70 comments so far...

• sps Said on August 25th, 2009 at 3:34 am:
  

  Comodo Anti Virus works ok!
  I downloaded the suite (AV+FW) and just installed the AV part, skipped the firewall.
  Automatic updating working too!
  So far so good!

• ledzep Said on August 29th, 2009 at 6:41 pm:
  

  OK, as expected Eset Smart Security Business Edition x64 works very well. The home editions of eset (smart security and antivirus) do not install at all.

  Kaspersky Anti-Virus v9.0.0.463 works very well too, although you have to:
  1. Edit with an msi editor (such as orca) the kav.en.msi (extracted from the kav9.0.0.463en.exe manually or during installation in programdatakaspersky…) to remove any “incompatible OS” entry.
  2. Optional: Start the installation from cmd with the switch:
  C:…..setup.exe /pSKIPPRODUCTCHECK=1
  if you want to install it with another antivirus such as eset, like I did.

• Nicolas Said on September 7th, 2009 at 12:49 am:
  

  Zone Alarm Extreme Security does not work. I used the latest version that was said to be compatible with windows 7 but it kept saying that the windows version is newer than expected and I should download the latest zone alarm instalation package, which I already had it… I tried compatibility tool in order to instal using 2008 SP1 compatibility. It was instaled ok but right after the first reboot, WerFault.exe process started to multiply until my system was unusable. Tried to disable error reporting but nothing gained. The overflow is so quick that you cannot uninstal zone labs product and must reboot in safe mode.

• Sean Said on September 11th, 2009 at 2:46 pm:
  

  Symantec Endpoint Protection 11.0.4 works as long as you only use the Anti-Virus components. The threat protection packages do not play well in server OS’s.

• sps Said on September 12th, 2009 at 5:22 am:
  

  VIPRE (ver 3.1.2837) by Sunbelt also works fine, no tricks necessary!

  http://www.vipreantivirus.com/
  or
  http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Home-Home-Office/VIPRE/

  It’s shareware…

• Geo Said on September 20th, 2009 at 3:47 am:
  

  Warning! I downloaded the AVG 9.0 beta and tried to use the tweak that worked for 8.5. The tweak has failed because Grisoft has changed the AVG installer. Looks like our days of AVG working on a server OS are numbered.

• Geo Said on September 20th, 2009 at 3:48 am:
  

  Oh, should probably note that the 8.5 tweak listed on win2008workstation.com still works. It is located: http://www.win2008workstation.com/win2008/security-software

• John Gitmann Said on September 25th, 2009 at 10:59 pm:
  

  For AVG 8.5 do not download the latest file from grisoft of CNET (thats only about 850 Kb), that does not contain the agvsetup.exe program. Use filehippo.com to download an older version of 8.5 (the download is about 65 Mb), that contains the ‘full install’

• Portalcake Said on September 28th, 2009 at 1:00 pm:
  

  avast! Home works on Server 08 R2, use the same trick as in Server 08 R1 )
  Cheers
  BTW, have tested on a x64 machine (as if this wasnt obvious by now)

• Zach Said on October 9th, 2009 at 1:07 am:
  

  G Data Total Care 2010 works fine. The firewall was eating some process on occassion, but that might just be my computer.

• Geo Said on October 10th, 2009 at 6:00 pm:
  

  Rising Antivirus, http://www.freerav.com/, works properly without any workarounds needed.

  Spyware Doctor with Antivirus,http://www.pctools.com/spyware-doctor-antivirus/, appears to work without any workarounds despite the alert that says “Driver blocked due to incompatibility”. However, it may not offer full protection due to a blocked driver and it is best to wait for a Windows 7 compatible (meaning also Windows Server 2008 R2) version to be released.

