Active Virus Shield

Hi Geeks. I don't want to enter a debate about AV's. I just read a separate thread and appreciate everyone's opinion, but that's not why I'm here today.

I've been using AOL's (Kaspersky) Active Virus Shield since it came out and I'm very happy with it (no need to debate AOL's questionable EULA either.) Everyone has their opinion and that's great; I don't need dissuaded.

The problem is downloading the AOL Active Virus Shield...it might no longer be available. I recommend this to all of my friends and anyone else who asks, but today I went to the source site (activevirusshield(dot)com) and it says AOL Active Virus Shield is no longer available.

rolleyes When I first installed my AOL AVS, I downloaded it from here. BUT>>>after several tries I never got an activation key. I went to the source (mentioned above), downloaded from there and got the key and everything was and is great.

The app is still available here at MG as Kaspersky Active Virus Shield and I just tried to install it on a secondary computer, but as before, no registration, and hence, no activation key.

Would somebody PLEASE verify for me if Active Virus Shield is now indeed dead in terms of new installs.

PS...my installation still updates, so I'm gonna hold onto it as long as it does, but I'm really hoping someone can verify for me that it's gone for new users and if possible, how long will support continue for those of us who already have it.

As always, thanks a bunch!

 

AOL recently (and quietly) actually discontinued the free "Kaspersky Based" Active Virus Shield.

About a year or so ago, AOL started offering the "Active Virus Shield" as a free anti-virus package based on Kaspersky AntiVirus. The company has now stopped distributing this software.

The free anti-virus software, which was based on technology from Kaspersky Lab, had been available for the past year on AOL's Activevirusshield.com Web site, but it apparently was pulled some time in the past few weeks or so without any warning or fanfare.

As you mentioned earlier in your post; the Active Virus Shield web page now only shows the information: "We're Sorry! AOL Active Virus Shield is no longer available."

However, it appears that AOL has not abandoned its "free" AntiVirus initiative, but merely switched suppliers. It seems that AOL dropped the free Kaspersky anti-virus, and now offers McAfee product which reportedly provides Virus Protection, Spyware Protection as well as a Firewall.

AOL's free AV product is now McAfee VirusScan Plus, which was introduced last month as part of a new AOL portal, called AOL Internet Security Central. AOL also offers Internet filtering software for parents, as well as identity theft protection and pop-up blockers, through the portal.

Note: Their security page now offers a special edition of McAfee's Virus Scan Plus, free of charge.

Users who want to download and install the new McAfee VirusScan Plus software will have to sign up for an AOL account, a restriction that did not exist with the former Kaspersky product. Users with a valid AOL user name can download the program from AOL; those without can register an account for free.

Good Luck!

 

Compuable, Thanks for the info on the McAfee.

I think I might install it on my secondary machine and give it a shot. I'm kinda leery about it 'cos my old box is only 512MB SDRAM, and McAfee is a legendary resource hog.

As for my main machine, I'm gonna keep the AVS until they stop supporting it, at which time I'll either go with the Comodo free AV, which I've been wanting to try, or... :cry bite the bullet and pay for KIS.

Thanks again.

 

Well, this just blows! While I'm a regular (and happily satisfied) AntiVir user, I have used The AOL/Kaspersky Shield in the past and thought it was great. I used to recommend it (after AntiVir of course ) to people who were looking for free AV software.... and I just CANNOT find it in myself to recommend ANY McAfee products to ANYONE, EVER!!! Thanx for the info tho'... too bad a good thing had to die :cry

hd2k

 

Hopperdave, before even reading your post, I was having second (and more) thoughts about McAfee...I never did like it, so what was I thinking confused !

As I've said, (in previous posts, not this one, so there's no way you would know) my old standby is an old HP desktop with WinME, and I'm definitely glad that Avira still supports an edition for that platform :cool .

 

Windows 98/Me
As of June 30th, 2007 Avira does not support this Microsoft operating system anymore. A download package for Windows 98/ME is therefore no longer provided.

Avira Site:
http://www.free-av.com/

 

Well, this just blows also!!! AntiVir for 9x/ME is still available as a free download here at MajorGeeks (link: http://www.majorgeeks.com/downloads29.html) so I'm assuming that Avira means that they will no longer be providing updates (virus definitions and such) or any support (such as FAQ's or tech questions I guess), but I suppose that someone could still download and use it; it is quality software, but the lack of updates is not a good thing. Maybe the updated definitions for the XP version could be downloaded from Avira, and manually 'merged' into the 9x/ME edition.... just a thought (wishful thinking). Well, there's still AVG 7.5 and Avast! Home Edition.....

hd2k

BTW- I'm not running Win9x or ME (I run XP Pro), I'm just trying to help

 

Well HD2K that does suck!
I never liked Avast, but never had any complaints about AVG, so Ol' Dino will still be covered for a while anyway.

BTW...The old box in question is being used for a little Linux experimentation
(no inhaling tho ). I didn't think much about Ubuntu either way, and LinuxOS 2007 ran buggy as a dual boot on that box, so I'm gonna give Kubuntu a try.

But that's another thread for another day.
Thanks again for the info. :cool

 

Not to get too far off topic here, but, let us know how the Linux thing goes. I'm toying with the idea of a dual boot Linux/XPPro setup when I install the 250gb SATA2 hard drive I just got to replace my old 160gb, and I'm casually collecting info, tips, thoughts, and ideas about dual boot configs and Linux in general.....

hd2k

 

Will do, HD2K. :cool