Free reliable anti-virus software?

[splashpot]

Is there anything out there I can trust. Free if possible. Also, in addition to anti-virus software, what else should I install? Like firewalls, anti-spy software, etc? Thanks.

[WWJFergusonD?]

avg is a good anti-virus software, zone alarm is a good firewall, and spybot and adaware are good and complementary spyware removal tools. I use them all, and they're all free.

[Dangergirl]

I also recommend Spybot S&D as I've never had a problem with it. For virus scanning the Trend Micro free online scan also works pretty well.

[VegasVixen]

Microsoft has a free antispyware available here:

MS AntiSpyware Link

[dirty moose]

adaware is the ebst for getting rid of spam

[oreogod]

I'd like to add:
1.Ad-aware
2.Ewido security suite (free, it is really good at finding things ad-aware and norton miss)

As far as anti-virus software, the "honorable" route has been mentioned above, but u can find "free" versions of Norton or Mcafee on Torrentspy.com or piratebay.org. Not advocating it, but just throwing that out there, but Im sure most already know of this anyway.

[splashpot]

I just remembered that I can get a legal version of Mcafee through my school. Should I be well protected with Mcafee, Zonealarm, and Ad-aware?

[WWJFergusonD?]

You should be fine. I got screwed over by Norton once and refuse to use them. I use McAfee (which updates virus definitions automatically; in fact, they just sent me an e-mail about a month an a half ago to let me know that I should update to their latest version of the product -- this wasn't virus definitions, which are updated automatically every week, but the latest anti-virus product), AVG (just to test McAfee), SpyBot, AdAware, and Zone Alarm. Zone Alarm kicks ass as a fire wall. I would really use SpyBot and AdAware together, though, since SpyBot has found things that AdAware has missed, and vice versa. They are a good combo.

[jwp]

I've had very good results using Avast's free anti-virus program.

www.avast.com

JWP