New Virgin Media Security released (previously PC Guard)

[BenMcr]

Virgin have released a new version of their security suite. It is now compatible with Windows 7 and should have significant performance increases

http://www.virginmedia.com/myvirginmedia/security/find-out-more/

http://www.virginmedia.com/myvirginmedia/security/whats-new/

[oliver1948uk]

Never, never again after that latest version of PC Guard messed up two computers, making them run really slowly, freezing and crashing. Disgraceful.

I find the free Microsoft Security Essentials excellent

[Sirius]

Virgin have released a new version of their security suite. It is now compatible with Windows 7 and should have significant performance increases

http://www.virginmedia.com/myvirginmedia/security/find-out-more/

http://www.virginmedia.com/myvirginmedia/security/whats-new/

Will install it and see how it performs :tu:

[BenMcr]

Never, never again after that latest version of PC Guard messed up two computers, making them run really slowly, freezing and crashing. Disgraceful.
That is why it no longer uses Kaspersky due to the performance issues experienced in the last version

[broadbandking]

I am using the MS suite at the moment so will give it a go when I rebuild.

[Sirius]

That is why it no longer uses Kaspersky due to the performance issues experienced in the last version

Just installed it, Looks very slick and reboots very quick compared with the old version

[dilli-theclaw]

I have just put it on an old laptop to see what it's like. MMMmmm well it does seem faster than before.

[Peter_]

This new PC Guard is now based on Bitdefender (http://www.bitdefender.co.uk/)

[zing_deleted]

is it based on the newest version of Bitdefender or an older one?

[Arj12]

I'm not too sure but I just installed it on my very old laptop that had VM's PCguard on it and it's a lot faster so that engines miles better then kasperskys' in terms of usage of resources.

[pip08456]

I'm not too sure but I just installed it on my very old laptop that had VM's PCguard on it and it's a lot faster so that engines miles better then kasperskys' in terms of usage of resources.

Kaspersky is well know for being something of a resource hog.

I'll still give P C Guard a miss though. I'm quite happy with Eset Smart Security and Malwarebytes.

[Arj12]

I know, I wish they would have used norton's latest engine though lol =P The best out there at the moment in terms of performance and efficiency in my opinion =D

[Ben B]

Installed on Desktop, upgraded from PCGuard, will see how it performs and whether to replace MSE on my laptop

[jtaylor06]

Installed on Desktop, upgraded from PCGuard, will see how it performs and whether to replace MSE on my laptop

Any chance of screenshots too please Ben? :)

[Ben B]

Any chance of screenshots too please Ben? :)

Certainly

[joglynne]

Installed on Desktop, upgraded from PCGuard, will see how it performs and whether to replace MSE on my laptop

I too have MSE and have been very impressed by it, especially in comparison with Kaspersky which I had previously and found my laptop grinding to a halt at times as a result. I use Avast on my main computer and was wondering whether to install MSE, maybe I will use use VM Security if the improvement over their last offering works OK.

Seeing as more of you guys are trying this version out I look forward to hearing your opinions on the new PCGuard when it has had time to settle in.

[jtaylor06]

Certainly

Thanks :) its alright looking
Is it a memory hog, or is it fine, and startup times good?

[Ben B]

Thanks :) its alright looking
Is it a memory hog, or is it fine, and startup times good?
Computer seems to run fine, haven't restarted the computer since installation so can't say anything of startup times just yet

[jtaylor06]

Computer seems to run fine, haven't restarted the computer since installation so can't say anything of startup times just yet

Thanks anyway :)
I dunno if I'll switch from MSE is the thing :P

[darren.b]

Installed it.

Saw it has 7 processes running, 240MB of RAM gobbled up and 10 minutes of CPU at 100% after a reboot.

Uninstalled and went back to Avast 5.

[Sirius]

Installed it.

Saw it has 7 processes running, 240MB of RAM gobbled up and 10 minutes of CPU at 100% after a reboot.

Uninstalled and went back to Avast 5.

Strange i have not seen any of that. Its running fine here on windows 7 64 bit.

[jtaylor06]

Restart computer and see if that improves anything

[zing_deleted]

Strange i have not seen any of that. Its running fine here on windows 7 64 bit.

runs ok but gives false positives on files MSE and Virus total say are clear.

[Sirius]

Restart computer and see if that improves anything

I have done a few times, Reboots are fast with no problems compared with the old system they had.

[Toto]

runs ok but gives false positives on files MSE and Virus total say are clear.

