Silver Surfer Guide
Lesson 6: Installing Anti Virus Software
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If you have just purchased a new PC chances are that it already has some kind of anti virus software installed with the chances being high that the installed Anti Virus will be either Norton Security Suite or McAfee. Chances are also high that these applications may also be trial versions; in other words after a period of 30, 60 or 90 days the trial expires and you have to pay to continue using the application.
Norton and McAfee software is installed on most new PCs simply because if, after the trial period, you eventually buy the product the PC manufacturer gets a commission. I suppose this is good business practise, but it doesn't mean you have to contribute to the PC manufacturers exorbitant profit. There are quite a few Anti Virus applications available which you can download, install and use completely free of charge. One such Anti Virus application is AVG Anti Virus and it is this application which we're going to install during this lesson.
The first thing you need to do is download the FREE copy of AVG Anti Virus by clicking on this link AVG Free Advisor - Free antivirus and anti-spyware downloads You can also download the AVG User Manual from here: User Manual The User Manual is in PDF file format so to read it you need to also install Adobe - Adobe Reader
Fig: 1 Click the download button highlighted in red in the screen shot above
AVG Ant Virus should, by default, download to the Downloads folder in Windows Explorer. To begin the installation open Windows Explorer by clicking the Start button>All Programs>Accessories>Windows Explorer.
In the Windows Explorer Window, Click on the Downloads folder in the left hand pane of the Explorer window (see Fig: 2)
Fig: 2 Downloads folder (magnified)
Now click on the AVG75free application in the Right Hand pane of Windows Explorer.
If you are installing AVG on Windows Vista the User Account Control warning will pop up (see Fig: 3)
Fig: 3 Windows Vista User Account Control Window
Just Click the 'Continue' button. I should point out that this option will only pop up in Windows Vista, if you install AVG on Windows XP the installation will continue without any pop ups' appearing.
A Welcome screen will now appear (see Fig 4, below), click the Next button to continue.
Fig: 4 AVG Welcome Screen
In the next window, (see Fig 5) you will see he licence agreement. Click Accept to continue.
Fig: 5 Accept the licence agreement
AVG will now check your system status
Fig: 6 Checking system status
Once your PCs system status has been checked you will be asked to select an installation type. The standard installation is recommended and highlighted by default. Click the Next button to continue.
Fig: 7 Select the standard installation
Next you need to personalise your copy of AVG (Fig 8)
Fig: 8 Personalise your copy of AVG
The licence number is already added by AVG. All you need to do, that is assuming you want to, is add any other information like your full name and name of your company. (if you are not a company then leave his option blank) When you have finished, Click the Next button.
The next screen to appear is the installation summary. This confirms the destination folder for AVG along with your personal details.
Fig: 9 Installation summary
When you have checked the installation summary, Click the Finish button.
AVG will now install. The installation progress is shown in the progress bar (see Fig 10)
Fig: 10 You can check on the installation progress by watching the progress bar.
AVG will notify you when the installation is complete. When the screen in Fig 11 appears click the OK button
Fig: 11 Installation Complete!
When the Congratulation screen appears, click the Next button.
Because the virus definitions may already be out of date the first thing that AVG requests you to do is to Check For Updates
Fig: 12 Check for updates
To ensure that you are using the latest virus definitions, click the Check for Updates button
Fig: 13 Click the Internet button to start downloading new virus definitions from the internet
In the window above (see Fig 13) click the Internet button to tell AVG that you are downloading definitions from the internet.
Fig: 14 A progress bar shows you how the download is progressing
After the virus definitions have been downloaded, AVG will install them. There may be a number of updates available so you may have to update more than once.
Fig: 15 Virus definitions updating
After you are fully updated all that remains is for you to do a virus scan of your system. To do this Right click your mouse on the AVG icon (the red and black cube) in the notification area and click on the 'Launch AVG free control center.' See Fig 16
Fig: 16 The AVG Control Center
In the AVG control center Click the Test Center option button in the left hand pane.
Fig: 17 Starting a virus scan
Finally click the 'Scan Computer' button to start the virus scan.