Hi guys just wondering if I use beta versions of Windows on the Internet what free anti-virus would be good to use etc?

if you find a decent compatible browser sure

The best antivirus for beta builds is common sense. If you don't go on shady websites or download shady stuff, you should be fine.

thanks guys its just so hard thesedays cos adverts etc are everywhere as well also thinking about I meant Alpha not Beta cos Windows Longhorn is Alpha LOL!

Adblock can be a godsend for slower, less secure machines running modern browsers

Also, don't transmit personal information from pre-release and unsupported builds. Not using such builds as your main OS helps as well.

It's also worth noting that not visiting malicious (or likely malicious) websites helps but doesn't guarantee protection from malware and OS-level vulerabilities, since vulnerabilities in legitimate websites are sometimes exploited. For example, malware can be present in ads.

Ah ok I was going to use it as my main OS but that isn't advisable then?

Not really, especially if you are going to do anything involving personal information i.e. email, banking, etc. The chance of your info becoming compromised or your computer infected is low but still significant. Using an unsupported and obscure operating system isn't for the faint of heart, but the adventurous who don't mind software & hardware compatibility issues, random crashing & corruption, and the occasional virus. It's doable, but if you have actual work to do it's not ideal.

Many people come on here in the hopes of running a certain beta OS as their main OS. It's just a really, really bad idea, how novel it might be. Remember that these betas never get subsequent security patches. So a Longhorn beta from, say, 2004, will have 14 years worth of security patches and whatnot missing. Now, do you feel safe using this operating system for private matters? The best you can really do is tweak a modern version of Windows, perhaps 7, 8.1 or even 10 LTSB/LTSC, to make it resemble as closely as possible to the beta OS you would want to run daily. I get the appeal, because some beta operating systems look really nice compared to contemporary operating systems now, but it's just not a wise decision.

If you want to run a Windows pre-release as your main OS, just join the insider program.

Some beta Windows OSes can run anti-virus program example of build 4093, but I don't know more, which build can run it.

Just saying, the Windows Insider Program is now trash. I've been using it since it was released 4 years ago and it was much better then. Now, there's just very little changes done to the UI/UX. I would argue that any development that was done, especially in the Longhorn era, was far more exciting. Not any new wallpapers or sounds been introduced and it seems very repetitive.

5259 has AntiSpyware, but I think it sometimes works.

What? Incremental improvements instead of a yearly revolution make WIP trash? I'm completely baffled by your logic. The whole reason why Windows 10 isn't a complete dumpster fire today is because of incremental improvements and small additions. There are a plenty of valid points to criticize WIP about, but that is definitely not one of them.


Vista can be used as an example of how not to develop a product. Half of Vista's development was a disaster, and required Microsoft to reset its development (i.e. throw away nearly all of their work!) to get a usable product. Believe me, the lack of Longhorn-era "excitement" is without doubt a good thing.