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This chart above, up-to-date since 7/19/2011, shows the statistics of antivirus programs when they are pitted against each other for effectiveness of Real-Time Blocking.

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This chart above, up-to-date since 7/19/2011, shows the statistics of malware removal programs when pitted against each other for effectiveness of Malware Removal.


Summary

First, I recommend having Ad-Aware FREE Internet Security 9.0 as the antivirus program to be active at all times since it has good active protection statistics across the chart. The winning attribute for this program is its Active Protection against Rootkits.

Second, I recommend starting scans with Ad-Aware Free Internet Security 9.0 for ROOTKIT REMOVAL, Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware 1.46 for ALL MALWARE REMOVAL, and Panda Cloud Antivirus 1.5 Free Edition for SCAREWARE REMOVAL. (Have all 3 programs up-to-date and on your computer)

Malware Descriptions

Rootkit: One of the most feared of all types of malware is the rootkit, software that is nearly undetectable--and in fact, can't be detected by many, if not most, anti-malware--and can then be used for all kinds of nefarious purposes.
Not uncommonly, rootkits are used to hide Trojans, that can then be used to take over your PC without your knowledge.

Scareware: this type of software appears to be beneficial from a security perspective but provides limited or no security. In fact, scareware typically generates erroneous or misleading alerts, attempting to lure users into participating in fraudulent purchase or transactions.

Have you tried it yourself? If so, what are the final results? :3 (Paranoid to downloading things after my few encounters against Rogue Spyware crud)

I had to reinstall Windows because of a Rootkit a few months ago; my speakers (might just be because of age, but it didn't start until the Rootkit showed up) now make random bleeps of static.

I mostly use avast! and Spybot. Still, the best anti-anything is common sense.

@Felix- From those charts, I've used AVG, Norton, Windows, and Malwarebytes. I've only recently took a ride with Ad-Aware and Panda Cloud.
All the ones I've used are safe. (I've also used spybot though it's not on the list)

When I ran Ad-Aware over night (I always do that since they take unbelievably long) it found a trojan which spybot, malwarebytes, and AVG weren't able to find. (I have to confess I rarely do full scans with malwarebytes so you can hit me for that) Spybot always manages to find various minor things the others don't pick up and malwarebytes is just a Paladin in Dragon Slayer armor against the toughest things out there (excluding rootkits...they're a force from beyond this world).

AVG, although it got low ratings in removing rootkits, has a special scan designed just for rootkits, and it actually helped True recover his infested computer. It's good...there's just better is all.

@Sky- Yes; the best defense is to be aware and be conscious of everything you see and do online.

I don't use antivirus, I just keep track of everything I do (haven't had a virus in 3 years) and if I do get a virus then I just reformat since all of my data is on storage drives