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AVG 2011 Update Causes Widespread Problems For 64-Bit Windows
phx_zs writes "Last night's mandatory update of AVG 2011 Free edition has caused most 64-bit Windows 7 PCs to fail while loading Windows. On their website they have an FAQ with instructions on how to repair the problem using a boot CD or USB device."
Does anyone actually use AVG anymore? There was a time when it was awesome, but it just got crazy bloated and slow...
Living With a Nerd
AVG is trash and has been since at least vserion 8. We're using the enterprise version 9.0, with the 2011 management console at my organization, and today it started pushing out its AVG toolbar to everyone.
I used to recommend AVG as the free anti-virus solution to people, but Microsoft Security Essentials has a much smaller footprint, it doesn't harass you to upgrade to a paid version, and it has a better detection rate.
AVG isn't particularly great when comparing free or paid products these days.
http://blindscribblings.com - Tasty pop-culture in conceptual fashion.
I used to recommend AVG, and have since switched to telling family members to use Windows Security Essentials. AVG isn't the lightweight, unobtrusive piece of software it used to be.
I run AVG but not the default versions. Well, it's the same except I disable the link scanning, tool bars, and id protection crap and it seems to be smooth and light.
I've been discouraging my friends/customers from using it for about 18 months now.
Agreed that it was once awesome, but they took a dive when they starting including that crappy IE plugin tool that pre-verifies all the results of your searches.
They also make it nigh on impossible to find the free version on their site (or it was hard last time I looked, which has been a while).
While all AV programs are prone to screwing something up, this one won't help their already soured reputation.
I've been using Avast and Sophos for a while now and had little issues with either of them.
-JJS
Of course something like this would happen with a free program, you get what you pay for. Nothing like this would ever happen with one of the quality anti virus programs, like McAfee...
"Sic Semper Tyrannosaurus Rex."
No. Just no. I'm a Windows hater too, but no. It's simply not THAT bad. It's really easy to catch something, but simply existing on the web isn't enough. You are making "magical" assumptions.
Microsoft Security Essentials. It may be from Microsoft, but it's a good piece of software. Licensed for home users and businesses with 10 or less computers- it's what I've been pushing my small business customers to lately. It's lightweight, unobtrusive, and performs checks well.
Sure they are tested. The problem ONLY occurs on rebooting. Who ever has to reboot a Windows computer?
Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
You don't get them by opening email or surfing the web these days. Tracking cookies are not viruses.
You absolutely CAN get an infection from simply surfing the web. I was one of the people affected by the AVG Update Of Death, but I recovered and I will continue to use them in part because it integrates with Firefox and has stopped numerous attacks by intercepting seemingly innocuous sites. If you're not aware of the danger involved in simply surfing the web, you should do a little honest research.
*** *** You're just jealous 'cause the voices talk to me... ***
What's a decent free one to use?
If you have to run Windows, the Microsoft Security Essentials package is excellent. I haven't had the urge to uninstall it yet (unlike Avast and AVG), and it doesn't noticeably slow your system. It's free if you have a valid Windows license...
gcc: no input sig
NoScript and AdBlock Plus are your friends.
If you have Adobe Reader or Flash installed you absolutely DO get them by surfing the web. Go to a site where their ad network has gotten either hacked or just had a bad ad get by their "review" and it is a done deal. Turning on DEP for all processes, installing EMET (video on it here http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/security/ff859539.aspx) and configuring it to protect acrord32.exe and your browser, installing Adobe Reader 10, keeping Flash up to date and using something like FlashBlock to control when Flash can run, etc. can all help out in this space. But for the average user who doesn't update Flash or Adobe Reader - they absolutely get infections just browsing the web. My boss and my brother in law both got a fake AV from reputable sites recently - the ad networks had served an Acrobat Reader exploit. I'll recommend MS Security Essentials as a free as in beer, low impact AV product. But I'd look into EMET if you haven't already.
No. Just no. I'm a Windows hater too, but no. It's simply not THAT bad. It's really easy to catch something, but simply existing on the web isn't enough.
Existing, no, browsing to, yes. What if you simply browsed to a page with a trojan PDF for example...
That would be enough.
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
Yes, and we'll also never be able to play the majority of PC games ever again.
I really wish people would stop saying "lololol get Linux no more viruses". No shit, I think by now a lot of us know that Linux has far, far less in the way of viruses and malware compared to Windows. The problem is that it also has far less software that some of us want to use.
Random Thoughts From A Diseased Mind (Not For Dummies)
"you are just using the eyes of other programmers as your antivirus."
Yeah? So? And how is that bad? I also use MD5 sums to compare what I downloaded with what I was supposed to download.
"i am not saying this happens every day, but it has indeed happened before and ProFTPD isn't the first time."
It happens once every few years. I literally can't remember specifically when the last one happened, but I have a vague recollection of it.
Googling, I can find 3 instances, including this ProFTPD one in the last 10 years. Gentoo and Debian were at fault in the previous two.
That's how rare it is.
Compare and contrast this situation with the Windows situation, where there are literally millions of malware signatures, and the number keeps growing every day.
"but ultimately how is that so different than a binary?"
Because *someone* can look at the code. If not me, then someone else. With a binary, you get *zero* chance.
You're really fighting tooth and nail to hold on to that false equivalence fallacy. Sorry, but that's a load of bullshit.
"eyes of the developers and hoping they find the issue in a timely manner."
It's worked pretty well so far. Obviously trying to catch it all at the client side (Windows) hasn't worked at all over the past decade and a half.
--
BMO
I haven't run antivirus software in years and I've never had a virus.
I've heard that one from Windows users before. You know what happens when I look into that claim? I find viruses every fucking time.