Eset Smart Security or Vipre + SPF?

I have 4 days left on an evaluation copy of Vipre & am currently running SPF (firewall free version). I like Vipre but am less keen on SPF. One thing I like about Vipre apart from its speed is that it can be set to wake my PC from ACPI Standby in WinXP Pro at scheduled times. What I like about ESET's firewall is that it can be set to temporarily allow programs to run which I find useful during installing s/w - it means the list of allowed programs remains far more manageable than with Sunbelt's version of Kerio FW.
I tried an evaluation copy of Eset Smart Security on my PC a month ago & am trying it on my girlfriend's laptop - she hasn't complained about warnings so appears to need little intervention by me.
Eset Smart Security is cheaper than Vipre for 2 licences & includes the full version of the firewall i& s probably what I will purchase. Does anyone know if NOD32 will wake up a PC from Standby mode to run a scan like Vipre can? I know it can be set to run missed tasks which is a good 2nd best - your thoughts please!

Eset Smart Security won't wake your PC up for a scheduled scan. Just tried it. It started the scan as soon as I woke the PC up myself.

In reply to a post by busb:

Does anyone know if NOD32 will wake up a PC from Standby mode to run a scan like Vipre can? I know it can be set to run missed tasks which is a good 2nd best - your thoughts please!

Does it matter ? If the PC is switched off, it's not at risk, and as long as the scan is done when it is switched on, that seems to be protection enough as far as I'm concerned.

In reply to a post by busb:

Does anyone know if NOD32 will wake up a PC from Standby mode to run a scan like Vipre can? I know it can be set to run missed tasks which is a good 2nd best - your thoughts please!

If you go into the BIOS of just about every computer there is, under the power options they'll be the ability to switch the computer on from a cold start at specific times of the day/night or once a week etc.

In reply to a post by zebedeee:

Does it matter ? If the PC is switched off, it's not at risk, and as long as the scan is done when it is switched on, that seems to be protection enough as far as I'm concerned.

I think it's more a case of wanting to run scans when the computer is not being used, but at the same time not leaving it turned on all the time.

An option to run a scan on close-down would be useful. Just click to turn off and leave it to get on with it.

In reply to a post by 12eason:

In reply to a post by busb:

Does anyone know if NOD32 will wake up a PC from Standby mode to run a scan like Vipre can? I know it can be set to run missed tasks which is a good 2nd best - your thoughts please!

If you go into the BIOS of just about every computer there is, under the power options they'll be the ability to switch the computer on from a cold start at specific times of the day/night or once a week etc.

As mine does but from a cold start only & not from Standby mode. Even if I shut down my PC - WinXP would boot up as far as the login stage waiting for my password. One option would be to schedule a program to start a minute before ESET is due to do so. It's a question of starting a task that won't impact anything else - something with a command line switch to close itself would be perfect as a 2nd scheduled task could be set to wait for inactivity before closing itself (or so goes the theory!) Standby mode would wait for its preset time before going back to sleep.
I used to get Drive Image to do this successfully - it would reboot into DOS (no login set back then) then make an image before sleeping. SP2 caused problems because the resulting image files didn't have admin rights that I would have to set from Windows (NTFS can be a pain - I suppose I could have created a FAT32 partition but got too lax regarding backups that I'm now sorting out now I have an ext drive.)

In reply to a post by 12eason:

In reply to a post by zebedeee:

Does it matter ? If the PC is switched off, it's not at risk, and as long as the scan is done when it is switched on, that seems to be protection enough as far as I'm concerned.

I think it's more a case of wanting to run scans when the computer is not being used, but at the same time not leaving it turned on all the time.

Yup! Unlike W98, XP can be set to go into completely silent Standby mode. It used to be woken with wireless mouse movement or a press of the Space bar both PS/2 - gone with a USB wireless keyboard & mouse combo despite the m/b jumpers set to remain powered up.

In reply to a post by busb:

WinXP would boot up as far as the login stage waiting for my password.

Well, you can get over that bit by entering 'control userpasswords2' at the run command then unticking the 'users must login' blarb.

In reply to a post by 12eason:

In reply to a post by busb:

WinXP would boot up as far as the login stage waiting for my password.

Well, you can get over that bit by entering 'control userpasswords2' at the run command then unticking the 'users must login' blarb.

Indeed! I've had a shortcut to that utility in Control Panel for years. It can also be done from XP's Power Toy's Tweak UI or User Accounts itself. I prefer to password protect my account.