• area51 Said on October 11th, 2009 at 12:42 pm:
  

  as i already mentioned on the server r1 compatibility list comments:

  I’m not sure if someone has already said this, but since i found it out on my own and haven’t read about it anywhere on the web:

  Solution to all you guys, wanting to install your legal ESET NOD 32 v 4 smart security / antivirus on server 2008 r1/r2 – it works for both and x86/x64…

  just fetch your up-to-date home setup version and open the msi installer with the official microsoft orca editor (which is why i am quite sure this workaround can’t be called “illegal” in any way – otherwise they were more than naive)

  get to the Property section – and THE ONLY entry you have to change (which is why i can’t really believe it myself) is “Producttype” and change it from “eav” or “ess” depending on what product you have to “eavbe” or “essbe” – save the msi and start it – yup THERE YOU GO.. it will come up with some normal warning on the first page of setup but it will workt just the way it does on a non-server OS – you do not have the real Business Edition after installation – but still the OS check is deactivated which is what we want.

  Maybe this could be posted to the solutions comment in the above list.
  I hope this helps…

  Arris: xxcom9a is currently keeping the lists up-to-date but I think he hasn’t seen your comment there, but it’s added as a workaround now. Thanks for your comment!

• servernewbie Said on October 12th, 2009 at 12:11 pm:
  

  Is F-Secure IS 2010 working?

• AsciiWolf Said on October 16th, 2009 at 4:57 pm:
  

  ClamWin Free Antivirus (based on ClamAV) – Works out-of-box.

• Nanda Said on October 17th, 2009 at 12:23 am:
  

  Trend Micro Internet Security works fine on Win2008r2.

• joe Said on October 25th, 2009 at 3:08 pm:
  

  CLAMWIN works perfect. no fix needed, but has no real-time security.

  for that i use windows defender.

• kamm Said on October 27th, 2009 at 3:27 am:
  

  Comodo’s free AV works fine (skipped the Comodo Firewall part during installation) including online updates (I only use AV so have turned off Defense+ permanently.)

• Emile Said on October 29th, 2009 at 4:50 am:
  

  Could someone elaborate on how to install KIS 2010 on Windows Server 2008 R2?

  Thank you.

• Emile Said on October 30th, 2009 at 2:50 am:
  

  That’s ok. I did it.

  Kaspersky Internet Security 2010 works fine on Windows Server 2008 R2 if you do like ledzep said about Kaspersky Anti-Virus.

• Windows Server 2008 - Woher bekomme ich einen funktionierenden Virenscanner? - Die Hardware-Community f Said on November 5th, 2009 at 2:31 am:
  

  [...] [...]

• t1welv2e Said on November 16th, 2009 at 8:25 pm:
  

  I have a g data. but when i want run it this doesnt run and no things occer

• Anonymous Said on November 21st, 2009 at 12:05 am:
  

  For the avg free antivirus here is the full file on AVG’s Server
  http://download.avgfree.com/filedir/inst/avg_free_stf_en_90_707a1765.exe (72.4 MB)

• Cyberian Said on November 25th, 2009 at 7:54 pm:
  

  And downloading this for Server 2008 R2 will help me how?????? Read the other comments re AVG 9.0!!

• Richard Said on November 28th, 2009 at 9:11 am:
  

  Can someone try the Panda Cloud AV and let us know if it works under R2? It’s the best free AV out there, but I don’t want to plunge into Server 2k8 R2 without my Panda.

• Jeffrey Said on December 3rd, 2009 at 2:00 pm:
  

  Another workaround for NOD32
  just install version 2.7 and it will run without any problems!
  this is confirmd bij Eset itself!

• area51 Said on December 22nd, 2009 at 1:32 am:
  

  well, if you can call that a “workaround….”

• Dant Said on December 23rd, 2009 at 9:30 pm:
  

  im stuck with windows firewall atm
  every and all firewall software i try to install gives me BSOD.
  as soon as installation finishes, BSOD. reboot, BSOD. im forced to enter safe mode and uninstall the firewall.

  every time the event viewer shows that several services failed to start, but even if i disable them all on the registry it still gives me BSOD but with no event entry.

  kind of clueless about what it may be

  for anti virus im using Avira AntiVir Home with no problems, for installation just had to do the trick listed on the non-R2 site

• Anonymous Said on December 24th, 2009 at 8:44 pm:
  

  Cyberian Said on November 25th, 2009 at 7:54 pm:

  And downloading this for Server 2008 R2 will help me how?????? Read the other comments re AVG 9.0!!

