VirusBarrier X5
If you work in a Windows heavy environment or workflow (or you’re just a bit paranoid) and antivirus software is on your mind, this just might be the solution for you—thoroughly modern in appearance and features, plus it won’t bog you down.
When installing Intego’s VirusBarrier X5, you’ve only got one option and that’s whether or not you want to install NetUpdate. The other components—the application itself and common services—are required. On my Early 2008 MacBook, VirusBarrier X5 wants 33.8MB, which isn’t a lot. The install takes about 10 seconds and, yes, a restart is required.
It’s worth noting that the same folder that holds the installer also has an uninstaller.
Installing NetUpdate puts an icon in your menu bar, which makes accessing updates and VirusBarrier X5 a snap. The install also puts an icon your dock.
The first time you firm up VirusBarrier X5, you’ll be prompted to enter your serial, which you can do via copy-n-paste. After that, naturally the first thing I went for was virus definitions and any software updates.
The update check was fast and the available updates, less than 5MB, downloaded lickety split, though the install itself resulted in an “optimizing system performance” barber poll that took its sweet time.
VirusBarrier X5’s Real-Time Scanner is enabled by default and I’ve let it run to assess how much of a resource hog the application is. And, though this is far from scientific, I haven’t noticed any slow downs.
This is an opinion shared by Macworld reviewer Scott McNulty, who says “This antivirus program scans files very quickly and, perhaps more important, with very little impact on your Mac’s resources.”
Dr Macenstein adds that not only doesn’t it suck the life out of your Mac, “In fact, it sort of makes virus scanning fun.”
Hmm, I wouldn’t go that far. That said, it turns out that VirusBarrier X5 throttles itself back when it’s not the front application and/or you’re actively using other apps. So, when I was editing an image in Photoshop CS 2, which IS a major resource hog, there was not apparent slow down, despite the fact VirusBarrier X5 was simultaneously scanning my iPod (see below)
Also, it’s at least multi-core aware as a display labelled “velocity monitor” shows what processors you’ve got and what percentage of the cores’ available processing power is being used by VirusBarrier X5.
Also, I scheduled a scan of my MacBook that started at 1am, concluding the inspection of over 65,000 files just a minute before 2 a.m. Unsurprisingly, it discovered absolutely nothing, not even a single Windows virus.
That said, for the next week or so, VirusBarrier X5 will scan my computer every night, and also scan my external drives on the weekend. That is, I’ve set up three different VirusBarrier schedules covering separate parts of my rig. Further, though it doesn’t have a schedule item of its own, my 8GB iPod touch gets real-time scanned when attached.
Performing an on-demand scan of the said same 8GB touch, which is around 90 percent full, took about six minutes and when it concluded VirusBarrier announced “No virus detected,” which was kind of freaky. That said, you don’t have to use audio announcements and, if you like audio, the application’s default voice or any voice (ie “Fred”) loaded on your Mac will work.
Conslusions
VirusBarrier X5 is full-featured, easy-to-use and isn’t a resource hog, and it’s much, much faster than the free and open-source ClamXav. A single-seat license sells for $69.95, a year of updates and virus definitions inclusive. For 10 bucks more you can buy VirusBarrier X5 DP (dual protection), which will scan and protect your dual Windows / OS X system.
Nevertheless, although there are a couple of Mac compatible trojans out there, there isn’t a single virus or worm (ie nothing that can self-replicant and spread autonomously). So, do you need antivirus “protection”? No.
Why do I have a copy of VirusBarrier X5? It came as part of the MacUpdate Holiday Bundle (now expired)— essentially free.
Will I continue to run VirusBarrier X5? Yes, but after this initial shakedown, I will reduce scans to once a month — just like I did with ClamXav.
Do you use antivirus? If yes, what’s your poison?
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December 31st, 2008
since i have installed virusbarrier x5 my Macbook pro leopard has been freezing and slowed down to a crawl when in Safari or Mail, i tried to uninstall first with AppZap then reinstalled and tried to use the uninstall option during the prompts for installing, it appears there is still some residue effect, is there known issues or a better way to unistall? thanks
Bob