Software
Houzz Logo Print
lynnalexandra

McAfee questions and other Anti-Virus questions

18 years ago

Currently I am getting whatever version of McAfee Security Center special edition from AOL (it's free with my AOL). I see firewall and other antivirus and antispyware sections, but did not see anything called McAfee Site Advisor. Is that something I should download separately? Is anyone familiar with this special edition of McAfee and if so, is it a good antivirus program?

I just saw that their security suite was rated highly by consumer reports (although I know that their reports aren't always to be trusted). Before I saw that, I was feeling as though McAfee was a big pain. It seemed to try to stop too many programs - although that may be getting better now that I know to either select allow this one time access (or change my firewall to allow that program access to the internet).

Should I stick with McAfee? Are there problems with McAfee (maybe compatibility with other programs?) that people know of. For some reason, I thought a while back that I'd seen posts here where people didn't like McAfee.

I was very close to getting AVG free and uninstalling McAfee.

Also, for some reason, my daughter's computer (which was mine until January) does computer checkups and constantly says there's a problem that there's no antivirus. She uses her own email address on my AOL account so I don't know why her computer is seeming not to recognize that McAfee is there. Do I need to check something to see if it is being blocked from updating. I thought since it's all under my AOL account that it would be updating and checking on her computer as well.

If I do get McAfee Site Advisor, and I'm going to try Firefox as well as keeping my IE, should I download both versions of Site Advisor. Will they know what to do and which version to use for which browser or will I have to set something up to allow them each to work properly for the appropriate browser.

(Okay - it's a separate question. Should I download Firefox 3 or an earlier version).

And finally - another question for my husband's laptop. He had Trend Micro suite which has expired. (I just set up his firewall to allow it to update - BUT - should he update for about $50- or should he get a different - maybe free- antivirus. He has a Toshiba laptop - core duo processor, Vista home edition.) I don't think he can get my free McAfee unless we load my AOL on his computer - would that be a good idea? I have already installed and run ccleaner and superantispyware on his computer - but I wasn't sure what to do for antivirus).

Thanks.

Lynn.

Comments (7)

  • 18 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    I just did some more checking on my daughter's McAfee. It says it's disabled, but I don't see a way to enable it. When I hit the link for resubscribe, it takes me a page which doesn't exist anymore. But I'm not sure why I'd need to resubscribe anyway - since it's all my AOL account. Should I log on to her computer with my own AOL screenname and then give it a try?

    I tried checking for updates, but it just keeps checking - and doesn't stop.

    I'm perplexed by why she's having this problem when mine is working.

  • 18 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    Lynn if you are happy with McAfee then keep it, I in fact have McAfee on one of my windows computers because I too get it free with my Verizon fios, when I get tired of it or if something goes wacky with it I know I can always just start using one of the free ones like Avast, would not use the new AVG8.
    There have in the past been problems with McAfee, they have sent out some updates that caused problems on some computers, but they were pretty quick to fix them. I do not use their firewall I use an older version of zonealarm pro.

    Site advisor has nothing to do with your McAFee suite it is an add on for your browser, you download it from the site I provided in the other thread and simply select which browser you are using and use the download for that browser, Since you are currently using IE get the one that says for Ie, when you decide to get firefox then go and get the one that says for firefox it will then add it to firefox also. it is super simple to do basically one click. It is free for everyone.

    as to your husbands laptop that would be totally up to you or him. IF he wants to pay for trend micro it is a good program however I think there are free versions that can handle the job like the Avast free. I would probably do that instead of putting AOL on there if he does not need it, AOL is bad about digging into the innards of the pc and when not needed I don't advise putting it on.

    Now to your daughters pc are you sure you have the McAfee suite actually installed on that pc? I would try logging in with your name since it is under your subscription often times the main user has to do that to enable subscriptions.
    IF you can not get it to work then make sure you completely remove it from the pc before you install any other antivirus program that goes for any of the computers always completely remove the prior antivirus, you do not want more than one on a pc. McAfee has a detailed directions page on how to uninstall their products.

    this is the directions you may want to print and keep available.