  It will help because it is not a stub and it contains the avgsetup.exe and you can extract it.

  Anonymous Said on November 21st, 2009 at 12:05 am:

  For the avg free antivirus here is the full file on AVG’s Server
  http://download.avgfree.com/filedir/inst/avg_free_stf_en_90_707a1765.exe (72.4 MB)

• afwsl2003 Said on December 26th, 2009 at 8:28 am:
  

  Kaspersky works fine …. follow this method on the following link

  http://maxbarrass.blogspot.com/2008/09/installing-kaspersky-internet-security.html

  both kaspersky internet security 2009 and 2010 works… guranteed …

• afwsl2003 Said on December 26th, 2009 at 8:36 am:
  

  EDIT:

  Installing Kaspersky 2009/2010 on your workstation

  Do this

  1. Download
  http://download.microsoft.com/download/platformsdk/sdk/update/win98mexp/en-us/3790.0/msisdk-common.3.0.cab
  2. Extract and rename “Orca_Msi.FD66E721_5AA0_41BC_AA26_1EC8F7FA1175″ to Orca.msi and install
  3. Start kis8.0.0.454en.exe and while its running from your temp folder copy the msi it creates, ill call it kis8.0.0.454en.exe.msi.
  4. Open kis8.0.0.454en.exe.msi with Orca
  5. Delete the following Actions in Tables.
  a. Table: InstallExecuteSequence
  - ErrorIncompatibleOSSet
  - ErrorIncompatibleOSShow
  - ErrorIncompatibleOSTypeSet
  - ErrorIncompatibleOSTypeShow
  - ErrorIncompatibleOSTypeWrite
  - ErrorIncompatibleOSWrite
  b. Table: InstallUISequence
  - ErrorIncompatibleOSShow
  - ErrorIncompatibleOSTypeShow
  6. Save and Run.

  you can fin the temp folder in the system drive (eg- c:) c:PrograDataKaspersky Lab Setup Files\

  both kaspersky internet security 2009 and 2010 works… guranteed …

  source: http://maxbarrass.blogspot.com/2008/09/installing-kaspersky-internet-security.html

• Ryan Said on January 10th, 2010 at 7:45 am:
  

  Avast 5 Beta will install but won’t update, complaining that it’s on Windows Server.

• kaborka Said on January 10th, 2010 at 11:13 pm:
  

  Anyone get the Comodo firewall to work on R2?

• unknown Said on January 20th, 2010 at 5:07 am:
  

  anyone get the avira premium security suite work on R2?

• Jason Said on January 22nd, 2010 at 6:49 am:
  

  Avast 5 is not working on Server 2008. It will install but won’t update.

• Will Said on January 23rd, 2010 at 9:19 pm:
  

  Avast 5 installs (with the registry trick) and, as others have noted, it won’t update. Unfortunately, the problem is more severe than that – it provides no realtime protection. It says it does but opening a test virus file shows that it doesn’t. Manual scanning of the file correctly detects the threat, so that part works.

• wsecluded Said on February 22nd, 2010 at 11:40 am:
  

  Got Avast 5 working on R2, with updates and all, by changing the three avast services to log on as a local account (as opposed to the “Local System” account). To do this, create a new account, make it a member of “Administrators”, do Scimitar’s “Deny Read” registry hack against the new account, temporarily disable the Avast! self-defense module (in settingstroubleshooting within the Avast GUI), open server manager and assign the new account to all three avast services, restart the services, re-enable self-defense, enjoy.

