Comments for What Really Slows Windows Down

I liked your benchmark, and yes, I remember when Norton added activation in the picture, I think their software just became worse from there. I loaded that version, I think was 2004 on a Compaq TC1000 which had the Transmeta Crusoe 1GHz processor. That seriously killed the performance of the machine. I couldn't use it, infact, I thought I was better off with my Pentium 233 Laptop.

Though at work, we run a Computer Associate's software called eTrust. I think the overhead is reasonable and I even run it on my TC1000 at home without too much headache.

I can't say much about their later releases, but that particular version appears to work just fine.

Recently put on Norton Antivirus 2005 from Google, free. The running speed isn't bad really, but the boot times are horrendously longer than with AVG, and sometimes the boot stalls and I have to start over. Guess I'll compare times when I delete Norton and go back to AVG free.

Thank you, thank you for doing the work!

My ISP is offering free Norton 2006, and I was thinking that wasn't such a good deal; now I'm definitely going elsewhere for anti-virus.

Any chance you can include Norman Virus Control in any future benchmarking tests? I've always found it to be the most reliable AV software, and would like to see how it stacks up performance wise.

Have read your article you right I've been teaching students and AOPs for the last 8yrs and have always informed them about running certain Antivirus programs (eg slowing the systems and being bloody nossy with it)obviously they ask what progrme should they use and after my own research, AVAST came out on top.

Thank you for putting in so much time researching such an important topic.

I was wondering if you could include F-Secure's antivirus product the next time you do this? I've been taking advantage of their 6-month trial version when setting up recycled machines for local charities, and am curious how it stacks up against the products that you tested.

BTW - Since the link has been buried deep at on Microsoft's site - the 6 month trial version link is at the bottom of this page: http://www.f-secure.com/protectyourpc/

NAV 2006 is my resource hog