That's assuming MSE and Virus Total is correct. :)

---------- Post added at 22:15 ---------- Previous post was at 22:07 ----------

Bloody hell, how bad though, look at the email clients it supports.



Outlook Express 5.x, 6.0
Outlook 2000, 2003
Netscape 7.x
Eudora 5.2.1


Where's Thunderbird and Windows Mail?

If it is Bitdefender, that's a pretty poor support mechanism, I'll stick with Nod 32 thanks.

-

[Ben B]

I can confirm it works with Windows Live Mail

[Peter_]

I can confirm it works with Windows Live Mail
Well it is just Outlook Express with a new face.;)

[broadbandking]

No issues here seems fine, runs quietly in the background

[zing_deleted]

That's assuming MSE and Virus Total is correct. :)

---------- Post added at 22:15 ---------- Previous post was at 22:07 ----------

Bloody hell, how bad though, look at the email clients it supports.



Outlook Express 5.x, 6.0
Outlook 2000, 2003
Netscape 7.x
Eudora 5.2.1
Where's Thunderbird and Windows Mail?

If it is Bitdefender, that's a pretty poor support mechanism, I'll stick with Nod 32 thanks.

-

Virus total is a load of AVs you upload to it and it scans with loads of engines

Also 3 out of 4 of the files on a full scan are old so the chances of any new AV missing virus in them is pretty slim and no other AV I have used in a few years ( thats how old the files are) have ever picked up on them including AVG AVAST MSE the old PC GUARD KASPERSKY and NOD32

Dont like it took it off my machine :)

[Toto]

Virus total is a load of AVs you upload to it and it scans with loads of engines

Also 3 out of 4 of the files on a full scan are old so the chances of any new AV missing virus in them is pretty slim and no other AV I have used in a few years ( thats how old the files are) have ever picked up on them including AVG AVAST MSE the old PC GUARD KASPERSKY and NOD32

Dont like it took it off my machine :)

Well there you go. :)

[joglynne]

I think I may give it a miss then.

[lawe]

Now installed on mine with Win 7 op system and all seems good so far.
A lot better than the previous incarnation.

[ian1969uk]

Just tried this and, after having half an hour of my PC constantly crashing and giving error messages, I have uninstalled it and gone back to Panda Global Protection 2010. My Panda licence is up soon so thought I'd try something I could get for free, but I would much rather pay for another licence with Panda to be honest!

[broadbandking]

AVG is brilliant for free and Avast is also good.

[Stop It]

Just tried this and, after having half an hour of my PC constantly crashing and giving error messages, I have uninstalled it and gone back to Panda Global Protection 2010. My Panda licence is up soon so thought I'd try something I could get for free, but I would much rather pay for another licence with Panda to be honest!

I am a Norton user (I got it cheap, shh, 2010 is nice anyway!) and this was a huge downgrade.

Not only is the UI utter rubbish, but the Firewall blocked traffic I had explicitly allowed, it took me 30 minutes to work out why ArmA2 suddenly blocked my favourite server.

It's not bad by any means, but it is far too strict by default and is outclassed by Norton etc.

[Ben B]

MSE is my fav Anti-Virus at the minute and although VMIS is running smoothly on the desktop I am still not going to change to it on my laptop. Not yet anyway

[AndyCambs]

I installed it on the laptop, and the memory resources used were about twice that used by Avast, so I uninstalled it, as it was making everything slow.

[brimurray]

Dump Microshaft and move into Linux, far superior all round.

[dilli-theclaw]

So I am trying this on my sons netbook and while I'm downloading etc I notice it offers me the opportunity to upgrade to the 'total' version.

I thought I got the full version being on the ADSL unlmited (broadband XL) package?

I did phone and ask but the gist of the conversation was 'I don't know'

[Ben B]

Gave out too many false positives so had to uninstall it in the end :(

[Spectato]

I am a Norton user and this was a huge downgrade.
Worse than Norton!
That's pretty scathing! :naughty:

All these 'security suites' are a racket.
Bloated, bug-filled, piles of junk.
All you need is a firewall and maybe a malware scanner or two (not that anyone makes a decent standalone software firewall since Sygate was absorbed by Symantec).
Software firewalls aren't absolute, but you can use one to block all the IP addresses from say: China, Russia, Vietnam, Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore etc.
Magically, all the port-scans and malware auto-downloads/connections etc. will cease!
Of course, you could also stop opening mystery email attachments, installing and running 'acquired' software from mystery sources, and frequenting dodgy websites.

