What is the best antivirus program for Windows 7?

AVG Free has been working fine for me. It’s not the most lightweight, but still not too heavy on the system. I’m not sure if Avast! has a Windows 7 compatible version, but if they do, I’d use that instead.

So either AVG Free or Avast!

I second @eambos. Either avg or avast, with a higher preference for avast.

Most anti virus programs that run on Vista should run on 7.
Compatibility cannot be guaranteed however since Windows 7 is still beta.
Keep that in mind should any errors occur.

I suggested AVG because I know, for a fact, that it supports Windows 7.

The ultimate way to completely protect your machine from viruses in Vista 7 basically goes like this:

1. Download Linux as an ISO image(preferably Ubuntu Linux 9.04).
2. Burn that ISO image into a CD.
3. Insert the CD into you CD drive. (But make sure to configure your BIOS to boot from CD first)
4. Go through the extremely easy installation process.
5. Make sure you completely and absolutely replace your Vista 7 with Ubuntu Linux.
7. Boot to your new Ubuntu Linux system.
8. Enjoy a life 100000% virus and spyware free. :)

Building on @archaeopteryx‘s quip, I suggest considering the virtualization of Vista on Ubuntu.

You’ll be able to run Vista in a protected sandbox, easily restore an infected/corrupted image, etc.

@robmandu

Actually, he’s talking about Windows 7, but I’m referring to it as Vista 7 because it’s literally just what Vista was supposed to be.

While Linux and its children are evolving like thunder everyday, MS are still busy fixing their broken Vista. :-)

Yah, Win7 == Vista SP2.

Regardless which flavor of Windows, the only way to get a handle on protecting it is to remove it from direct access to the real world.

@robmandu

Exactly.

You see, when somebody asks a question about Windows, the correct answer is not “BUY A MAC, GET LINUX TEH ARE SOOOOOOO MUCH BETTER. LOL, UR NOT L33T.”

The best answer is to actually help the person, instead of telling them to get something totally different.

@eambos

Actually, I am helping him.
I’m giving him the best solution for his problem ever.
It’s what those huge money-hungry corporations never tell anyone.

It’s absolutely true. The ultimate solution for viruses and spyware in Windows, is simply flushing Windows down the toilet and replacing it with Linux.

That’s a known fact.

You realize he is 15 (16?) years old, and plays many Windows-only games? Ubuntu is a great OS, but for certain purposes, it is not the right answer.

Say you happen to have a problem with Ubuntu, and the user forums aren’t much help, would you like it if I said “You should have gotten a Mac, their tech support is soooo much better!”

I believe the answer is no.

I agree.

But, like I said before, I was giving him the best solution for a certain problem.
The problem was about how to get the best protection from viruses and spyware.

And I only gave him a solution that is in the domain of the current problem. If the problem was something else, like for example “how to get the best gaming quality on Win 7”, my answer would have been totally different. Actually, I wouldn’t have participated in the question in the first place because I don’t have any experience in Windows gaming.

Plus like @robmandu had said, he can get both, Windows gaming and total virus protection, by installing Windows within Linux through virtualization, using VirtualBox.

I agree with @eambos. Such answers piss me off. Get a Mac, get a PC, get a linux are all spam answers if they aren’t answering the actual Q. They are only acceptable, if the Q literally asks “What kind of laptop/OS should I purchase?” The question asks for an antivirus program for Win7, so it is safe to assume that the OP actually would like to be using Win7. By the way, answers like “get a __” when the question doesn’t call for it have been removed several times as they are seen as spamming, unhelpful and off topic.

Thank you eambos.

@archaepopteryx: While I completely understand your feelings on ubuntu and other linux variants, I simply will never switch, probably just for the reason that I grew up using Windows and am used to the setup, not to mention the countless compatibility issues. Thanks anyways.

Also, for the record, I do not game a lot on my PC, as it has become a bit outdated and I have since purchased an Xbox 360.

In addition, Windows 7 is far better than Vista ever was. I expect great things.

@aanuszek1
Oh, I grew up using Windows as well, my friend.
Plus, I actually live in a country where MS is considered a lord, a guardian angel, a savior, and everything you can imagine. People down here look at Windows as the only thing that can run a computer. They are addicted to it.

Also, that’s exactly what I was saying. As Linux is evolving and improving like thunder, Microsoft are still busy fixing their bloated system Vista. Win 7 is exaclty a SP2 of Vista, nothing more.