So it’s the best … or at least was the best. *ahem* …
I’ve used a LOT of virus applications in my time, free ones, commercial ones massive enterprise ones and every other little tool and app going. I had been using Avira for a few years and decided in March 2014 that I’d try out BitDefender as it seemed everyone was raving about it at that point in time. It had somehow managed to attain that hallowed 100% match rate in virus tests etc. So I thought I’d give it a try.
I went through the nasty process of removing my old anti-virus software (see notes below!) and installed BitDefender. Holy crap, it took a powerful machine (you know, fast processor, SSD, GTX580, 24Gb RAM basically a beast of a machine) to it’s knees. It literally bought my overpowered workstation to a grinding halt. I tried all I could to get it working at a speed where I could also do some work … you know, that’s kinda important …
Anyway, I failed. After trawling the forums I couldn’t get BitDefender to leave enough resources for me. Doing some searches it seemed that this was a problem that was plaguing many, many other users. Personally I think they turned the heat up on their searching algorithm to attain a higher match rate to boost their marketing. It seemed the software in it’s default configuration was so aggressively looking for stuff that they forgot that someone has to actually use the machine at the same time.
No virus software should behave like that at factory defaults … ever …
Anyway, when I un-installed the software I then logged into MyBitDefender portal to ask for a refund. I asked for that refund 6 times … never got a replies and never got the refund either … £20 lost. I had better things to do with my time.
Fast forward to now … I got up this morning to find a nice email from PayPal saying that I’d just handed them another £44.96 for the new spangly version. So, I go to login to my MyBitDefender in order to take action (I was even considering giving it another go) but low and behold … I have no account. Eh? Yup, none of my email addresses (even the payment email address) was recognised.
WTF??
Where did my account go then? I downloaded the original installer using this account. Which according to their systems should have been an active account because it had just been renewed. So another support call …
BitDefender confirmed that I had no MyBitDefender account, none … nada. WTF?
So I had renewed an application from a vender that didn’t have an account for me and I couldn’t log in to download the software. Customer services at it’s most confusing basically. Anyway, I’m not giving them the £45, so I’m waiting for that refund to arrive … Whilst their tech may be good I have little faith in anything else …
Will stick with Avira thanks …
Update:
Got the money back, well done BD!
So it’s the best … or at least was the best. *ahem* …
I’ve used a LOT of virus applications in my time, free ones, commercial ones massive enterprise ones and every other little tool and app going. I had been using Avira for a few years and decided in March 2014 that I’d try out BitDefender as it seemed everyone was raving about it at that point in time. It had somehow managed to attain that hallowed 100% match rate in virus tests etc. So I thought I’d give it a try.
I went through the nasty process of removing my old anti-virus software (see notes below!) and installed BitDefender. Holy crap, it took a powerful machine (you know, fast processor, SSD, GTX580, 24Gb RAM basically a beast of a machine) to it’s knees. It literally bought my overpowered workstation to a grinding halt. I tried all I could to get it working at a speed where I could also do some work … you know, that’s kinda important …
Anyway, I failed. After trawling the forums I couldn’t get BitDefender to leave enough resources for me. Doing some searches it seemed that this was a problem that was plaguing many, many other users. Personally I think they turned the heat up on their searching algorithm to attain a higher match rate to boost their marketing. It seemed the software in it’s default configuration was so aggressively looking for stuff that they forgot that someone has to actually use the machine at the same time.
No virus software should behave like that at factory defaults … ever …
Anyway, when I un-installed the software I then logged into MyBitDefender portal to ask for a refund. I asked for that refund 6 times … never got a replies and never got the refund either … £20 lost. I had better things to do with my time.
Fast forward to now … I got up this morning to find a nice email from PayPal saying that I’d just handed them another £44.96 for the new spangly version. So, I go to login to my MyBitDefender in order to take action (I was even considering giving it another go) but low and behold … I have no account. Eh? Yup, none of my email addresses (even the payment email address) was recognised.
WTF??
Where did my account go then? I downloaded the original installer using this account. Which according to their systems should have been an active account because it had just been renewed. So another support call …
BitDefender confirmed that I had no MyBitDefender account, none … nada. WTF?
So I had renewed an application from a vender that didn’t have an account for me and I couldn’t log in to download the software. Customer services at it’s most confusing basically. Anyway, I’m not giving them the £45, so I’m waiting for that refund to arrive … Whilst their tech may be good I have little faith in anything else …
Will stick with Avira thanks …
Update:
Got the money back, well done BD!