How to remove pre-installed anti-virus

[jxdama]

What worked

For what

Button on front of monito normally.
I need to find manual - will be latter today
Have work I need to do.

Firefox worked
an account for firefox
there are several buttons on the bottom edge of the browser but i cant see them labeled.

[jxdama]

I found the button at the bottom amd it has a blue bar set at 80 but i cant figure out how to make it go up and down

[jxdama]

That didnt work. i was trying to print the screen with the blue bar

[jxdama]

I figured it out. Dont forget the Q about whether i should use the old now and then comp so it will still work

[PeterOz]

The screen is a little bright for me.

Open the OSD menu and select Brightness to adjust the brightness scale as needed. - Butto 2[ATTACH type=“full”]12112[/ATTACH]

Did you remove nortons?

[PeterOz]

Is it important to defrag the disk?

I just checked the specs your computer has an SSD
DO NOT DEFRAG.

[jxdama]

I just checked the specs your computer has an SSD
DO NOT DEFRAG.

Thanks. I havent removed the anti-virus yet. Its McAfee. Before i did that i wanted to ask is windows defender good at stopping malware. Where is windows defender. i dont see it.

[phillpower2]

Windows 8, 8.1, 10 and 11 come with an improved Windows Defender, it offers the same real-time anti-virus/anti-malware protection as Microsoft Security Essentials. Windows Defender also shares the same malware signature definitions as Microsoft Security Essentials, and Forefront Endpoint Protection. Technically, Microsoft Security Essentials has not been renamed Windows Defender, or combined with it in Windows 8, 8.1, 10 and 11.

If any AV product that you have is a paid for version you should always make sure that you have a copy of the product key kept somewhere safe just in case you ever wish to reinstall it.

McAfee product removal tool (MCPR) here

After McAfee has been correctly uninstalled, check to see if Windows Defender has auto enabled and allow it to update and carry out a full scan of your computer, How to run a Defender scan read the full article before following the Run a malware scan manually steps.

Once done, restart, test by using the computer as you normally would, post back with an update when you are ready.

[jxdama]

Windows 8, 8.1, 10 and 11 come with an improved Windows Defender, it offers the same real-time anti-virus/anti-malware protection as Microsoft Security Essentials. Windows Defender also shares the same malware signature definitions as Microsoft Security Essentials, and Forefront Endpoint Protection. Technically, Microsoft Security Essentials has not been renamed Windows Defender, or combined with it in Windows 8, 8.1, 10 and 11.

If any AV product that you have is a paid for version you should always make sure that you have a copy of the product key kept somewhere safe just in case you ever wish to reinstall it.

McAfee product removal tool (MCPR) here

After McAfee has been correctly uninstalled, check to see if Windows Defender has auto enabled and allow it to update and carry out a full scan of your computer, How to run a Defender scan read the full article before following the Run a malware scan manually steps.

Once done, restart, test by using the computer as you normally would, post back with an update when you are ready.

Where do you find the place that shows windows defender is activated? I was trying to find out and didnt but i did read that when you uninstall the other anti-virus windows defender automatically turns on. Is that true? I dont want to be without protection. McAFEE is free for the first 6 months but im not going to pay for it after that so i may as well delete it.

Should i turn on my old comp occasionally to keep it in running shape for emergencies?

[phillpower2]

After McAfee has been correctly uninstalled, check to see if Windows Defender has auto enabled and allow it to update and carry out a full scan of your computer, How to run a Defender scan [COLOR=rgb(184, 49, 47)]read the full article before following the Run a malware scan manually steps.
[/COLOR]

[COLOR=rgb(184, 49, 47)]
The Run a quick scan in Windows Security info at the above link answers your question, hence the reason why it was suggested that you read the full article.[/color]

[Bruce]

SSD drives do not need to be defragged. I need to check if yours is an ssd - should be.
Firefox Click on me

Have a read of this

Not really lets get another opinion
@Bruce

no need to fire up the old PC every now and then - I mean you can if you wanted to, or you could keep it ‘fresh’ if you thought you would need to use it regularly.
but it’ll catch itself up when you do turn it on the next time.

in other words, do you run it regularly and have it spend 5 minutes doing updates, or run it once every blue moon and let it spend 30 minutes doing updates.
personally, I’d be leaving it alone until the day you need to use it.

[Bruce]

Where do you find the place that shows windows defender is activated? I was trying to find out and didnt but i did read that when you uninstall the other anti-virus windows defender automatically turns on. Is that true?

yes - if there is a 3rd party AV program install, Defender is automatically disabled.
once the is removed, in your case, McAfee, then Defender is turned on.

Defender is as good as any of the paid-for products. absolutely no need for anything else unless that software does something Defender doesn’t do, like a password storage vault for example. but in this case, there are free alternatives for those as well.

one method to see the status of Defender is to run the following PowerShell command;

right click on Start, click Run, type in [COLOR=rgb(97, 189, 109)]powershell and hit Enter.
paste in the below command and hit Enter.

Get-MpComputerStatus | select AntivirusEnabled,RealTimeProtectionEnabled,Defende rSignaturesOutOfDate,AntispywareEnabled|fl

you should see this;

AntivirusEnabled : True
RealTimeProtectionEnabled : True
DefenderSignaturesOutOfDate : False
AntispywareEnabled : True[/COLOR]

[jxdama]

The Run a quick scan in Windows Security info at the above link answers your question, hence the reason why it was suggested that you read the full article.

I will, thanks. Is there a reason when i shut the comp off overnight i have to unplug the modem for 30 seconds for it to connect to the web? Its done that twice now. Im taking a pain pill so i may not be back till tomorrow am. Also, is it a good idea to leave it running or shut it off at night? Thanks

[jxdama]

no need to fire up the old PC every now and then - I mean you can if you wanted to, or you could keep it ‘fresh’ if you thought you would need to use it regularly.
but it’ll catch itself up when you do turn it on the next time.

in other words, do you run it regularly and have it spend 5 minutes doing updates, or run it once every blue moon and let it spend 30 minutes doing updates.
personally, I’d be leaving it alone until the day you need to use it.

It doesnt update anymore because of vista. I just thought if i dont turn it on now and then it might quit working

[jxdama]

[ATTACH type=“full”]12113[/ATTACH]

This is where i uninstall? I see 2 things for mcafee, uninstall both?