Best online scanner?

[Mike567]

We all know that online antivirus scanners can be very important so I would love to hear what is everyones choice.

[Chris]

Errr none.

Dedicated AV for me.

[Boris]

In case you can't remember which one you've used - here are a few of the possible choices :-.

Trend Micro

http://housecall.trendmicro.com/

BitDefender

http://www.bitdefender.com/scan8/ie.html

Kaspersky

http://www.kaspersky.com/virusscanner

Avast - single files

http://onlinescan.avast.com/

Ewido/AVG Anti-Spyware

http://www.ewido.net/en/onlinescan/

McAfee

http://us.mcafee.com/root/mfs/default.asp

ESET

http://www.eset.com/onlinescan/

CA

http://www.ca.com/us/securityadvisor/virusinfo/scan.aspx

Panda

http://www.pandasecurity.com/homeusers/solutions/activescan/

[-pops-]

I don't think online scanners are important at all.

The last time I tried to do an online virus scan the damned thing just sat there for hours telling me it was busy and actually doing zilch. I had to re-boot to shut down the cursed thing.

I manage quite well with my installed software but then, I don't go poking around in the unseemly parts of the Internet so I'm a bit safer than some.

[andsome]

I am more than happy with Nod 32 on my computer. :D

[Mike567]

I'm thinking more of when you cant really use a av program, not for everyday use :)

[nellie2]

I prefer to make sure that my resident av is up to date.

For a good log of what's going on on your computer, Kaspersky is good.

But for online scans the only ones that I use are the single file scanners like Jotti or Virus Total where I can upload a file and get a report back from it.

[-pops-]

I'm thinking more of when you cant really use a av program, not for everyday use :)

I can't imagine that situation. As nel says, I always ensure my resident AV is up to date - in fact it updates itself, frequently.

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

I often recommend TrendMicro HouseCall if a friend calls me about some new computer problem, or if someone in a forum like this thinks his/her computer is infected / slow / acting strangely.

The informed user, like most of this forum's members, don't need these online scans. But there are many people out there who have simply nothing installed. For these, an online scanner is often the first step. The next step will be education and some good anti-malware programs.

From my experience, these online scanners are a very important contribution to computer security.

The last time I tried to do an online virus scan the damned thing just sat there for hours telling me it was busy and actually doing zilch. I had to re-boot to shut down the cursed thing.

That is an unfortunate experience, hence the original poster's question becomes more important. Which scanners are good, which ones work, and which ones do not.

It is sometimes difficult to get some tools to work on an infected computer, so a list as Boris gave can be very helpful to try several, to find one that works in a given situation.