  For reference, here are Scimitar’s reg hack instructions:
  *********************************************************************
  http://www.win2008workstation.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=257

  “Thanks to the process monitor which was mentioned in another thread I’ve found a way to install Antivir Personal Edition which I want to share with you.

  It’s pretty simple and might work with other programms which check for a Server OS and deny the installation too.

  1.) Start –> Run –> Regedit
  2.) Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE –> SYSTEM –> CurrentControlset –> Control
  3.) Now change the permissions of the folder “ProductOptions” –> add your user account (for example ComputernameUsername) and deny yourself the read rights for the whole folder. Be careful not to deny the whole rights for all administrators or something like that (I tried that first cause of a black out and it leads to windows not being able to boot).
  4.) Now you should be able to install Antivir PE

  In case you want to revert the permission settings just log to your administrator account. Here you can again grant your user account full rights for “ProductOptions”.

  Up until now I didn’t notice any drawbacks but I won’t garantie that there might be some.”

  *** Firewall

• MS-DOS Said on March 25th, 2010 at 5:26 pm:
  

  Has anyone a clue how to get the new Avira AntiVir 10 Personal installed on R2? The installer says it won’t install on a server OS as the old versions did, but the old workaround does no longer help.

• MS-DOS Said on March 26th, 2010 at 2:50 pm:
  

  I found a workaround for Avira Antivir 10 Personal:
  1) Install Avira Antivir 9 Personal with the known registry trick
  2) Keep the registry trick active (I don’t know whether the following works without it as I just didn’t deactivate it)
  3) Execute the install package. It will recognize the old version and offer you to either change the features of the old install, to repair/upgrade, or to remove it. The standard selection is the first one, which just works with the old version 9. If you change your selection to the second one (repair/upgrade), then the installer will not check the OS – it just installs the new version!

• CP/M Said on June 3rd, 2010 at 8:33 pm:
  

  Tried to install Comodo 4.0 on Windows 2008 R2 and it failed. Fell back to version 3.13 and works great.

• server 2008 antivirus Said on June 20th, 2010 at 6:03 pm:
  

  [...] Internet Security. Here's the full list of security software compatibility with Server 2008 R2: Convert your Windows Server 2008 R2 to a Workstation! – Security Software Reply With Quote + Reply to Thread « setting up a server | – [...]

• Anonymous Said on June 24th, 2010 at 4:21 pm:
  

  AVAST 5.0.545 on Windows Server 2008 and 2008 R2
  (Avira 9 works with previuos trick, see common section below, but with release 10 this and previous trick are useless :’(… release 10 doesn’t check in ProductOpstions registry entry, if someone will discover new entry please report it )

  Windows Server 2008:
  - disable uac;
  - reboot;
  - in command shell run this: bcdedit /set loadoptions DDISABLE_INTEGRITY_CHECKS (without this command avast won’t install antivirus driver and update won’t work);
  - follow usual trik (see next common section).

  Windows Server 2008 R2:
  - see above (sorry, but at the moment I have never tested above trick wint Wdinwso Server 2008 R2 please try it and report if this works);
  - follow usual trik (see next common section).

  Common trick:
  < Run –> Regedit
  2.) Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE –> SYSTEM –> CurrentControlset –> Control
  3.) Now change the permissions of the folder “ProductOptions” –> add your user account (for example ComputernameUsername) and deny yourself the read rights for the whole folder. Be careful not to deny the whole rights for all administrators or something like that (I tried that first cause of a black out and it leads to windows not being able to boot).
  4.) Now you should be able to install Antivir PE

  In case you want to revert the permission settings just log to your administrator account. Here you can again grant your user account full rights for “ProductOptions”.

  Up until now I didn’t notice any drawbacks but I won’t garantie that there might be some.”

  *** Firewall

  >>

  Arris: Thanks, Anonymous, for your explanation!

• janosch Said on July 18th, 2010 at 7:37 pm:
  

  cannot install ESET NOD 32 v4 64bit on Server2008R2 using the aforementioned workaround. “package could not be opened…” after editing the msi file – error prevents installation.

