Windows Security

[carlton23]

Why, when I start up, a small pop-up appears in the bottom r/h corner telling my that my computer anti virus isn`t working and my computer may be a risk, to rectify this problem click this bubble,......and when I click it a larger window appears with two items showing `enabled` and the third showing not working. .....The query is,,,,,,,What should I do to make anti virus work? I have security by Virgin which I installed a few days ago @ an extra £3 a month on top of my Virgin account to pay for this, and it is supposed to be a full cover for everything. Hoping that helps. TIA.

[MarkRae]

1) Ring up Virgin and cancel their "security" - it's garbage.

2) Download and install the free version of AVG

3) Uninstall the Virgin stuff, if you can...

[carlton23]

Hi Mark, I haer since they upgraded they are supposed to be as good as any, if not better. I`ll give them a try for a couple of months and judge for myself, thanks anyway for that.

[carlton23]

<hear> not haer.

[MarkRae]

> I hear since they upgraded they are supposed to be as good as any, if not better

You're surely not referring to this?
http://www.virginmedi...curity/find-out-more/

[ChuckFickens]

Hmmm, it does seem to be a re-branded Kaspersky virgin are giving out, which to be fair is one of the better ones IMO.

that said, you can buy a years license for the proper Kaspersky for about £15 whereas you'll be baying £36 through Virgin.

http://www.amazon.co....qid=1278156118&sr=8-3

[MarkRae]

I don't know anyone with a good word to say about Kaspersky..

AVG and Avast are both miles better, and both free.

[carlton23]

Please, I don`t wish to start a argument gentlemen. I shall take note, and thanks to both.

[carlton23]

Incidentally, you haven`t helped me with my question.

[AlBags]

Control Panel/Security Centre ... Hit the link "change the way Security Centre Alerts Me"
Uncheck the ones you want.
That naff AV program is not recognised properly.

[ChuckFickens]

Kaspersky always scores far better in all the independent test over both avast and AVG and I have good things to say about it after rolling it out across all computers where I work earlier this year.

But as you say Carlton, this isn't a discussion about which is the best AV available.

Whatever you have as long as it's working properly it should not result in windows warning you that you have no AV and turning off the warning without either fixing the problem, or being 100% sure that it's just a false warning is a very risky thing to do (if the warning is genuine and your AV is not working and you turn the warning off then you may as well just uninstall your AV and have none installed for the good it will do)

The first thing I'd do is goto add remove (or programs and features) in control panel, remove every single thing you can see there that is anything to do with the virgin security and also look for anything to do with your previous AV software and make sure that is removed too, then restart the computer and re-install the virgin AV software again from scratch and see if that cures the warning.

(if you want to test if your AV is working you can try and download the following file, it's a harmless virus test file that should trigger your AV software if it is working http://www.eicar.org/download/eicar.com )

[RATTER15]

My computer shop warned me many times about using AVG, (they are friends of mine) I resisted and stuck with AVG until I got a major virus, I went to PC shop with tale between my legs and spent £9.99 on Kaspersky (they recommended it) and in 12 months, nothing has got past it and and it kicked out the virus that AVG let in. I keep fairly well up to date with what is happening in the world of PC's and I have only ever heard of good reports about Kaspersky, and at £9.99 I am well happy with it!!

[carlton23]

As usual a full and gratefully received explanation from Chuck. Many thanks.

[carlton23]

Chuck, I`ve tried to download the link and my security wont allow it, so I presume
Virgin are OK.

[ChuckFickens]

It would seem to indicate that at least the real time scanning of downloads is working.

You would still be better off to try and solve the problem of windows reporting no AV though, disabling the warning could leave you wide open in the future as you'd receive no warnings if your AV did totally fail for any reason.