AVG's latest privacy policy update states that they will collect data from your pc for marketing purposes. Uninstalling avg deleted the entire extended partition on a hard drive.

I've gotten so disgusted with trying to keep up with the evil creeps who lurk in cyberspace that I've adopted a two-step Scorched Earth method:

Step 1: Any time you save anything, save it to external storage media - USB, SD, external HD, etc., and leave absolutely nothing personal on your system.

Step 2: At a period of your choosing, say every month or so, do a complete drive-wipe and clean install of your OS.

For antivirus, I've been running Avast's free version for years and have found it perfectly adequate - if being virus-free for the duration is any indicator. Michael, you say "I hate Avast," but don't say why. What problems have you had with it? An antivirus program that you can switch to "Pirate Talk" - what's not to like? "Harr, yer blacklist of dangerous sea dogs be safely aboard." "Harr, there be a scurvy man o' war off yer starboard bow." 8^]

With news that Windows 10 is basically spyware written into the fabric of the OS itself and which therefore cannot be removed, that's an absolute no-go and grounds for boycotting MS if not switching to Linux or something else altogether (Apple is run by a goose-stepping eco-fascist, so they won't get a dime from me.) Since MS is even pushing elements of Win10 at users of Windows 7 and 8, along with the normal process of disabling multiple startup services we can now safely turn off Windows Updates from the outset. If you're doing a monthly drive-wipe and saving everything externally, I don't see how the bulk of the Windows updates are needed in any case. There's a variety of alternative 'Net browsers (I like Epic Privacy Browser,) so the latest-lousiest IE is not needed either.

Anyhow, that's what I do. YMMV.
.

I have used AVG for many years, as a general tool, and it is OK. When I find a particularly bad case, I get Malwearbytes. That company seems to move a bit faster in developing new tools for a wild virus.

Jan

The best virus protection you can get is to dump the PC, and switch to a Apple. Get yourself a copy of "Little Snitch)" install it and learn how to use it to protect your incoming and outgoing data. Set the system up with a "Administrative" account and a "User" account. Do all of your work through a "User" account and when the window pops up and asks if you really want this to happen or install in your computer, make sure you know that you want to allow that to happen. No currently known or imagined virus or malware can get past that message unless you press "OK:. (At this point I expect a bunch of you to start spouting comments from your heart and not your brains, but seriously, before you comment answer this: how much do you actually KNOW about computers).
Now for some cold hard facts: Apple has been the widest selling computer for quite a few years now, not to mention the iPads and iPhones that outsell their competition 8 to 1, so one might reason that popularity of the OS may not necessarily be the reason they are much more impervious to malware, viruses, etc. (Now before any of you blast me with comments, include in your answer: How many hours you have spent on the phone with Steve Jobs, and Apples programers working out software, and yes hardware improvements. How many hours have you spent in meetings and on the phone with Microsoft's, Digital Equipment, and other computer developers. Have you spent any time developing computer hardware, not only the boxes and boards, but the chips themselves).
Many years ago Steve Jobs added a mission to his life to make a system that is impervious to hackers (almost impossible, but a laudable goal for one's life.) To make this simple, there are a lot of transistors in the Apple computer architecture that thwart most hackers. Second: Steve Jobs started a program within Apple many years ago that promoted the hacking of Apple computers. If any hacker comes up with a new verifiable software hack, virus, malware, etc. Apple pays a extremely generous bonus to hackers for the problem and a solution. So much so that some of these people have retired to warmer climates necessitating unlimited suntan oil, and with checks rivaling lottery winnings.
Apple computers are more virus resistant for one simple reason: The same reason that a well designed Stanley hammer works better than a rock at driving nails.

For an anti virus protection you can not beet Ariva antivir and the best news you can download a free version I've used it for year with no problems on my computers ever!

AVG software must have a give up trying to sell timer.
I was working on a scene in my Chasing Little Red novel about some boche being stung by bees disturbed by my heroine in 1914 Belgium when a little AVG box appeared my lower left corner of my screen.
After I saved my work, I followed the process and now have my free AVG.protection back, having lost it 3 or 4 days ago.
Then they also tried to be my home page, the sneaker blighters..

Most of the time you get what you pay. Value for value.
I have used Symantec for decades and never once got infected.
EDIT: Added the second line.

Having worked for a number of years as an IT professional, I personally use no virus protection.

I like to use the analogy of protecting the hottest bar in town with a blind bouncer checking the ID’s.
Here’s why. New viruses are coming out all the time. A new virus has to move around in the “wild” and infect a number of machines before the virus protection companies even discover it. Then they have to spend some amount of time correcting the issue that the virus exploits. Then there is the lag between the “cure” being created and dispersed. Now depending on the specific virus protection that you use, subscription paid, off the shelf paid, downloaded free or off the shelf free. These are all well behind the curve for what is out and hot today. Depending on your choice you are anywhere from 3 to 6 months behind to 1 to 2 years behind. Additionally go back to the analogy the bouncer checks EVERY SINGLE incoming and outgoing packet. This “protection” actually slows down ALL traffic.

