AVG have made it extremely difficult to avoid downloading the paid-for version. To ensure you download the free version follow these steps.
Print this page by clicking the button above. Have the page handy so that you can follow the instructions. Leave this web page on the screen.
Access the download website by clicking the web address below http://www.computeractive.co.uk/vnunet/downloads/2129071/avg-antivirus-free-edition
Click the red button labelled Download Now. When asked if you wish to Save or Run, choose Save and save the file to your Downloads folder. The file is named something like avg_free_stf_en_9_790a2730.exe
Stay connected to the internet for the rest of the installation.
If you are on dial-up: Disconnect from the internet. Use the cover DVD from PC Advisor magazine and copy the AVG 9 file from the disk into your Downloads folder.
If you already have an older version of AVG there is no need to uninstall it, the new AVG will do this for you automatically.
Do not uninstall your current anti-virus until the AVG 9 file is safely stored in your Downloads folder
If you already use AVG ignore this paragraph.
Warning for users of
other anti-virus programs: You must NOT run two anti-virus programs on a computer, they will conflict.
With the AVG 9 file safely stored in your Downloads folder, uninstall your current anti-virus program
Go to Start-->Control panel-->Add/remove programs.
The downloaded AVG 9 file in your Downloads folder is in the form of a compressed file which has to be unpacked. Unpack (install) it by double clicking it. You must be online for this.
Select Install only basic free protection
After the initial installation WAIT until the license agreement pops up, accept the agreement by ticking the box and clicking Accept.
On the next window select Standard Installation.
When asked if you would like the AVG security bar and Yahoo, say NO by un-ticking the boxes. I find all these add-ons are a just useless clutter and they often create irritating pop-ups.
AVG may offer to close Outlook Express for you, say yes.
AVG continues to install, WAIT even though nothing seems to be happening. Something is happening as you see by the hard disk light flashing on and off on your tower.
The Installation Successful panel will pop-up. Un-tick the box labelled I agree to provide...
Agree to the Optimize Scanning question. Optimisation takes some time but is worth doing.
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I am a great fan of AVG free, but you may wish to seek another opinion.
The new link scanner works like this; If you do a search on the internet you are presented with a list of search results, rest your cursor on one of those results and you will be told whether it is safe or not.
Configuring AVG 9: This means setting it work to your preferences. The following settings are my own preference but you can alter them to suit yourself.
If you already had AVG 8 or 8.5 installed, your previous settings will have been preserved and you can skip the next few paragraphs.
Double Click the AVG 9 icon on the Desktop. On AVG's top menu click click Tools-->Advanced Settings.
On the left hand panel, click the icon labelled Email scanner. On the next screen, temporarily place a tick in the box labelled Check outgoing e-mail. Un-tick the box below it labelled Certify e-mail. Now cancel the temporary tick in the box labelled Check outgoing e-mail.
Under the heading Check incoming e-mail un-tick the box labelled Certify mail. Ensure that the top box is ticked so that incoming emails are checked.
I do not like automatic scanning every time I switch on? This daily activity is unnecessary and slows down the start-up process. I only scan my computer for viruses (manually) once a month, OR when odd things are happening. You can stop this activity by double clicking the AVG icon on the Desktop. Then on the top menu click Tools-->Advanced Settings. On the left hand panel, click the plus sign in the box labelled Schedules, then click Scheduled scan. Click the bottom box labelled Enable this task to remove the tick and click Apply. On the left hand panel click Program Update Schedule. Click the bottom box labelled Enable this task to remove the tick and click Apply.
Automatic updating: Most people do not like being interrupted by AVG's automatic update. Especially if they are on Dial-up. I like to update when it is convenient, not when AVG dictates. The new version does not let you change from automatic to manual update, but there is a work around. On AVG's top menu, click Tools-->Advanced Settings. On the left hand panel, click the plus sign in the box labelled Schedules, then click Virus database update schedule. Find Run at a specific time and change the time to say 03.00am. Un-tick all the square boxes except under Task settings where Enable this task must be ticked. Click Apply and OK.
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