I've been using the AVG free version 8.0 (read the directions--you don't have to buy it). As with all of these programs that worked perfectly in their previous form but they wanted to make it new and improved, I don't like it as well. It slowed down my relatively recent HP computer with XP Pro, and I went poking around to find out why. It has a feature called Link Scanner that slowed my Internet browsing down to a crawl. It has never been fast, so this change was noticeable. I have wondered if it upgraded itself to a free trial of the fee version, but so far I haven't received a bill. I prefer the simple free one.

I disabled the link scanner and I set the scan parameters so it doesn't spend hours search the entire computer. Today I went in and took out the Resident Shield to see if that makes a speed difference. I don't like the redundancy with the spyware scan, Spybot Search&Destroy already does that, but there isn't a way to turn off that feature. You do have to look at a red arrow in the system tray, it doesn't like having parts turned off and doesn't give you the option to do so without raising an alarm.

I could use a free AV software provided through the university, it was Norton AV for a long time, though I think they've changed to a different Norton product. It didn't play nicely with some software but I suppose I should check it out again now.

SRS