Disasterous Customer Service/Support - AVG Software

Real Live Wire

Does anybody out there share my experience of dissatisfaction with the Standard of Customer Service/Support provided by the AVG Anti-Virus Software Company ?
Initially I used the Free Version, and later decided to upgrade to the paid Version for enhanced Security. Overall I found the Product itself to be OK in terms of protecting one’s computer sufficiently without the hassle of slowing down access to one’s Programs.... in contrast to that of Norton ! Unfortunately however, my experience of dealing with their Customer Services/Support Team with any follow-up queries has been a far less positive one !
Currently they don’t even have a basic Contact email address on their website for Customer Queries. They did have one some time ago, but it appears they have now closed this down. The only contact they make with Customers in relation to Licence renewal reminders etc. is to one’s personal email address from an email address to which one cannot respond in the event that one wishes to follow-up/reply to. On the Contact page of their website, the only options available to Customers who wish to make Contact is either via time-consuming written communications on a ridiculous “Chat-Line”, or via telephone, which is not only an inconvenience... but also an additional expense which Customers can do without, especially given that same calls are diverted to their Centre in the UK, and the fact that Customers pay enough for the Licence Fees in the first place !
In light of this I will not be renewing my Licence with AVG. However, given the importance of having good Anti-Virus Software.... I would welcome any recommendations for a good alternative ? – but not Norton, for the reasons as highlighted in the 2nd paragraph above.

yoyo

I removed formatting to make the post easier to read.

Nick

tricky D

AVG went badly downhill a few years ago, Norton and McAfee ain't great either, so I'd avoid those. Take a look at this recommendation thread: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056280359

Real Live Wire

Cheers Nick...

Thought I had it spaced out enough.

Real Live Wire

So "Microsoft Security Essentials & Malware bytes Anti Malware".... would this be the best way to go ?

practice

Try "Avast" free one and I think you may be converted.

Real Live Wire

One only recommended..... or is it possible for all of these to be downloaded at the same time ?

Real Live Wire

Good enough on it's own ?

Torqay

Real Live Wire wrote: »

One only recommended..... or is it possible for all of these to be downloaded at the same time ?

They're four different types of programs, so yes, you may use all of them (Sandboxie being the most important one, as it isolates the web browser from the "real" system which makes it the most effective protection).

practice

Real Live Wire wrote: »

One only recommended..... or is it possible for all of these to be downloaded at the same time ?

We will all have our favoorites.
I just think "Avast" is for me
A simple free easy to use anti virus that has a software updater and a sandbox.
What more could a person want.

Real Live Wire

Will check em out.... Cheers !

beauf

I haven't needed anything other than Microsoft Security Essentials for years. Occasionally I'll clean a machine with ccleaner.

Real Live Wire

Will give it a try Practice..... As your Name suggests, it might surely make Perfect !

Overheal

Actually I've utilized and only ever had good experiences with Norton customer support.

I currently use Webroot however, its a very light and robust security product.

Microsoft Security Essentials is OK, but its let me down before.

coylemj

Install MSE for everyday anti-virus, allow it to automatically download updates

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=5201

Install Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and run it every week or so

http://downloads.malwarebytes.org/mbam-download.php

Install ccleaner and run it every second or third day to clean up your browser cache, cookies etc.

Make sure to download only the free version on the left....

http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner/download

On the Wednesday following the second Tuesday each month, MS will give you (via Windows Update) a new copy of their Malicious Software Removal Tool which runs in the background.

http://search.microsoft.com/en-us/DownloadResults.aspx?q=malicious%20software%20removal%20tool

All for free.

BloodBath

Avast is far better than MSE. Tested and proven.

Avast and Malwarebytes is all you need. The free versions don't conflict with each other either.

beauf

I found the ads annoying in many of these free apps. I like that there's no ads in Microsoft Defender. Not found any need to get anything better tbh. If the machine was important or a business machine I might pay for something better, but not had the need for many years.