Finally Got Anti-Virus Software On Vista 64-bit
Posted by Christopher Smith
Yes, I’m lazy.
I waited and waited to install anti-virus software on my 64-bit Vista Ultimate (how you can label some edition of Vista as “Ultimate” but not bundle anti-virus software is beyond me….). I was basically waiting for two things: a sale on anti-virus software and some anti-virus software that cockily proclaimed it supported 64-bit Vista. Most anti-virus software includes kernel-level hooks these days, so it didn’t seem likely that dirty ol’ 32-bit software would do the trick. Newegg decided to have a sale on Trend Micro’s Internet Security such that after rebate the cost was basically just taxes and shipping and the product label said “64-bit Vista supported”, so I went for it.
You know, Linux + Wine can run most of the applications that you might want Windows for. You really out to give it a try. It’s free (AS IN BEER AND TALKING!), you know.
Many of the security consessions made on the 32 bit platform to allow Anti-Virus software to work, are the very same holes that virus use. On x64 many of those holes are plugged.
I don’t think anti-virus on x64 is very important. Just like anti-virus on a mac isn’t important. If you plug the security holes, you don’t need anti-virus. You only need virus cleaning software for when you are infected.
I hear you a bit on this brian, but aren’t these the same niggly little behaviors that 64-bit Windows needs to emulate in order to allow 32-bit programs to still run in a compatible fashion. AFAIK, with the notable exception of superviser mode level hacks, most viruses and spyware out there run just fine in a 64-bit world.
Did you ever get the problem resolved? I am having the same problem, but I have the 32-bit platform. Please let me know!
Rachel: Ummm. yeah. I just went ahead and installed the hotfix and all was well.