Anti Malware Program

AVG Anti-Virus 2011 Free

The latest version of AVG's popular free anti-malware program can protect you against rootkits as well as viruses and spyware. The rootkit sweep has to be run separately from the main scan, but it's quick and reliable, and there's now a Game Mode, which means the program won't interrupt you with notifications or update alerts when you're running an application in full-screen mode.

AVG 2011's new PC Analyzer component adds an additional string to the software's bow, and scans your system looking for Registry errors, junk files, fragmentation and broken shortcuts. However, the tool can't fix any problems it finds - you'll need to download the free AVG PC TuneUp tool to do that - which makes this new feature seem a little redundant.

As in previous releases, AVG's LinkScanner component can protect you from malicious websites. If you install the optional toolbar, you'll be able to view the safety status of the site you’re currently viewing and read a report.

Another new feature is the Facebook button, which gives you quick access to your account and also checks every link you post.

The changes to AVG Anti-Virus 2011's interface are minor, but welcome. Although the layout remains much the same, with the status of all 10 security modules displayed on the overview screen, the classy muted grey and blue color scheme is a definite improvement. Windows Vista and 7 users also get a complementary Desktop gadget to update the program or run a scan.

There are also a number of under-the-bonnet changes that have resulted in AVG 2011 being quicker and using fewer PC resources than previous editions.
By: Francis David