- Quick specs
- Price: Free to try (30-day trial); $34.99 to buy
- Operating system: Windows 2000/XP/Vista/7
- Date added: November 11, 2009
- Total Downloads: 5,566,061
- Downloads last week: 36,544
- See full specifications
- CNET editors' rating: stars
- Average user rating: stars out of 784 votes
See all user reviews
CNET editors' review
Reviewed by: Seth Rosenblatt on October 05, 2009
AVG's most popular product is its free antivirus, but the company also makes two enhanced security suites that are geared for users who don't mind paying for additional protection--as long as it's worthwhile. AVG Anti-Virus 9 introduces a few new features, claiming faster scan times, faster boot times, and other under-the-hood improvements.
Users who've used AVG 8 will find the interface nearly identical, and generally it's easy to use. From the main window, though, you must double-click to get further information on any feature, whether virus scanning, firewall protection, or updating. We'd like to see this streamlined, since there's no reason to click on any of them without wanting more details; it is a spare interface, otherwise. You'll find a full-blown scheduling utility for automating tasks and checking for new definitions as often as you'd like. Other perks include technical support and the ability to run on multiple operating systems. Should a virus create serious system problems, AVG creates a rescue disk to scan your computer in MS-DOS mode. The program doesn't obviously tax your system when scanning or when running in the background. There's also a new identity-theft assistance service, available for free and provided by a third party.
AVG Anti-Virus lacks the firewall, identity protection, antispam, and system tools that come in AVG Internet Security, although it's definitely more robust than AVG Free. In empirical testing, scan times were slower than expected, and the new firewall database proved to have autoapproval problems with some well-known programs. It also detected some image files as threats, when two other scans decided they weren't--we decided these were false positives. AVG might not be the fastest or the most effective available security option, but it still gets the job done and you're better off with it.
Publisher's description
From AVG Technologies USA :AVG Anti-Virus 9.0 is faster, safer and easier to use. The combined anti-virus/anti-spyware scanner in AVG Anti-Virus 9.0 runs up to 50% faster than earlier versions. It is rock solid protection that doesn't get in your way. AVG Anti-Virus 9.0 also delivers new anti-phishing detection techniques, which can quickly and accurately determine whether or not a web page is hosting a phishing attack.
AVG Anti-Virus 9.0 has a secret weapon other anti-virus products don't have. It has AVG LinkScanner. LinkScanner takes over where your anti-virus doesn't go -- into the depths of web pages you haven't even visited yet. LinkScanner gives you a vital extra layer of protection you won't find in other anti-virus software. And you can use it in combination with firewalls and anti-spam products from other companies with no loss of protection or PC performance. Most web threats these days are literally here today, gone tomorrow. So the only way to protect yourself is to use software that checks the page behind every link at the only time that matters - right before you click on it.
Whenever you're on the web, the moment you go to click on a link, LinkScanner analyzes the page behind that link to tell you whether there's something nasty hiding there. For added peace of mind, you also get safety ratings for your Google, Yahoo! and Bing/MSN search results.
Additionally, to improve ease of use AVG Anti-Virus 9.0 installation process has been shortened by 50 percent and comes with a new look & feel.
CNET Editor's Note: The Download Now link will download a small installer file to your desktop. Remain online and double-click the installer to proceed with the actual download.
To learn more about AVG products and to ask questions and receive answers from AVG company representatives, please visit CNET's dedicated AVG Forum.
What's new in this version:
Version 9.0 runs and installs faster, delivers new anti-phishing detection techniques and introduces the AVG LinkScanner to proactively screen the Web pages you haven't even visited yet.
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User reviews
- Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 784 votes
- My rating: 0 stars Write review
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Showing 5 of 14 user reviewsSee all 14 user reviews
This software version | All versions -
Version: AVG Anti-Virus 9.0.704
Pros: I found no pros with 9.0
Cons: Installed on 10 stations all have had major problems since. Blue screen fatal error on a couple of computers. Interent freezes. Computers wont shut down. Dont buy this product.
Summary: Unistalled so no comment on functions
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Version: AVG Anti-Virus 9.0.704
"AVG wants your computer all to itself"
Pros: can't find any.
Cons: Never finished a pass; ran till almost done, then hung. Never deleted or quarantine stuff found.
Search plugin could not be gotten rid of.
System hog.
Did not uninstall completely, still runs hoggy background skeleton, daily prompts me to upgrade.Summary: It slowed my system down so badly, I often had to cancel it because I needed to use the computer too. Occassionally, I would schedule time for it, because I wanted to assure my system was clean. It would take a full morning to get to the last direct... read more >>
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1 out of 1 people found this review helpful
Version: AVG Anti-Virus 9.0.704
"I use to like this program..."
Pros: The con issue below far out weights and pros, this use to be a helpful program... AVOID this version of it you can not shut it off easily.
Cons: No program shut down. Cant exit tray icon or shut off AVG, now it has to to run all the time in the back ground and you can only manually disable certain features, it really sucks, this new version is terrible and I uninstalled it.
Summary: WORTHLESS
Terrible, no way to shut it off, this use to be a great back-up to avast but now they are manipulating it so you can not shut it down easily and are stuck with a tray ic... read more >>
Updated on Dec 14, 2009 -
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful
Version: AVG Anti-Virus 9.0.704
"Blue screen problems on XP SP3 since upgrading to ver9"
Pros: Free, traditionally had been one of the best anti-virus programs out there. Been reliable in the past.
Cons: Most software gets better with age, AVG to me has gotten worse over time.
Summary: This blue screen problem on XP SP3 makes it unusable for me. Happens about 1 out of ever 5 times the computer sleeps (on a Vostro 200). Version 8 did not do this. I haven't had a blue screen on this computer for a few years until upgrading to... read more >>
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2 out of 2 people found this review helpful
Version: AVG Anti-Virus 9.0.704
Pros: Still a decent piece of antivirus software
Cons: Conflicts with other software make it difficult installation, then you have to re- install all the stuff you have had to take off.
Summary: I found; it easier to use Avast and stopsign, leaving this out. AVG still haven't sorted out the installation after all these years.
- See all 14 user reviews Write review
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