Risk of corruption before install free anti virus

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cronley

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What are the chances of getting a virus in the few minutes between connecting new laptop to internet , and downloading free anti virus i.e. I am trying to avoid paying for anti virus on my new Dell laptop.
Please recommend which free anti virus.
 
Assuming you're using broadband... The chance is always there, but IMHO has diminished somewhat with the advent of broadband. Being behind a broadband router with a LAN connection as opposed to a USB connection makes it ever-so-slightly safer to get out there and download your software. In the old days with modems, your computer would have been directly on the Internet rather than on the other side of the router.

If you're unfortunate enough to be using a modem... Download your software of choice on a different computer and transfer it to your new one via a usb stick or blank CD.

My personal favourite is AVG Free (http://free.grisoft.com/), which works quite nicely for me and everyone to whom I recommend it.
 
Thanks for that. I checked that AVG link. The Anti Virus & Anti Spyware are free. For full protection do I need Anti Spam & Firewall. Where can I get these free.
 
It depends on what O/S you're running, and whether, as ClubMan pointed out in another thread on another subject, you intend to use the machine for business or personal use. I should also have pointed this out. If you are using Windows XP (conceivable, but on the whole unlikely), I just use the standard XP firewall. I can't speak about Vista, as I haven't used it enough to say. There's probably a sticky post at the start of this sub-forum about favoured firewalls and all sorts of software.

I found the AVG anti-spyware to be less effective than Spybot (http://www.spybot.info/), which is free for all types of usage, so I always use that instead.
 
Thanks again. I am using Windows XP. I have broadband. I am a private user.
OK -AVG for Anti Virus, Spybot for Anti Spyware, Win XP for Firewall. What about Anti Spam. Is there any free download that includes the whole lot.
 
At home, I have run a Vista Ultimate PC, with broadband connection to the internet for well over a year with 4 different users. Default setting and all users having Admin rights. When got around to loading Kaspersky on it over Christmas to my surprise it found no viruses.
 
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