    1. Uninstall all McAfee programs through "Add or Remove Programs" in Windows "Control Panel".

    2. Use the MCPR tool, see this article: How to remove supported McAfee consumer products using the McAfee Consumer Products Removal tool (MCPR.exe). This will remove all McAfee remnants from your computer. (you must have Windows Vista, XP or 2000 SP4 to use this tool)

    3. Launch Windows Explorer and delete all McAfee files in "Program Files" but especially in "C:\Document and Settings\\Application Data" and "C:\Document and Settings\All Users\Application Data". You have to set Windows Explorer to show all hidden files and folders (Tools > Folder Options > View tab). Just delete the McAfee folders even if they are empty in all the "Application Data" folders. Can be more than one!
    In Vista: C:\Program Files, C:\ProgramData and C:\Users\yourname\AppData\Roaming

    4. Reboot and redownload/reinstall your McAfee products directly from your account at the McAfee web site or your ISP, NOT from any CD that you may have.
    How to remove supported McAfee consumer products using the McAfee Consumer Products Removal tool (MCPR.exe).

  • 18 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    I have spend a couple of hours trying to get my daughter's McAfee updated. First it took a long time until I could sign on to my AOL account on her computer (for some reason, it was saying my password wasn't valid). I'm not sure how I finally accomplished it, but I did manage to log on and go to download the McAfee security center AOL special edition. Even that took a few tries - but it seems to have downloaded. It said that before it installs, it automatically removes older versions of McAfee - good to know - and I believe it did remove the older versions.

    Then it prompted me to remove spybot search and destroy -which I did. Then I had to reboot - and it resumed initallation.

    The first step was initializing setup - which took many minutes - but was completed. the next step said Security Center. That also took quite a number of minutes - but eventually completed.

    Now it is stalled on the third step - which says Virus Scan. It has stopped about 3/4 of the way through - and been stuck there for over 1/2 hour. I don't know what to do at this point. (The fourth and final step is Personal Firewall.)

    I brought up a page (not sure if it was an old page from earlier on or a new one - which says I must Verify my subscription before using McAfee VirusScan again. When I click to verify, I get an error message. It is an internet Exporer script Error. It says an error has occurred in the script on this page. line: 59. Error - invalid procedure call or argument. Copde: 0. URL mcd://c:\PROGRA~1\McAfee.com\\VSO\vsoui.dll::expired.htm/

    Then it asked if I want to continue running scripts on this page. If I click No, it just closes the error window - and nothing else happens. If I click Yes, it returns to the McAfee page which says I must verify the subscription. It's an endless loop.

    I can't make heads or tails out of this. Can anyone help?

    I thought I was finally getting somewhere around 45 minutes ago - but now nothing. (I never got around to updating her Java - but not sure that is the problem).

    Any thoughts or recommendations would be much appreciated.

    Lynn.

  • 18 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    it could be caused by it not completely getting rid of the old version, that is why on their site they actually tell you to follow the directions I posted prior to trying to get any new versions, if some piece stays it can throw things out of whack. I think if it did not do anything more I would follow the instructions for a clean removal then try it all again.

  • 18 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    Thanks, Raven. I had that thought, too - that maybe I did need to uninstall the old version through the steps you had suggested. (I had never intended to get as far as I did - I thought I'd just download, but not install until I removed the older version. But in my muddle, it was installing before I had quite realized it was going that far.

    Anyway, there might have been old bits of the old version - but when I came to the computer after exercising and doing laundry - the installation was complete. I think it also ran the scan once - and reported an adware program which I let it remove. Since I'm fuzzy about what just happened in the past two hours, I thought I'd run a manual scan just to be on the safe side. It's running now - and so far, so good.

    Thank you so much for your help.

    [PS - the other thing I've been doing while I worked on my daughter's antivirus, was to install firefox 3 on my own computer and play around. So far, I'm loving it - and have so much to learn. Thanks for that help too.]

  • 18 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    Not sure if this is possible, but I wonder if the installation of McAfee took so long bc. it was actually also scanning. There's 6 year's of my computer-illiterate mess on that computer - I'm sure there's a lot I could/should clean out and remove (beyond having run ccleaner and antispyware). The manual scan I started 20 minutes ago it still at it.

  • 18 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    yes sure could be, you would save the pc a lot of work by cleaning out all the stuff that is no longer needed and empty the trash bin when done. Especially if you have an email client that stores all your old email on your pc you can have years of stuff in there, if you sit and watch one do a scan you can see where it spends the longest time those are the areas you need to clean.

Sponsored
Bull Run Kitchen and Bath
Average rating: 4.9 out of 5 stars292 Reviews
Virginia's Top Rated Kitchen & Bath Renovation Firm I Best of Houzz