Now you are thinking what does he do to protect his machine? I COMPULSIVELY HABITUALLY CONSTANTLY run my updates and check that my updates have run. These updates are what closes the VAST MAJORITY of the holes in the operating system that viruses exploit. Next I ensure that ALL important data on my machine is backed up on a NON-COURRUPTABLE media (burn it to a CD/DVD) and store this in multiple places. When I occasionally do get a virus I go here: http://www.mcafee.com/us/downloads/fr...
This tool is updated regularly by Mcafee and has not failed me yet to remove a virus. Consider it as an anti-biotic to cure a cold. It doesn’t prevent you from getting sick but it will cure it. On the off chance that the stinger didn’t work I would reformat and reinstall everything, run my updates and then be back in business in about 3 hours. I keep a known good image of my machine created immediately after running my updates at least once a month, so very little chance of losing much if anything.

Thanks. I'll have my smarter with PCs son look at this a little later.

I'm running Ubuntu Linux on 2 computers, but still have to keep a Windows computer because there are some things I just can't figure out how to do with Linux. If only I was smarter :-(

Viruses are created for the most popular markets. One of the selling points of old Apply / Mac was that there weren't any viruses. So people flocked to those computers. Now that they are gathering a larger market share, there are now viruses for those OS's.

So, if more people start using linux, there will start to be viruses for it.

I'm an I.T. Guy, and I have never had a problem with Avast...the caveat to that is the fact that I remove all the extra crap it installs...Secureline, Restore Disk, etc. If you modify your install and remove almost all of the optional components in the middle set of boxes (Tools)...the only ones I leave are Browser Cleanup and Browser Protection. The Free version has never failed me. Then I use Malwarebytes (the free version) to take care of any Malware/Spyware/Crapware, etc. I have recommended this combination to numerous people and set it up for even more...zero issues. What are your problems with it?

I don't mind paying for quality. I've tried them all beginning with Norton (Symantec) products for Mac back in the day through Norton and most of the others for the Windows platforms including the freebies: AVG, Avast, etc., etc. I have been using Kasperky Lab products for years in concert with Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and am very happy with both. They have blocked malicious websites that I inadvertently try going to. I'm currently running Kaspersky Total Security and Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Home (Premium) 2.2.0.1024 on Windows 7 Home Premium. You have to take care to set them up properly though so that one doesn't conflict with the other. It's relatively simple to do. Here's how:

http://tinyurl.com/ns6dxcj

If that link doesn't work then do a web search for "mutual exclusions Kaspersky Malwarebytes"

Allosaur,
I've also used AVG free, for years...on several of our computers.
On occasion, my wife accidentally clicks the wrong update option and ends up with the "paid for" version and I spend an hour cleaning it off her machine so I can reload the free version.
AVG has gotten better at this, in that their removal tool is much easier to find, then before.
Personally, I've been through several paid and free programs and each time I left a company, it was because their software bogged my system down, incessantly. I suppose AVG will follow that trend, eventually.

I use whatever Microsoft's product is called. Security Essentials or Windows Defender or something else depending on what version of
Windows you're running.

By the way as an after thought that is for Windows, I don't do Macs or Linux.

I have tried probably all of the ones out there, from the free ones to the paid ones, and I personally have used AVG Internet Security for the past 10 years (cheaper for the 2 year edition as well as multiple pc's) and have really not had any problems, with the typical threats out in the world, but it is really a personal choice item, oh by the way I do have 30 years in the PC building business, as a business and retired as well.. just a thought.

my brother-in-law, who does small business computer systems,
is using bitdefender right now. . I have it on my machine here
and, so far so good! -- j
.

On a somewhat orthogonal axis, I recommend becoming familiar with using virtual machine software, such as VMWare Workstation. The idea is to provide a sandbox wherein actions such as web-browsing or trying a new program can be performed in isolation. If interested, research more about the topic of virtual machines.

I found Bitdefender and malwarebyes both good, and they work together --- even though Bitdefender says they don't. Both reasonably priced.

I've used AVG and Kaspersky Pure with good results.

Ad-aware (Lavasoft) anti-virus is highly rated. I use the free version.

While AVG is good it doesn't run all of the protection needed all the time. I use a Linux Box, specifically Ubuntu 14.04 LTS (http://www.ubuntu.com/ which is not having any issues with virus or malware --- YET!). What I use for my wife's Windows 7 Pro machine is ESET Smart Security (http://www.eset.com/us/) relatively inexpensive and they were giving a free month to try it out. Hope that helps.