Anti virus for Windows beta operating systems
One thing that has always struck me when testing out new Windows operating systems is the lack of available anti-virus software for the platform. It’s true that since the software is only beta, companies can’t be expected to make their software compatible. To an extent, I expect this since in the past, I have sometimes found it difficult to get some of my regular software and (mostly ancient) hardware to run on the bleeding edge of operating systems.
However, when it comes to virus protection, it’s another matter. I know that my system is going to be connected to the internet, and I expect some problems to appear since connecting any beta systems to other live systems is courting disaster. This is why my system is always behind a firewall and router which mostly protects it from intrusion by blocking ports and packets. However, they don’t block downloads, and this is how most viruses spread.
The operating systems that I test are mostly server ones such as Windows Server 2003, Windows Home Server and Windows Server 2008. The problem with this is that installers for consumer anti-virus packages detect this as an “enterprise” setting and do not allow the software to be installed, although I’m sure the software would work if it could be installed. With Windows Home Server, I found that Avira Antivirus worked well (apart from the regular massive adverts) and as a plus point, it was free. When I moved to Windows Server 2008, even that wouldn’t work and I had to look for another solution.
I ended up purchasing a licence for the network version of AVG. I’ve heard much praise about this anti-virus package (mostly on consumer OSs) and I decided to give it a try since it was the only one with reasonable prices for server OSs. I have installed it and it’s now scanning my system initially. Updating it was a dream and I hope it’ll work well. Since it works with most OSs and also has a Linux counterpart, it’s a good investment for anybody testing beta operating systems. Each time you update your OS, just install AVG and you’ll be off!