I use Microsoft Security Essentials, Malwarbytes and Spybot Search & Destroy. I've never had any virus issues. All of these programs can be had for free, so long as you have a genuine copy of Windows.
I have had really good luck with AVG for the last five years or so. It is what they have at my place of employment on several dozen desktops and the mainframe and it was recommended to me by our computer guru. So far so good!
i have nortons 360 on my 3 main computers and it is working great
have been using nortons for about 10 years and i am happy with them
signed up for a staples card and got $30 off then trow away the card
Until about two weeks ago, I would have had nothing bad to say about McAfee, but that was before it let through "System Tools" which took over my computer and brought it to a standstill. I had to reboot in Safe Mode and then got a hold of McAfee...they said, yep, you gotta virus, let me send you to our anti-virus specialists. I log onto their specialist's site, and they want to charge me $90 to eliminate the virus. I went ballistic because System Tools is a virus that has been around for over a year and McAfee could not or did not stop it. After some major league griping, they remotely took over control of my computer and spent about 90 minutes getting rid of the thing. What they did was beyond my computer capabilities, but it was interesting to watch them as I was sitting back sipping a beer. My computer runs like a champ now, but I also lost a lot of my settings and had to spend some time getting things set up the way I like.
Overall, the end result was not bad, but it just really irritated me that I bought, installed and constantly run McAfee to stop viruses and it failed me...not on one that is a brand new, never before seen virus, but one that's been around for a while and well documented as such on the techy websites. Charging more more money to eliminate a virus when that was the sole purpose of the original product I purchased just sent me over the edge. I will be finding a new anti-virus when mine expires this Spring.
if you want free. security essentials or avg. depending on how many computers you have, I sell & recommend Vipre from GFI(formerly Sunbelt Software) they have an unlimited home use with av/as/firewall. pretty cheap.
I'm a big fan of Webroot's offerings in Spy Sweeper and Window Washer. I've been a subscriber at home and work for 5 or 6 years now and I'm very happy with their product.
Microsoft Security Essentials,
because since they wrote Windows, there's a greater chance it will work without little nagging conflicts over time.
PLUS it doesn't seem to bog down my computer.
Just use it with real time protection, and do a full scan every week.