Antivirus
Being a careful and consistent user, you might have read the Licence Agreement for the product that is installed on your computer. Today we would like to draw your attention to another remarkable and, to our regret, a commonly ignored document, which is the System Requirements.
When some important provisions of the End User Licence Agreement are overlooked, it may cause some activation errors or other problems with the way licences work. However, licence issues are diagnosed much more easily than those connected with System Requirements violation. First of all, if your hardware or operating system (as well as a third-party application on your computer) is not compatible with a Kaspersky Lab product, you may be constantly receiving error messages or even fail to install our solution.
The feedback we sometimes receive in such cases is: “I paid you money for the software, so I expect things to work, no matter what my computer is.” We understand how frustrated you may be when such a crucial program as anti-virus refuses to work. At the same time, almost everything has its own use restrictions. In most cases, manufacturers state, precisely and clearly, in which conditions their product will function. On the one hand, the Tech Specs sheet is a disclaimer; on the other hand, reading it ensures that you buy a product that suits your needs. It works in the same way with anti-viruses. To save you time and money, read the System Requirements before you buy a software product; we never make it a secret.
There are several ways to know the system requirements for our anti-viruses. Of course, the easiest is checking out Kaspersky Lab’s Technical Support site. The most up-to-date information about each product is provided here on its own System Requirements page. Or, if you prefer buying software in shops, spend a minute reading the information about compatibility on the back of the box.
Now let’s talk about what is essential for system requirements. We will use the current version of Kaspersky Internet Security as an example: http://support.kaspersky.ru/kis2014#requirements
The highlighted requirements, when not met, cause frequent issues. Let’s go step by step, starting with operating systems.
The main rule here (I especially hope that advanced users notice this) is that our products are only installed under officially released versions of operating systems, not beta versions. It is tempting to be one of the first users of a new Windows version to experience all its new features, but it’s unlikely that you will be able to install a Kaspersky Lab product right away. It takes time for software vendors to adapt their products to new major releases (and sometimes updates) of operating systems, so check with compatible systems’ lists of anti-virus solutions to stay protected at all times.
We also recommend that you make sure the product you are purchasing is compatible with your platform. Not all of our licences are applicable to different platforms; a Windows licence will likely fail to install on a Mac or Android device.
Besides the major Windows version number, the Service Pack number also makes a difference. A Service Pack is a large set of updates that includes fixes for critical errors. Service Packs are available for download on the Microsoft’s official website, so this kind of incompatibility is not really an obstacle. It’s a common case with Windows XP SP2 users that the installation issues are resolved once SP3 has been installed.
Now, look at the line ending with “available RAM.” The word “available” is actually important: it is not the total RAM your computer comes with, but the volume of memory available when your operating system is running and the necessary applications are open. If your computer is running under Windows 7 and only has 2GB RAM, you will have about half of it when the system starts. If you open a couple of resource-intensive applications (for example, Adobe Photoshop and some Microsoft Office components), the system will be running low on memory, lagging, and displaying the “Blue Screen of Death”. It is doubtful that, under such conditions, the anti-virus will be able to provide decent protection, so increasing RAM will really help.
480 MB available on the hard drive is only sufficient for successful installation, but the system will keep telling you about insufficient disk space. It is highly recommended that you have an extra 10 GB to ensure sufficient functioning.
An issue that is being widely debated on forums is the Internet connection requirement for the normal functioning of Kaspersky Lab products. Our applications cannot be activated without Internet access; neither can they be updated nor reinforced with cloud protection if the servers are unavailable. This system requirement was first introduced in Kaspersky Anti-Virus 6.0 several years ago and does not pose any problems to most users. At any rate, there is no chance for ignoring or cancelling it.
Starting this year, our applications’ interface is implemented with the help of the .NET Framework technologies. Even if it is not present on your system, our installer includes it. In case of any issues, you will be notified and offered to manually install the component.
And finally, let’s carefully touch upon another important issue. Some versions of popular browsers may be incompatible with our products as well. That is why Anti-Banner may sometimes refuse to work. When this happens, we start working on a corresponding patch immediately so that the latest versions of major browsers are supported in a reasonable time. The list of compatible browsers continuously expands and is updated in a timely manner.
So, the main two items to note about system requirements: they are worth reading, and, they are worth reading before you buy a software product. These are probably the biggest secrets for the flawless working of any anti-virus! Enjoy Kaspersky Lab’s products!
