or a program where a check on that drive can be switched off completely?

Norton is not in contention. Insists on checking and slows my system down too much by using too many resources.

The free AVG is no contender either, since I have a network.

Real ; I agree with you Norton uses too much system resources, I will not be useing it again.I will be trying PC-cillan over xmas when I have time to evaluate.I have been investigating for some time .Cnet gave Pccillan an excellent review as best AV. The review actually mentions the lack of resources it uses.As for the scanning of the Floppy..I am not 100% sure .They show in the Evaluation Guide here http://www.trendmicro.com/en/products/desktop/pc-cillin/evaluate/overview.htm
that you can manually set your scan options.At any rate u can try their software before buying.Also you can scan in 'context menu' for any file or drive
Just a thought I have got into the habit of not starting AV when Windows starts until I want it eg. online ,email downloads etc.
Also Pccillan has a firewall but you don't have to load it .
tell me how it works out.

I use PC-Cillin, came with this computer I'm on right now.

I've had Mcaffee and Norton too, but PC-Cillin is my favorite out of them. I keep it on "Real Time Scan", it makes sure that the content that enters my computer is clean, and has worked great so far. Its happend a few times where I have downloaded a file or went to a website and PC-Cillin goes off with a Virus detection or whatever.

Finally I took the plunge. Uninstalled Norton Systemworks 2002. Took me nearly 2 hours to clean up all the mess Norton had left behind!!!
You have to keep downloading special programs and follow numerous instructions on web-page after webpage....
Just in case, I took a DriveImage before I started and once the spring-cleaning was done, I took another one.
Difference in (highest compressed) images of my OS-partition is 24MB, and that was only for the virus-definitions. I had the program itself stored on another partition.

I installed free AVG and its email-companion and it runs sweet.
My whole Win2000 feels rejuvenated without the Norton ballast.

rbs
Where did you get AVG from?
Are you still happy with it ?

Hello liquid,
Got it here: http://www.grisoft.com/us/us_dwnl_free.php
You have to register (free) with your email-address and they will mail you your own serial-no. for installation.

Unless you use Outlook or Outlook Express, download their (also free) email-scanner:
http://www.grisoft.cz/beta/avgemc/avgemc_en.htm

I use Pegasus for email and it runs much faster with AVG than it did with Norton.

I would definitely recommend this program, I have not read ONE bad comment about it.

There is a setting in Norton to turn off the floppy scan on boot. They didn't make it easy to find. I haven't used Norton's in years so i couldn't begin to tell you where they hid it. I use AVG Pro now, not sure if it scans the floppy drive on boot up.

i use sophos anti virus, and would recommend it to all. its very good, and totally free!

as long as you apply for a home user trial (it says trial, but there is no limit on the length of time you can use it for) it is absolutely free, no strings attached!

ive used this for about 3 years now, and i keep the intercheck monitor active, it scans everything that is opened, and the actual virus scan is done once a week. updates are free, and you can download all of the ide files to update it, or just download the next version.

here is where you go if you want to try it,sophos.

oh and it doesnt check my floppy drive on start up either, it would only check it if you tried to access something on there.

alphnumeric:
that Norton switch was not causing the access, I found that long ago. It is another part of Norton, never located it. However, got rid of Norton and the only word is: GOOD riddance to Norton forever.

xtrmn8r:
thanks for the tip, one hardly ever hears about Sophos, I will give them a try after my Xmas holidays.

Try this one.. Its free to try and download virus defs for 12 months and comes with a fire wall as well. Its called EZ armor security suite and comes with an AV and a firewall prog. They both work great and use very little resources.

Heres the link;

http://www.my-etrust.com/microsoft/

I just opened a new thread in this forum: MUST-read AV-pgm comparison
http://www.techspot.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=9646

In that test, PC-Cillin landed in pos. 13 (86.9 %), Sophos in pos. 14 (86.5 %), AVG in pos. 26 (65.6%) and E-trust in pos. 27 (62.1 %)