Which free AV software?

I currently run McAfee but may have a problem on two PCs.

On one when I try to login in, it takes the password and start to login before returning to the select user screen. Another PC which does not have a user password effectively freezes and I cannot get any keystrokes or mouses clicks to work. In both cases choosing another user has allowed me onto that machine and able to access files.

Both are running XP - fully patched and neither are now connected to my network and thus the web. In both cases the problems started after a "McAfee has updated please restart" reboot.

I am going to run MalwareBytes and others to see if the problem can be resolved. However, I need to use another PC to access the web to download MalwareBytes and also speak with McAfee online.

So, I need a temporary AV solution for that PC.


Any suggestions?

use combofix

I just use Microsoft Security Essentials. It seems to do the job.

Microsoft one should do fine. I would drop McAfee - their foolishness is just wasting your time and causing you to mess about unnecessarily.

If you do not like the idea of the free Microsoft antivirus I can recommend GFI VIPRE antivirus - very fast and efficient and I've never had a single problem with it. However, on my Windows 8 machines I just use the Microsoft one...

Can you find a way to download Security Essentials - XP version to a Vista machine so I can then copy it across on a memory stick? I cannot see a way to achieve it.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-GB/windows/security-...

...or http://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/download/details.aspx...

The same installer is used for XP/Vista/Win7 - just choose either 32bit or 64-bit.

Edited by micksharpe (Mon 29-Oct-12 17:11:12)

In reply to a post by Pipexer:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-GB/windows/security-...

I am being very cautious at present with access - using my phone for email. and only using one PC for web access. I don't know if it is a virus/trojan/malware or what or just a McAfee glitch. I want to get that on the problem machines to see what is happening but without connecting them to the web or the local network.

The MSE installer will want to connect to the Internet. Best to use a stand-alone product.

Plenty of options here.

Edited by micksharpe (Mon 29-Oct-12 17:27:43)

In the first instance use the vipre rescue scanner

http://live.vipreantivirus.com/

This will do a scan in safe mode for any viruses. The downside is it takes a while.

Unless you have downloaded something else that you suspect is a virus I'd have thought it unlikely your machines have become suddenly compromised.