• Janosch Said on July 18th, 2010 at 7:50 pm:
  

  edit: it gets the install half way through, but error message 2356 occurs, install exits unfinished.

• area 51 Said on September 6th, 2010 at 12:45 am:
  

  @janosch

  did you use official MS orca editor =/ ? only edit the “producttype” entry to “eavbe” or “essbe”, depending on whether you have Antivirus or smart security. i can assure it works – i just did it few days ago on 3 different systems…

• raynet Said on October 3rd, 2010 at 9:54 pm:
  

  AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition 2011 works without any tricks atleast on the 64bit version.

• hardnrg Said on November 16th, 2010 at 2:39 am:
  

  Wow… can confirm that AVG 2011 Free Edition installs and runs on Server 2008 R2 !!!

• Paitoon Said on November 26th, 2010 at 3:40 pm:
  

  Well, it seems that AVG 2011 Free just stopped working on Windows Server 2003. My previously installed copy started consistently failing program updates (not virus pattern updates). I have tried re-installing it from both a freshly downloaded installer and the original installer I used, both failed. I tried opening the MSI logs if offers to upload as a report and they do show a message saying “unsupported operating system” in the AVG license check part

  I really should have left it as it was, also I suspect that virus pattern updates would eventually be blocked too.

  Hack, anyone?

• Flatty88 Said on November 30th, 2010 at 1:47 pm:
  

  Hi all

  I use Gdata Internet Security 2010. I have a Intel Matrix Storage Raid 1. Everytime after scanning that volume, it is downgraded. I don’t know from where the problem comes, AV or other system components… All other parts of Gdata Internet Security 2010 are working fine, as example the realtime scanner or the firewall.

  Grettings, Flatty

• DTI Said on December 5th, 2010 at 4:47 pm:
  

  Hi all,

  I have tried to install current versions of Avast Free Antivirus (setup_av_free.exe; version 5.0.677.0) and AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition 2011 (avg_free_stb_eu_2011_1170_free.exe) on current version of Windows Server 2008 R2 (from DreamSpark ) – both unsuccessfully, due to unsupported OS version ….

  Good luck, D.

• Atropin Said on December 8th, 2010 at 7:50 am:
  

  First of all, I would like to thank you for such a valuable website. I learned a lot from tutorials and the comments.

  Compatibility table needs to be updated. As DTI mentioned, it is not possible to install Avast 5.0 and AVG 2011 on 2008 R2 x64. I am using free version of Comodo for a while. No issues so far.

• DTI Said on December 16th, 2010 at 4:54 pm:
  

  I perfectly agree with Atropin, this is a great site, that helped me a lot – thank you too.

  To Atropin: Thank you for your help, Comodo works fine for me.
  Have a nice day.

• Paolo Said on January 29th, 2011 at 8:54 pm:
  

  Hi guys, now, last release of Microsoft Security Essentials works with Windows Server 2008 R2 (without tricks ). I have used it for months without issues … at the moment is the best free anti virus for Windows Server 2008 R2.

  Cheers
  Paolo

• loongyh Said on February 1st, 2011 at 9:25 pm:
  

  Just installed Server 2008 R2 from MSDNAA to function as my NAS, to my horror no free antivirus supported it. AVG, Avast, not even MS Security Essentials (hanged during install). Just when I thought of reverting back to Ubuntu, I caught eye of the comments above on Comodo. Tried it and it works!! Comodo ftw!!

  Thanks to Atropin and DTI

• ShowMe1954 Said on March 4th, 2011 at 2:19 am:
  

  Paolo is right, MSE works great without degrading performance. I found out if you download it local and install there should be no “hangup’s”. Also, the new ISO with SP1 installed today and works great. I have activated using my WebSite Spark key with no problem.

