Expert: James Filmer - 5/12/2011

Question
hi james,
 my friend just transferred a file to me via aim, and i'm kind of afraid to open it because he has a knack for pranking people (since it might be a virus).  my big question is, in this case i accidentally accepted the file transfer, which means i downloaded the file.  if i don't open it am i safe, or is it already a lost cause and i risk infection?
 and btw, any recommendations on terms of a good (preferably free) antivirus?  my computer's light on ram, so anything light on resources would be great.  thank you!

Answer
kenny,
I'd say it's OK as long as you don't open it. Just delete it.
If you're not using an antivirus application, get one right away.
Avast, AVG, and Avira all have free editions, but it's hard to say which one will use more resources without knowing more about what's on your computer.
Try one, and if you're not satisfied after a while, try another one. Make sure you remove via Add/Remove Programs, and use a third party cleaner like CCleaner.
AVG and CCleaner direct links are on enrgy21.com

Make sure you keep it up to date and run a full system scan after installation.
Also, use Spybot S&D, and at least one of the following: Lavasoft Adware or Windows Defender, SuperAntispyware, or Malwarebytes as well, for protection against spyware.
Would be interested knowing if you found any infections from running scans.