AVG Free Anti Virus Program Updated on Aug 7, 2006

AVG Anti-Virus Free is a free anti-virus protection tool developed by GRISOFT for home use.

AVG Free is easy to use, featuring regular and automatic virus database updates. It has realtime protection of files and e-mails (incoming and outgoing), scheduled and manual testing (scanning), and is available for both Windows and Linux.

AVG Free had a program update on August 7, 2006. The new version is now 7.1.405 for Windows, and 7.1.28 for Linux.

If you are currently using AVG Free you can get this update by right clicking on the icon in the System Tray and clicking on "Check for Updates." Alternately, open the AVG Free Control Center and click on the link - "Check for Updates."

SInce this is a program update it will require you to check for updates two or three times, to get all available updated components (Hey, it's free. How much automation can we ask for?). Agree to each available and optional component and install them all. No reboot was required on my Windows XP Pro SP2 computer and I was able to complete the updates from a Power User account.

Important
If you have a software firewall like ZoneAlarm you will need to allow the changed files to access the Internet. This is a security feature in most (real) software firewalls. They create a hash signature of the various files that you permit to connect out to the Internet. Whenever one of those files is updated it will stop it from connecting out until you check the option to Allow it and Remember the decision. I use ZoneAlarm free and had to allow four changed files to connect out with the Aug 7 update to AVG Free.

AVG Free Download Location: AVG Free Advisor: Installation files & documentation

The AVG Free download page also has a link to download the famed ewedo anti-spyware program. Here is what it says about this program on the bottom of the download page:

ewido anti-spyware Free
This setup contains the free as well as the paid version of ewido anti-spyware. After the installation, a free 30-day trial version containing all the extensions of the full version will be activated. At the end of the trial, these extensions will be deactivated and the program will turn into a feature-limited freeware version. The purchased license code can be entered at any time.

Scheduler
The AVG Free anti virus program includes a scheduler to automatically check for updates and apply them if available. Unfortunately, you are limited to just one scheduled check time in the program. I have created and tested an alternate means of checking for and installing updates using the Windows Task Scheduler, and posted an article about it on this blog page.