Time to upgrade AV?

[jh88fan]

I installed Norton Internet Security 2003 (Norton AV 2003/Norton Personal Firewall built in) when I built my pc, it came with the mobo. I've kept the subscription service up-to-date, and haven't had any problems yet. I'm running XP, and I download the security updates regularly.

Is there a point in time though, where an AV program just gets too out-of-date and it's time to upgrade to a newer version?

Thanks for any advice,

JH

[ghost2003]

As long as it keeps getting updates it should still be good, i doubt the new versions do much more than remove money from your wallet. But eventually your subscription will run out and you will stop getting updates, you probably had a 1 year subscription with it so watch out for that. When it does run out just get a free AV like AVG.

[Kov-Ice]

After a while, I think some AV programs discontinue offering the updates to earlier versions of their software. AVG for example stopped updating the earlier version so everyone would download the new client. That's a free product, tho, so I don't know if someone like Norton might do that.

You will find more features in the newer products, like better incoming and outgoing email scanning, more efficient engines, and that sort of thing.

[Panama Red]

You'll also find with the newer versions of Norton or System Works that they are much more system intrusive (or bloated) than the '03 version. I prefer the free version of AVG 7.0 to paying for an AV.

[stevebro6510]

hi jh, panama has a good point. if you upgrade to a newer version of norton (especially '05) you will notice a substantial performance drop. i spent $40 on '05 when i finished my new build in Feb. then i installed it on my parents hp 1.0ghz piii. it would barely run. i downloaded avg free for both and uninstalled norton. if you upgrade i highly suggest to go with avg ;)

[glc]

Norton '03 should be good for another several months or so, but it is getting long in the tooth, the engine is gonna roll over and die. '02 and earlier have already been shown to be obsolete. When your sub runs out, I'd replace it with AVG Free.

[kev7555]

Another vote here for AVG free edition. It's free, self updates, non intrusive, user friendly.

Norton is becoming increasingly more unreliable.

-Kev

[palloco]

From lesser to more resources consumer:
ClamWin, Antivir, AVG, NOD32, Avast

[kev7555]

Unfortunately, NOD 32 (which is a very good AV program) does not offer a free edition.

I tested Avast last year and found it to be lacking (much the same as Norton) when it comes to Trojans. AVG would detect trojans that Avast totally missed. I have another friend in the biz who came to the same conclusion after testing Avast for several months. He also returned to AVG where he has stayed (along with all of his customers) to the present.

-Kev