(On this machine, I'm using Outpost Firewall Pro and Malwarebytes Anti-Malware [non-realtime] if anyone's even vaguely interested.)

[Rockabilly Spike]

AVG is brilliant for free and Avast is also good.

it REALLY isn't brilliant.
terrible for false positives and detection rates.

and anyone still rubbishing Norton products is just out of touch or too arrogant to open their mind to the new rebuilt products that AV-comparatives.org voted as product of 2009.

and i say that as someone who refused to sell them for four years!

[dilli-theclaw]

So I am trying this on my sons netbook and while I'm downloading etc I notice it offers me the opportunity to upgrade to the 'total' version.

I thought I got the full version being on the ADSL unlmited (broadband XL) package?

I did phone and ask but the gist of the conversation was 'I don't know'Well anyway I've installed it now in the 'free' mode. If I get time later I'll post on the virgin forums and ask there :)

[BenMcr]

I think for some reason you have to opt in to the Total version. With you being on XL there will be no cost increase

[dilli-theclaw]

I think for some reason you have to opt in to the Total version. With you being on XL there will be no cost increaseCheers - I'll give it a go and keep an eye on the bills :tu:

[Toto]

Worse than Norton!
That's pretty scathing! :naughty:

All these 'security suites' are a racket.
Bloated, bug-filled, piles of junk.
All you need is a firewall and maybe a malware scanner or two (not that anyone makes a decent standalone software firewall since Sygate was absorbed by Symantec).
Software firewalls aren't absolute, but you can use one to block all the IP addresses from say: China, Russia, Vietnam, Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore etc.
Magically, all the port-scans and malware auto-downloads/connections etc. will cease!
Of course, you could also stop opening mystery email attachments, installing and running 'acquired' software from mystery sources, and frequenting dodgy websites.

(On this machine, I'm using Outpost Firewall Pro and Malwarebytes Anti-Malware [non-realtime] if anyone's even vaguely interested.)

Sorry, and with the greatest respect, that is the poorest advice I have ever seen. :shocked:

Yes, bloatware security programs are a pain, but a good firewall HAS to be backed up with some decent AV protection, and it does not have to be bloatware.

Simply blocking known far eastern countries will not prevent port scanning. Have you ever heard of a botnet?

Please folks, by all means slag off VM's offering if you want to, but its a fool who follows the above advice in the hope of preventing disaster.

Malwarebytes on its own IS NOT an antivirus program, it can be run alongside a GOOD AV program and offer additional protection, yes.

[Spectato]

That's because you suffer from mass conditioning, and probably wouldn't even consider your own experiences over hearsay.
It's wasn't so much advice as my opinion, as someone who uses the Internet/Web extensively and hasn't run intrusive AV software on a personal machine for a good five or six years.
Oh, and not a single 'infection' either.

It certainly wouldn't be practical for kids, corporate environments or idiots, but all of those will suffer from repeated virus/malware infections regardless of how much AV software they stoke into their ill-fated operating systems.

Generally, people don't like to venture into the unknown, I appreciate this, but I do have a network of friends and family who have all benefited greatly (and frequently tell me so) from my terrible PC/Networking advice and intervention.

Watch out for those terrorists now! ;)

[Toto]

That's because you suffer from mass conditioning, and probably wouldn't even consider your own experiences over hearsay.

You're entitled to your opinion, but have you considered the fact that I may actually have more than "mass conditioning".

I actually speak with years of network security experience - professionally. I am paid not to give such poor advice sir.

[Welshchris]

This runs better than the previous version admittingly but doesnt half throw up a lot of false positives. It found an entire drive full of JPG files from a digicam infected with a Virus when it wasnt on a friends system. Phaps when they sort this issue out it may be worth looking at again.

[dilli-theclaw]

Ok another quickie if I may....

I know I can install this on three machines and I was wondering if it checked where it was being used?

IE my girlfriends laptop is on BT when she's at work so I'm wondering if I can use one of my activations on her laptop even though she isn't on a virgin connection?

[master811]

Well it is just Outlook Express with a new face.;)

Technically, it's Windows Mail (but only on Vista) is just OE with a new face, Live Mail on the other hand is quite a bit better.

[Peter_]

Technically, it's Windows Mail (but only on Vista) is just OE with a new face.
Oddly what I said in the first place.:confused::)

[master811]

Oddly what I said in the first place.:confused::)

Nah you said Windows LIVE mail, there is a difference ;)