tested and may well be the best choice for an older PC with severely limited system resources.
Pros
- Small footprint ideal for even older PCs
- Easy-to-use, attractive interface
Cons
- Limited support for compressed/archive types
- Higher than average rate of false positives
Description
- AVG Free Edition offers core competency in virus detection.
- Support options are limited, but this is increasingly the case with even paid-for scanners.
- Attractive interface is easy-to-use; updates quickly and efficiently.
Guide Review - AVG Free Edition
Like any scanner we feature in our reviews, AVG has been certified to remove 100% of in-the-wild viruses - but results with zoo viruses are a low 81% and those same tests resulted in 11 false positives (detection of viruses in non-infected, legitimate files). Despite these drawbacks, AVG Free Edition has a long list of admirers who will be quick to point out that tests reflect a snapshot in time and may not always be indicative of future or past performance.
AVG Free Edition does not provide adware/spyware removal (though it is available in the paid version of the product). As with other free antivirus scanners, support options are limited to online help forums and knowledgebases.
AVG Free Edition can be used in Safe Mode, a definite plus for removing stubborn infectors or cleaning a system that might otherwise be unable to boot into Windows.
