Anti-virus for Windows 7 on MacBook Pro

You will need a separate anti-virus utility for Windows. You really don't need one for OS X, but if you wanted one you would need a separate one for it.

ClamXAV is an Open Source free anti-virus utility, and there is a version for OS X and one for Windows.

No. A virusscanner for Windows 7 under Parallels will not conflict with a virus scanner for MAC OS X.

I run Windows 7 under Parallels myself and have Avast Antivirus installed. On my MacBook Pro I have Intego's Virus Barrier installed. No problem.

When you start Windows 7 (from Boot Camp), Windows 7 is the sole operating system running so there can't be a clash at all.

Use Microsoft Security Essentials, it's free and far superior to Avast/AVG/Etc, this applies to Windows 7, on XP and Vista it's not so good.

Microsoft Security Essentials has the benefit of less conflicts with the OS, it doesn't nag you to pay, doesn't talk to you. Just gives you alerts to upgrade and run a scan.

And it's about time Microsoft start paying for their mistakes. 😀

There shouldn't be a need for anti-virus, ever, goes to show the operating system makers are not doing their job correctly.

Apple does a better job, but even they screw up and need to come out with improvements.

Just saying "oh just let the users use anti-virus" is no solution.

I have used all of them, MSE is unobtrusive and thorough, at least on Win7, definitions tied into MS's update system work equally well. I used to always recommend AVG, especially the paid variant, MSE is better if you are using Win7. IMHO

JoeBSmith wrote:

I run OSX 10.6 and Windows 7 with Boot Camp and with Parallels on my 2010 MacBook Pro. Will a single anti-virus program for Windows protect it when using it with Boot Camp and with Parallels?

No because the anti-virus running in Bootcamp is a direct boot and the Windows copy in Parallels is (although a copy) isn't running at the same time.

Since Microsoft Security Essentials is free, doesn't matter which one updates first, as long as it updates and does it's job. So you have two copies, one in Bootcamp and another in Parallels.

If your going to pay for anti-malware, you should first install it into Bootcamp, then allow Parallels to make a VM copy of Windows like you did before. Just to avoid any conflict. Your machine id, hard drive id, IP address etc are all the same, so it shoudln't matter if you got two copies running on the same machine. It's when you run on two more more machines without a volume license they get upset.

JoeBSmith wrote:

If I install a Mac anti-virus program, Intego for example, will it conflict with the Windows anti-virus program when I am running Windows with Parallels?

No, the two are totally seperate identtities, just copies. Of course they might scratch their heads that your one registration updates twice as often to the same machine, but they will likely figure it out your running Bootcamp and a VM. It's not going to bother them any.

JoeBSmith wrote:

...seems to indicate that I will need to do the same with the other software I am installing if I want to access it in both situations. Is that correct?

Check with Parallels, it should be able to take your Bootcamped Windows partition and make a virtual machine file for you to run the whole Windows OS, programs and all, as a file in OS X.

This way you do all your setups, validations and what not in Bootcamp first and then copy into OS X .

There might even be some sort of cross updating going on as well too. 🙂

Your not violating any licenses as your only running copy protected software on one machine.

Check with Parallels before you go any further or you could be wasting effort.

I use VMFusion, but I haven't used it with Bootcamp.