Best Anti Virus If You're Not Going To Update Anymore?

Thanks again, whs. I will be doing some research on VM's. Could be the answer I'm looking for.

Another question, though: On the machine in question, I have to first install Vista in order to install W7. In a VM, would I need to do this?

whs said:

The VM will not change the requirements you have for the host system. I assume this detour via Vista is due to the key.

Exactly. Now, how about this? Make a system image of my current W7, and install that as a VM in Zorin?

I am currently running a 2-3 hard drive machine. One drive has Mint (not currently connected); the other two both have Windows 7 and Zorin. (I have 2 W7 installs going because the original drive is supposedly bad and about to fail, but it never does. I installed W7 on the other drive as insurance against that expected failure). Now, it occurs to me that I might not gain anything by running a VM. I already have Windows and Zorin. I already do most of my internet work on Zorin. I'm using the W7 (the one on the good drive) to test music software. If I am religious about staying offline with it, except when installing and updating music software, I don't see why I can't stop the irritating Windows Updates. I'm doing the same thing with my music rig, only using it for music and going online only to update software. But I've been keeping up with the monthly Windows Updates. I was planning on using it indefinitely, past the W7 EOL date, as Sonar, my preferred software only runs on Windows. But if updating continues to be the charade it now is, I will stop updating it too. I will keep updating my wife's computer, however, in case anything bad happens. Then at least I can say that I did everything I could...

Roland have you had any problems with Avast in the last couple of days? I certainly have and they have no solution for it. I scanned my laptop and Avast found one virus and asked me what I wanted to do with it. It did not tell me what it was and I don't like to delete something from my PC not knowing what it is. I did delete it anyway. Then it started popping up a message wanting to reboot once or twice a day. I set up an account so I could ask question in Avast forums and no help there. Then I found out you cannot delete an account once you have set it up. They told me how to make a report folder, but it did not work for me. I downloaded Avira and so far so good. I could blame my PC, but the same thing happened on my desktop during the same time period. Also I was having glitches on my computer, settings changing for one thing. Since I uninstalled Avast I haven't had any problems. Oh, by the way, I looked below the restart pop up and and said in 10 minutes. Later I clicked the arrow and there were options for an hour, 2 hours, etc.. The bottom option was the next century. I clicked on that until I could uninstall it. They must have known it would irritate people. I wasn't the only one with these complaints.