Notes from Greg Schipper...

I currently use Kaspersky Anti-Virus Personal and it has been an excellent choice. It has stopped 100% of the viruses and only uses about 5% of my processor power. When I uninstalled Norton Antivirus, it was using over 50% of my computer's processor power. What a waste.

In many accounts I've visited, I've seen Norton Antivirus and Norton Systemworks using 80% or more of the Pentium IV processor power. This is not a right situation. When a complete install is done, Norton Systemworks installs GoBack, Norton Antivirus, and Norton Internet Security. Some of these computers seem frozen they are so slow. Microsoft System Restore was on at the same time as Norton GoBack. I've seen McAfee with the same problems.

Solution: Choose Kaspersky or Panda Antivirus to use the least amount of your computer's horsepower. If you have to stick with Norton, uninstall everything except the antivirus. You need a combination of protection and speed. Also, the use of an inexpensive hardware firewall, like the LinkSys Router, gives firewall protection without the computer resources being used up.

Top 8 Top Windows Antivirus for 2004

Guide Picks

Antivirus software is must-have protection. This review picks the best antivirus software based on its virus detection abilities, features, and breadth of protection. Whether you're seeking total system coverage or an ala carte solution, each of the following products provides superb virus protection for Windows-based PCs. Because every system is unique, evaluate several of these antivirus products to find the software best suited for your PC and your level of experience.

1) PC-cillin Internet Security Suite 2004
Building on its solid antivirus capabilities, PC-cillin 2004 also includes spam and spyware protection, wireless device protection, customizable firewall, privacy data protection, parental controls to block unsavory sites, and a year's free tech support via a toll-free number. The software automatically checks for new virus updates every 3 hours and the spam prevention includes a whitelist, blacklist, and Bayesian filter - all at a price lower than many standalone antivirus products.
Read Review   Manufacturer's Site

2) Panda Antivirus Platinum v7.0
Panda Antivirus Platinum v7.0 combines antivirus and firewall protection to provide robust security with minimal system impact. Configurable script blocking and attachment filtering combined with daily antivirus updates help ensure protection against even fast spreading new email threats. Read Review   Manufacturer's Site

3) F-Prot for Windows
F-Prot for Windows continues to impress with its stellar performance on virus detection tests. The interface is extremely pleasing - easy enough for novice users to navigate yet sophisticated enough for the more advanced. An excellent addition to any antivirus arenal. Should be used in conjunction with a firewall.
Read Review   Manufacturer's Site

4) NOD32 Antivirus System v2.0
NOD32 is a solid performer, easy to use and with little impact on system resources. Version 2 builds on the product's past accomplishments, remaining true to a singular theme - virus detection. Should be used in conjunction with a firewall.
Read Review   Manufacturer's Site

5) Norton Internet Security 2004
Norton Internet Security 2004 offers antivirus protection, a personal firewall, spam filtering, privacy filters, and parental controls to block unwanted websites.

6) BitDefender Professional Edition v7
Softwin's BitDefender Professional protects against viruses, spyware, and instant messaging threats, as well as offering firewall rules to block undesirable traffic and a privacy gateway to keep your identity and preferences private while surfing the Internet. Manufacturer's Site

7) Kaspersky Anti-Virus Personal
Kaspersky offers excellent antivirus protection, perhaps unsurpassed in its ability to recognize various compression algorithms and accurately detect infected files contained within the archives. However, their interface is rather convoluted and may be best suited to more advanced users. Should be used in conjunction with a firewall. Manufacturer's Site

8) McAfee VirusScan 2004
McAfee VirusScan 2004 offers focused antivirus protection coupled with an intuitive interface and streamlined update process. Unfortunately, much of their interface is cluttered with advertising for other products in the McAfee family and configuration options for VirusScan are extremely limited. However, McAfee has played catch-up this year and the 2004 version now offers the same level of POP3/SMTP email protection offered by other vendors. Should be used in conjunction with a firewall.
Read Review   Manufacturer's Site