Virusbarrier Slow

[Trekker24689]

Hi all

Myself and my dad have an IMAC each bought in september last year and april this year. We both have VirusBarrier and both the IMACs and Virus-barrier definitions are up to date.

IMAC - Lion 10.7.4 (both) 4Gb Memory (1 500GB HD and the other 1TB HD)
Virus-barrier - version 10.6.17

My dad did a virus scan last night and Virus-barrier took 5 Hrs to scan the 500Gb (took 3 hrs to scan the last 10%)

After that it takes about between 30secs and a couple of minutes to open virus-barrier and close it. Other programs run fast and open and close fast.

and if it does not close Virus-barrier then i have to force close it to restart/shutdown the mac.

I tried it on my machine today and the same thing happens. I have uninstalled and reinstalled virus-barrier and the same thing happens.

anyone else have a solution?

Help would be appreciated.

Trekker

 

[simsaladimbamba]

anyone else have a solution?

Not using VirusBarrier would be a fine solution, and if you really want/need an AV application, take a look at ClamXAV.

 

[BenniG]

I just looked at the homepage of virusbarrier, I don't know it.
It is a security suite with firewall etc.
My question/idea
1)Was the mac online? Maybe the firewall of the programm took to much performance
2) did you use it under the administrator account or under an user account. If the scan was on the whole system from the user account, there could be the problem that the OS might asks with at any file, which is not a user owned file , for permission to open, which can take much performance.

Just ideas


PS :I use sophos antivirus ( from my uni) and even macs are not infected I found it for me embarrasing if a virus or so is transferred through my system to another computer.

 

[GGJstudios]

We both have VirusBarrier and both the IMACs and Virus-barrier definitions are up to date.

I recommend you uninstall VirusBarrier and not use it at all. You don't need any 3rd party app to keep your Mac malware-free, but if you choose to use one anyway, ClamXav (which is free) is one of the best choices, since it isn't a resource hog, detects both Mac and Windows malware and doesn't run with elevated privileges.

Mac Virus/Malware FAQ

PS :I use sophos antivirus

I recommend that you avoid using Sophos, as it could actually increase your Mac's vulnerability, as described here and here.

 

[BenniG]

increase your Mac's vulnerability, .

so You point out that there is a real chance of vulnerability of osx....

 

[GGJstudios]

so You point out that there is a real chance of vulnerability of osx....

Of course there is. No OS is immune to malware and all have vulnerabilities.

 

[forty2j]

so You point out that there is a real chance of vulnerability of osx....

I don't think there's anyone left claiming that Macs are completely bulletproof. One needs to be particularly clever, but there are ways in.

It's more like, the available AV solutions are like wearing full plate mail to a gunfight. It's going to slow you down, perhaps dramatically; it's going to increase your vulnerability to flamethrowers; and it's still unlikely to stop a single bullet.

Given that the real live threats are extremely few and far between, and Apple generally patches them pretty quickly, you're just better off going to battle in your street clothes and with some heightened awareness.

 

[Trekker24689]

HI

Just to update i managed to fix both machines and with the simplist of solutions that i never thought would do.

there is an option when installing (and one of the tabs) to participate in apple seeing your settings or errors or something like that (will check when i get home, am at work) without you doing anything and i took that tick off and hey presto the interface started immediately and the scan took about a couple of hours which is about right, not sure that the setting is but it made a difference.

Trekker

P.S would like to add that i would prefer a virus checker even though they say macs are non virus and don't need them but i want to have one just in case and a person i know recommended this as the best one on the market at the moment.

 

[forty2j]

P.S would like to add that i would prefer a virus checker even though they say macs are non virus and don't need them but i want to have one just in case and a person i know recommended this as the best one on the market at the moment.

Sure. Enjoy your Bubonic Plague inoculation. Hope you don't have any nasty side effects.

 

[GGJstudios]

a person i know recommended this as the best one on the market at the moment.

Be aware that there are some who will make recommendations about antivirus for Macs who have experience with Windows, but not Macs. AV apps that may work well with Windows may not have the same reputation on the Mac platform.

If you still want to run antivirus for some reason, ClamXav (which is free) is one of the best choices, since it isn't a resource hog, detects both Mac and Windows malware and doesn't run with elevated privileges.

 

[cocky jeremy]

so You point out that there is a real chance of vulnerability of osx....

When you use an antivirus.

 

[Trekker24689]

HI

The person that recomended VB has used macs for about 7 years and is an IT expert.

The section in Virus-barrier i mentioned is Feedback and i have attached a screenshot just to let you know.

 

[cypress822]

I had the same antivirus software and had the same problem you have. I got rid of it and never had a problem since