[AnnH]

Hi Geeks!
I currently have AVG 8.5 (free) running on my XP machine. I have an AVG Product Notification that I need to upgrade to AVG 9.0 today, or the software will stop running. I went to the AVG website, and see that they want to be paid now for AVG 9.0. So, if I am going to have to pay, I would like a virus protection app that doesn't slow down my XP machine. I cannot run Norton at all, because it hogs too much CPU time and I can't run any Office apps. So, what would you recommend as the best performing, cheapest virus protection app? Thank you.

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There are several free alternatives to these programs.
I personally use Avast and also suggest Avira.
Avast updates almost everyday and is less stressful on system resources like Nortons or AVG.

Please download Avast from my signature below. Please make sure you do the registration as it is good for a year or more. When it is due simply just reregister it.
Avast in my opinion is better because:
It's FREE to the Home User
It Updates it's Definitions daily
You can scan Individual Files, Folders and Drives
No buying new versions every year

[rshaffer61]

There are several free alternatives to these programs.
I personally use Avast and also suggest Avira.
Avast updates almost everyday and is less stressful on system resources like Nortons or AVG.

Please download Avast from my signature below. Please make sure you do the registration as it is good for a year or more. When it is due simply just reregister it.
Avast in my opinion is better because:
It's FREE to the Home User
It Updates it's Definitions daily
You can scan Individual Files, Folders and Drives
No buying new versions every year

[Eclipsed]

I definitely would go with what rshaffer61 said. I have found that Avast is not only light but Avast also has better detection rates. Websites like av-comparatives.org also show in their tests that Avira and Avast are quite good compared to AVG. I would also like to recommend you switch antiviruses.

The other option if you want a really user friendly easy antivirus would be Microsoft's Security Essentials. This is a very good easy to use product from Microsoft and has great detection rates.

All of those antivirus I have suggested are very light and good.

[Axelion]

I have to agree with rshaffer61 and Eclipsed!!!
Avast is definitely better than AVG. I used to be an AVG user before using Avast. AVG is getting slower on older pc and relying more on CPU power

[Eclipsed]

AVG also doesn't have rootkit prevention abilities. Rootkits are very common nowadays. All the other good free AVs do have rootkit prevention.

[diggeryo]

I currently have AVG 8.5 (free) running on my XP machine. I have an AVG Product Notification that I need to upgrade to AVG 9.0 today, or the software will stop running.

If you wanted to stick with AVG, they do have a freeware version for AVG 9.0. So upgrading to v9.0 won't mean having to put money out.

[123Runner]

If you wanted to stick with AVG, they do have a freeware version for AVG 9.0. So upgrading to v9.0 won't mean having to put money out.

But AVG became resource hungry even in the free one after version 7.5

I dumped AVG and went with Avira because it was easier to use for me.
Avast was to difficult for me. I did not like the interface, but it is still a good choice.