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Free antivirus 2014 for low end machines

Discussion in 'Techno-Magic' started by SlickRCBD, Jan 29, 2014.

  1. SlickRCBD Gems: 29/31
    Latest gem: Glittering Beljuril


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    Can somebody recommend a free antivirus for an old, outdated XP system? Lately Microsoft Security Essential has been slowing down my machine, even when I disable the "real time protection" and set it to only scan incoming downloads.
    This is an old computer I use as a print server, file server, and playing old games like Baldur's Gate, Diablo I, or Final Fantasy VII & VIII.
    It's specs are
    Dell Optiplex GX110
    1ghz processor
    512mb of RAM
    Windows 98SE/Windows XP Professional dual boot.
    Since the decent graphics card broke, the computer lacks an AGP port and I don't have any other PCI graphics cards, I'm stuck with the built-in integrated video.

    Anyways, can somebody suggest an antivirus program for this system at least on the XP side? I'm using AVG free on my newer system, but ever since whatever version (8.something I think) was the final one to support Windows 98 AVG brought this system to a crawl.

    I need something to protect it primarily from downloading a virus, especially browser-based attacks. I can screen everything else with the newer computer, but there is also somebody who occasionally uses it that is stupid enough to click on virus links in e-mails or fall for those "you are infected with a virus, click here to disinfect your system" even though I have tried for over fifteen years to education them on such internet dangers, but they are not very computer iterate, so I need some protection. Yes, I restricted their account AMAP for that reason.

    The only free ones I can think of off-hand are AVG, Avast, and MSE. I haven't tried any of the modern alternatives as I've been using MSE since whatever version of AVG that was the first not to support Windows 98.
    I have no preferences, so long as it doesn't put a big drain on the speed, the system is slow enough as it is.

    Before anyone mentions upgrading, this is NOT my primary system. At least, it hasn't been my primary system in over five years (ten years ago it was still my primary). It's my backup, and also my second best WORKING desktop.
     
  2. Taluntain

    Taluntain Resident Alpha and Omega Staff Member ★ SPS Account Holder Resourceful Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) BoM XenForo Migration Contributor [2015] (for helping support the migration to new forum software!)

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    Avast, I'd say. I doubt anything still supports Windows 98 though... that's ancient. Even XP is, really.
     
  3. SlickRCBD Gems: 29/31
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    I meant for the Windows XP side, I've uninstalled the browsers and e-mail clients (except for a super-restricted IE with everything under the advanced tab disabled and parental controls & ratings used to block everything else using a technique I can't remember now but used to use at work all the time until I was laid off in 2007) on the Windows 98SE side.
    Besides, the best browser I could find for Windows 98SE was Firefox 2.0.20, although I haven't looked since Firefox 3.5 came out.

    Avast was the last antivirus I had for Windows 98SE, but only 4.something was supported. I think it's still installed, but the subscription has expired.

    I only use 98 for games, but it still shares the printer. Although with the mothballing of my HP DeskJet 812C it's not as important anymore. That's another issue, and it has its own thread here.

    ---------- Added 16 hours, 40 minutes and 40 seconds later... ----------

    * * *UPDATE * * *
    I just checked out Avast, and found that I can renew the license for Avast 4.8 on Windows 98SE.

    I decided to run the installer I had saved on the XP side of the machine, and so I now have Avast 4.8 installed on both OSes for the old system. I'm thinking I'll give Avast 2014 a shot on the Windows 7 system, but I haven't had many issues with AVG.

    I know that one doesn't slow down Windows 98SE much except when it first boots in the morning and does the automatic update, so I thought I'd try it under XP.

    It's updating now, and I'm on the "new" computer. I put "new" in quotes because it's five years old. Said 5-year-old computer is actually holding up surprisingly well compared to all my previous computers when they reached this age, normally I'd be wishing for an upgrade.
    (I've only had short-term temp jobs for the last 8 months so I'm in bad shape financially. No new games unless they are free or from the library "book sale" where I pay $2. Certainly no new computers or any other expensive items, and anything over $20 counts as "expensive". )
     
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