Really if you are really worried about viruses, trojans, maleware ect. then your best bet would be to run a Linux os instead of Windows. Linux Ubuntu rocks the socks even off of Windows Vista.
95% of the threats to your computer are targeting Windows.
There is only a 5% threat aganist a Linux computer.

you haveto check all nine in order to delete all 9

I use free everything
when I had McAfee I had viruses ALL the time...LOL

www.alarmzone.com they should have link for free one and it works great

There is no 1 spyware program that will get everything. I use several. Spybot search and destro is very thorough. Lavasoft is very good. I suggest that everyone uses Trend House call once a month, or when you feel your pc isn't running right. It's a free online scanner and will remove all spyware and viruses that many programs fail to find.

google search
Spybot

You'll find result for Spybot Search & Destroy

The interface is a bit hard to get used to, but it is by far the best free anti-spyware/adware program IMO.

Also do a search for Adaware or Lavasoft. It's a very user friendly program and works well too.

Why I prefer Spybot over Adaware: You can set a teatimer to block known URLs in your browser and anytime a registry modification tries to take place it alerts you to allow or deny the change. This can be annoying when you are trying to install a program and have to keep allowing the registry change, but it is much safer when you are just surfing the net and it pops up. DENY! Hahaha!

I only trust two different ones, and I have yet to be infected, though I pay for one, it's no big deal. I use Acronis Privacy Expert Suite which is the paid one, and Spyware Blaster, which is the free one, they work really well together. Plus I recomend using NOD32 anti-virus, it's the best one on the market, it isn't free, but well worth it. I trust these programs with my life, I have built over 100 computers, and always use the same software for each one, and have never had one fail yet. Hope these doubters outhere will at least try them out, and see what I am talking about. Here is a little tid bit of info you may not know, NOD32 was the first anti virus program to work with the x64 file system, how's that for being the best.

go with avast and zonealarm.
both free.

Tim only one problem with Avast, it isn't supported by X64 file system, their are just a few virus checkers that do, and they are Norton, Mcafee & Nod32. Zone alarm is alright, but it ain't free, and it doesn't always do the trick, good luck.

+1 For Linux

Seriously, at least give Ubuntu a try, you download it, burn it onto to disc, and when it boots, you can try it before you install it. If you are having problems downloading and burning an ISO simply visit: https://shipit.ubuntu.com/ and you can order a free CD.

If you order a free CD, please remember to pass it on when your done!

Hey MM26 what exactly do you mean? Could you elaborate?
And yeah zonealarm used to be free (or available for a long trial period).

free
why pay?

Avira AntiVir PersonalEdition Classic

http://www.free-av.com/

free for personal use and it is one of the best I have used.....

Go to MajorGeeks.com there is olot of freeware there. pc world is another one.

Look everyone, as a IT Professional, I strongly recomend NOD32, for anti virus, if you don't trust me, read the following link, I should also mention soon Nod32 will block spyware as well, it will be the most complete package on the internet.

http://www.eset.com/products/index.php

I use only this software, and as a reminder it's one of the only few antivirus software that runs on the X64 file system.

Here is another link to look at, it's quite interesting

http://www.eset.com/products/compare-NOD32-vs-competition.php

Virus: Spy Sweeper, Avast
Spyware: Spy Sweeper, Lavasoft Ad-aware

You don't have a clue what your talking about boomansion, nice try, but when you have 12 years of IT experience under your belt, you know what your talking about.

Free anti-virus
AVG Personal Edition (grisoft.com) - Great detects worms, trojans, and exploits as well

Free adware/spyware
Ad-Aware Personal Edition (lavasoftusa.com)
Spybot Search and destroy (unsure of website)

Free firewall
Zone Alarm Personal Edition (zonealarm.com)

If you look for Spybot Search and Destroy, make sure you get Spybot Search and Destroy (S&D) and NOT Spybot.

That should be all you need.

I use AVG Free for viruses (it's amazing)
i use ad-aware on this computer and spybot on my laptop. both work well.