  Great work,
  Thanks you 4-Horsemen

• bobthenukularphysisist Said on March 23rd, 2011 at 8:30 pm:
  

  http://www.fortinet.com/products/endpoint/forticlient.html
  This works with Server OSes right out of the gate. and has a nice free suite of security tools. Personally I like it.

• ulla Said on May 11th, 2011 at 7:25 am:
  

  “Avast can not be installed on a server”….

• HorstP Said on May 21st, 2011 at 11:50 pm:
  

  Yea nice, Microsoft Security Essentials works like a charme and for free! Great!

• Charles Said on October 9th, 2011 at 8:38 am:
  

  Rising Antivirus Free Antivirus works like a charm on Server 2008 R2 Enterprise

• yyz Said on October 17th, 2011 at 6:00 pm:
  

  Outpost Security Suite Pro and Symantic Endpoint took my CPU to 100% while the latest Microsoft Security Essentials seems to work very well.

• yyz Said on October 20th, 2011 at 12:06 am:
  

  Dumped Microsoft Security Essentials after the also caused CPU to go too high. Same pile as Outpost Security Suite Pro and Symantic Endpoint.

  Now using Trend Mirco Worry Free Business Security. About $30-$40 per year. I think this one looks good.

• Windows Server 2008 R2 - OEM 2011 Said on December 17th, 2011 at 2:44 pm:
  

  [...] Security Software Compatibility List is available here: Code: Convert your Windows Server 2008 R2 to a Workstation! – Security Software Wish List is available here: [...]

• Weiß Said on January 28th, 2012 at 12:06 pm:
  

  http://www.thurnhofer.net/?option=com_content&view=article&id=140:microsoft-security-essentials-fuer-windows-server-2008-r2-testumgebungen-bereitstellen

• HortonHearsAWTF Said on January 29th, 2012 at 9:15 pm:
  

  Was running Rising but don’t have confidence in it’s ability to detect anything. Clamwin is completely useless, scans forever , couldn’t remove anything even if it found something. Comodo free DOES NOT run in server OS, I tried.

  MS Security essentials has a settings to: limit cpu usage while scanning, create a restore point, exclude certain processes, use real time protection, set actions for detected issues, it’s FREE. Quit screwing around and use it.

• Anonymous Said on February 21st, 2012 at 3:18 pm:
  

  Comodo 2011 1 year free installs without problems and seems to run just fine. No conflict with SolidWorks (eg bitdefender)

• CS Said on March 10th, 2012 at 2:41 am:
  

  MS Security essentials worked a charm! Thanks

• Jonathan Said on March 15th, 2012 at 1:42 pm:
  

  Hej,

  the guide for the MS Security Essentials still works. The only difference is, that you will have to download the current Windows Server SDK. If you follow the links in the guide three posts above mine you will be redirected correctly anyway. Hej

• Peter Said on April 8th, 2012 at 1:48 pm:
  

  Avast 7 Free (and presumably all other Home variants) now works again and will automatically update itself.
  Just need to apply the registry fix as outlined here (and in other forum posts):
  1.) Open Registry Edit, (Win+R (Run) > Regedit)
  2.) Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SYSTEM > CurrentControlset > Control
  3.) Change the permissions of the folder ‘ProductOptions’ by adding your user account and denying yourself read rights. WARNING: Don’t deny rights for all administrators or other important system groups or you may be unable to boot

• Lazlow87 Said on May 24th, 2012 at 2:57 pm:
  

  Comodo CIS / Antivir / Firewall 5.5 x86/x64 – not working!
  Online Armor Free 5.5.0.1557 – working but when his open i get blue screen !!
  * sorry for my english!

• Hotmann Said on May 25th, 2012 at 5:08 pm:
  

  For Comodo CIS just run in Compatibility Mode (I ran it as XP SP3) and it goes fine.

• Security Software Compatibility « Convert your Windows Server 2012 to a Workstation! Said on August 25th, 2012 at 2:52 pm:
  

  [...] Security Software lists of the previous editions of Windows Server: Windows Server 2008 Windows Server 2008 R2 [...]