I’ve known Avira offers a free antivirus for a few years, but until now I had never tried it. I had decided to create a virtual machine to run all my accounting and banking software on and this weekend I was installing a fresh copy of Windows XP into the virtual machine. I decided to do this as an extra layer of protection from viruses and spyware that might be looking for my passwords, bank accounts, etc. This way, everything in the virtual machine is isolated from any infections or malware that may be present on the host machine.
Of course it is still vital to have antivirus installed on the virtual machine so what better time to try out Avira’s free version? Avira’s installer is only 48.9 MB in size and was a quick download from the Avira website. After clicking on the link to download the free file, you are presented an offer to get the premium free- if you shop at one of several brand name sites.
Installation is very simple and the installer makes it easy to simply follow the instructions. For advanced users, there are additional settings that can be configured during installation, or after. Selecting “Expert” mode in the configuration windows brings up all the extra options
Avira configuration Window Expert Mode
Even though there is a dizzying number of options, the menu is easy to navigate and understand. Though one setting caught my attention- the “Restart settings” under “Update.” Most antivirus I have used don’t require a restart after an update, so I wonder if this just demonstrates a high attention to detail- providing extra options that may not be necessary- or is Avira more prone to need a restart after an update than other antivirus? There is certainly nothing wrong with restarts, except is some joker checked the “Restart computer without query” option and the computer restarts just as you get up to go grab another cup of coffee and you lose all your unsaved work.
So far Avira seems quick, responsive, and easy to use. During installation I turned on all the security features and my work hasn’t been interrupted by Avira yet. Time will tell how well it works.
