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I'm running a Windows XP VM with very limited disk space. But due to network connection it requires a real-time virus protection. A decent one.

Microsoft Security Essentials uses only about 16MB in installation folder (I think) but it keeps huge amount of data in application data folder... Anti virus, anti malware etc... So I suspect others do too...

I want to know the totals used by virus protection software. I know these sizes aren't fixed (due to changing virus database size) but it may still be that some of them use much less space compared to others.

I was wondering which antivirus software uses the least total disk space?

Note on constructiveness of this question: This question should be constructive because that user whose insight into this will be most detailed is the clear winner. And fact sizes don't leave any space for speculation, argumentative answers etc...

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What about you get sensible disc space? Cents smart and Pounds foolish. – TomTom Dec 6 '11 at 10:18
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The only real way to tell is install a XP machine, snapshot it, install MSE, update it, record disk usage, revert to snapshot, install ESET, update it, record disk usage, revert to snapshot, install AVAST!/AVG/McAfee/Norton (I jest)/ClamWin...and so on. It's not just about disk usage, it's about effective protection as well. Personally, I'd go for MSE or Avast!...but I don't know how "little" disk space you are working with. – tombull89 Dec 6 '11 at 11:08
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sysadmins that manage various antivirus installations why would you do that? The thought of even attempting to use different AntiVirus packages in one enterprise makes me shudder. Okay, my EST Nod (Business Edition) Program Files folder is 68MB. Is that what you want? – tombull89 Dec 6 '11 at 11:38
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@RobertKoritnik: Very simpe. If you are too chep o spend a little more for space obviously needed.... your choice. I rather focus on optimizeing my earnigns adn real costs. My standard VM has 64gb. I currently operae I think 40 of those. I never evenc cared about some small money - I get hat I need and optimize my earnings. – TomTom Dec 6 '11 at 11:40
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The ProgramData folder on my machine is 400kb so I doubted there would have been a point mentioning it. Also, is there anything really preventing you from doing what I suggested in my first comment? Yes, it would take time, but I expect it would be quicker than waiting for SF users to post their space useage. In a perfect world I could go and do it myself and record the results on a blog and here but it's not a perfect world and I (we) have our own work to do. Sorry if that comes across a bit harsh but that's the way I see it. – tombull89 Dec 6 '11 at 12:19
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closed as not constructive by SvW, RobM, TomTom, jscott, pauska Dec 6 '11 at 12:39

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1 Answer

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NOD32

after being installed for 1.5 years

Let me start with my own answer on using NOD32. It's on Windows 7 x64 though, but it should give a good starting point of what I expect your answers to be like:

  • Installation folder: 60MB
  • Program data folders: 77.2MB of which majority:
    • Installer folder: 32.8MB
    • Updfiles folder: 43.3MB
    • others take < 1MB each
  • Insignificant bit in Users/{user}/AppData/Local/ESET that's used for quarantine

Altogether that's about 138MB...

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