Best Free Antivirus and Anti-Spyware Software for Windows

If you are a Windows user, you must install an antivirus and anti-spyware software in your system. We all install software, games, themes and many other stuff from various sources such as downloaded from Internet, from CD/DVD, USB drives, etc and if the downloaded file is infected, it can also install a virus or spyware in our system as a bonus.

That's why we need a good antivirus and anti-spyware software for Windows OS. This software protects our system from suspicious items. It continuously monitors our system and warns us whenever it finds a malicious item in our system.

There are many antivirus and anti-spyware software available on Internet to download. Some of them are free and some of them are paid. Obviously paid security software provide more features and control over them in comparison with free software programs.

But there are a few free antivirus and anti-spyware programs which provide almost all features which a paid security software provides.

Today in this topic, we are going to list top 5 free antivirus and anti-spyware software for Windows operating system for your convenience. We have tested many security programs in past and found following 5 programs best of them. If you are not using any antivirus or anti-spyware program in your system, you must install one of the following without wasting time:

1. Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE)

Microsoft Security Essentials (also known as MSE) is one of the best free antivirus and anti-spyware software for Windows. Its an official security program released by Microsoft. Its available absolutely free to download but you'll need genuine Windows to install it.

It can be installed in Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7. Windows 8 already comes with MSE preinstalled. You can install it in both 32-bit and 64-bit operating systems.

Download Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE)

2. Avast! Free Antivirus

We put Avast! antivirus on 2nd position. It comes with antivirus, anti-spyware, firewall and many other security components. It can be installed in Windows 2000 professional SP4, Windows XP SP2 or higher, Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 8. Both 32-bit and 64-bit editions are supported.

Download Avast! Antivirus

3. AVG Antivirus Free Edition

AVG antivirus is almost equivalent to avast! antivirus. It also comes with antivirus, anti-spyware, link scanner and many other security features. It can be installed in Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7.

Download AVG Antivirus

4. Avira Free Antivirus

Avira is also one of the widely used antivirus for Windows OS. It can protect your system from virus, spyware, malware, trojan, rootkits and many other forms of malicious programs. Avira antivirus can be installed in Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7. It supports both 32-bit and 64-bit Windows editions.

Download Avira Free Antivirus

5. Panda Cloud Free Antivirus

And last but not least its turn of "Panda free antivirus" which is a very light-weight antivirus software for Windows. Its based on cloud computing concept which makes it one of the most light-weight antivirus programs available for Windows. You need a good speed Internet connection in your system to use it. It can be used in Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 8. As usual both 32-bit and 64-bit editions are supported.

Download Panda Cloud Free Antivirus

That's all for now. If you are using any other free antivirus or anti-spyware software in your system, feel free to share your feedback in your comment.

mStartEX: Windows 8 Style Start Menu Replacement for Windows XP, Vista and 7

We are pretty much aware of the new Start Screen introduced by Microsoft in its upcoming OS Windows 8. Start Screen is a Start Menu replacement for Windows 8 which shows live tiles of installed programs and built-in tools in Windows. According to Microsoft, the use of big square tiles makes it easier to navigate through installed programs and launch them.

We have shared many free utilities which bring Windows 8 look-like Start Screen feature in earlier Windows versions such as Windows XP, Vista and 7. Some of them are Omnimo, Windows 8 Start Screen Full andMosaic.

Today in this topic, we are going to share another utility for Windows XP, Vista and 7 which is a little bit different than others. You can consider it as a Start Menu replacement for Windows.

"mStartEX" is a free utility for Windows created by our friend "Solodev" which shows all Start Menu programs and pinned items in tile view similar to Windows 8 Start Screen.

By default it sorts them alphabetically but you can disable the sorting using its Settings. Its highly customizable. You can change background color, transparency level, tile mode, screen position and much more.

It also allows you to show a metro style clock on Desktop similar to Windows 8. You can enable it from its Settings.

If you want, you can customize the tile background and icon style from the "Tiles" tab of its Settings page. You can also change Start ORB image using Settings page.

It also shows user avatar in the Start screen which launches Control Panel upon clicking. You can customize avatar look using the Settings page.

To access the main screen simply move your mouse cursor to the bottom-left corner of screen similar to Windows 8 and the Start Menu will appear on screen. To close Start Menu, click on the shut down icon given at the bottom-left corner of Start Menu.

Although its a free utility but it also comes with a paid version which can be activated by purchasing the product for a very small amount of $1.25 only. The paid version comes with a few extra features such as more tile effects, full screen mode which makes it look-like Windows 8 Start Screen, invisible mode to remove background, random background color similar to Windows 8 Start Screen, skinned icons, no sorting, etc.

Currently its under beta testing and more features will be added in future releases such as plugin system.

You can download it using following link:

Download mStartEX

Homepage

Transform Windows 7/Vista/XP to Mac OS X Lion Transformation Skin Pack

Have You ever feel bored with running Windows XP, Vista, or 7 on Your PC/Laptop? while You think You want to change into running Mac OS (made by Apple) on Your computer. Well, We all know that to buy an Apple product, it needed a big budget in cost even to running Mac OS on Your computer

However for all those Windows users out there whom You think that You have a small budget to run Mac OS on Your computer, You can stop Your worrying, it's because You can now transform Your Windows XP/Vista/7 (32, 64 bit) into Mac OS using Lion Transformation Skin Pack. Well, unlike the previous one pack named Leopard Skin Transoformation (it doesn't worked well), but now You can be happy because this Lion it worked properly, like I've used it on my own PC and it running well so far. 

With using Lion Transformation Skin Pack, now You're enable to using Your Windows OS similar as like Mac OS. Lion Transformation Skin Pack will also customize the fonts and sounds on your computer, along with the colors and the wallpaper.

Well, here are some screenshots of Lion Skin Pack I took from my own PC:

Double click on image(s)to view larger

This is the menu "START"

Desktop Lion Skin Pack Appearance

Windows Documents folder/files Lion Skin Pack

The Browser (Safari) Looks like with Lion Skin Pack

Mac OS X Lion Trnsformation Pack on Windows 7/XP/Vista

To transform Your Windows XP/VISTA/7 (32, 64 bit) into Mac OS X Lion Skin Pack, just simply download the ZIP file(s) for free (freeware) from the link below given by Softpedia, then extract the file(s) and then You install to Your Windows OS, to finish just restart your PC.

Download | Lion Transformation Pack (62.1 MB / Windows XP / 7 / 7 x64