text: is there any such thing as a safe,free,virus protection for pc?   quite down loading free stuff with out checking it for virus first.  do your maintenance frequently.  do your home work and find the best software that will do the job.  you'll find that everyone has their own favorites.  i use windows fire wall, my service providers spy and anti-virus.  plus my hub has a built in fire wall.  this stuff is offered free and is updated regularly.  i caught 3 virus so far.  no other problems.  note: i've tried them all.