McAffee - stay or go?
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2009
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From: Down under
McAffee - stay or go?
These are stressful times.
I just taken delivery of a new Dell i7 laptop, so I have a lot to learn - Windoze 7 being one of them. I've yet to discover anything about W7 that I really like, but I guess I'll find my way around it in time. (You may recall that I am somewhat happily entrenched in XP)
Then there is the amount of pre-installed crap (I believe that is now an approved technical term) to wade through which Dell have kindly provided for my ongoing frustration.
One of these is a free 15 month subscription to McAfee. I've always been happy with Windows security essentials on some machines and Avast on others.
Do I stay with McAfee, or remove it in favour of a known, understood and satisfactory alternative? I note that a significant sample of the Gurgle returns on McAffee seem to be from people wanting to remove it
Thanks in advance ....
FoR
I just taken delivery of a new Dell i7 laptop, so I have a lot to learn - Windoze 7 being one of them. I've yet to discover anything about W7 that I really like, but I guess I'll find my way around it in time. (You may recall that I am somewhat happily entrenched in XP)
Then there is the amount of pre-installed crap (I believe that is now an approved technical term) to wade through which Dell have kindly provided for my ongoing frustration.
One of these is a free 15 month subscription to McAfee. I've always been happy with Windows security essentials on some machines and Avast on others.
Do I stay with McAfee, or remove it in favour of a known, understood and satisfactory alternative? I note that a significant sample of the Gurgle returns on McAffee seem to be from people wanting to remove it
Thanks in advance ....
FoR
Last edited by FullOppositeRudder; 13th July 2012 at 01:00.
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 4,569
Likes: 1
From: Florida
I have several Dells ordered from Dell
When I get one I just go through and delete most of their programs and reload from my own stash of favorites.
This is not a vote against Dell but more a comfort factor for me not having to learn new tricks.
This includes getting rid of their anti-virus loads and using my own favourite.
It's your computer so treat it like part of your family.
Now if you want pros and cons on the usefulness of specific bloatware start by parsing your question along a specific items for comparisons
When I get one I just go through and delete most of their programs and reload from my own stash of favorites.
This is not a vote against Dell but more a comfort factor for me not having to learn new tricks.
This includes getting rid of their anti-virus loads and using my own favourite.
It's your computer so treat it like part of your family.
Now if you want pros and cons on the usefulness of specific bloatware start by parsing your question along a specific items for comparisons
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 626
Likes: 0
From: East of LGB
Here in 11Fanland, three Dell Laptops, one Samsung Laptop, and one Dell Desktop, all fitted with McAfee. One Dell is company owned and the McAfee was their call. So we went with McAfee since the company trusted it.
No significant issues, save for one Yahoo Password hack, but presumably unrelated to the Anti-Virus. I think it was just a bad e-mail. Anyway, all goodness here, for what it's worth.
BTW, running Win 7 on two laptops, Vista on other two laptops and XP on the Desktop.
No significant issues, save for one Yahoo Password hack, but presumably unrelated to the Anti-Virus. I think it was just a bad e-mail. Anyway, all goodness here, for what it's worth.
BTW, running Win 7 on two laptops, Vista on other two laptops and XP on the Desktop.
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,761
Likes: 6
From: Lemonia. Best Greek in the world
As a BT customer, I get "free" McAfee for up to 5 machines. I am not very good at this techie stuff. In the past, I have loaded McA sort of automatically. There have been two occasions in the last couple of months where I have got rid of it.
Once - described on another thread - McAfee interfered with Windoze updates on a Vista machine. No idea why. Removing McAfee and installing Security Essential seemed to solve the problem.
Second case was a wheezing old pc with XP SP3. it appeared to be slower and slower. Removal of McA and installing Sec Ess helped it increase its speed.
On my much newer, all singing 7/64, I just never put McA on. Just secEss.
So in my customer experience, nothing wrong with McA, but the time might come to dump it some time in the future.
Once - described on another thread - McAfee interfered with Windoze updates on a Vista machine. No idea why. Removing McAfee and installing Security Essential seemed to solve the problem.
Second case was a wheezing old pc with XP SP3. it appeared to be slower and slower. Removal of McA and installing Sec Ess helped it increase its speed.
On my much newer, all singing 7/64, I just never put McA on. Just secEss.
So in my customer experience, nothing wrong with McA, but the time might come to dump it some time in the future.
Joined: Jan 2012
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From: .
I regularly have to clean up machines which have McAfee installed
After I've worked on them they have Avast installed, and I've never yet had to go back for a reinfection.
Thats good enough for me to make a decision! On all new machines I set up, McAfee gets removed
After I've worked on them they have Avast installed, and I've never yet had to go back for a reinfection.
Thats good enough for me to make a decision! On all new machines I set up, McAfee gets removed
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 10,804
Likes: 1
I always spend the first 30 mins of owning a label branded computer deleting all the useless crap off them.
I would get shot of it as well.
Now I hope you have made yourself up with a user account instead of running in an admin account!!
I would get shot of it as well.
Now I hope you have made yourself up with a user account instead of running in an admin account!!
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 2,173
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From: .
"I hope you have made yourself up with a user account instead of running in an admin account!! "
The problem with that is I find most users are incapable of understanding the difference, and can't cope with having to put in passwords
UAC is a great idea, let down by lack of knowledge of the average user
The problem with that is I find most users are incapable of understanding the difference, and can't cope with having to put in passwords
UAC is a great idea, let down by lack of knowledge of the average user
Flashes from the Archives of Oblivion
Joined: Jan 2000
Aviation Qualifications: SLF
Posts: 1,170
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From: 03 ACE
Had McAfee running on 5 machines for years now. Download all sorts from loads of sources, never had as much as a sniffle never mind a virus !
10 out of 10 I say
Cheers
El G.
10 out of 10 I say
Cheers
El G.
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,362
Likes: 2
From: South of Old Warden
When I bought my Acer last year it came with a McAfee trial period, which I then purchased for £24.99. Was rather peeved when they automatically renewed it last week at a cost of £54.99! Got straight on to phone to them, spoke to a very nice lady who immediatly reduced it to £24.99.
Must say, it appears to have done the job in keeping all the internet rogues at bay.
Be interesting to see what they come up with next year. If they try the same trick again I'll probably bin them.
Must say, it appears to have done the job in keeping all the internet rogues at bay.
Be interesting to see what they come up with next year. If they try the same trick again I'll probably bin them.
Guest
Joined: May 2008
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From: Somewhere between E17487 and F75775
I always spend the first 30 mins of owning a label branded computer deleting all the useless crap off them.
Me too. Wife's Toshiba laptop (WIN7) came loaded with useless things.
Then install AVG and Malware Bytes for virus software.
I'm typing this on the main PC, had built for me, loaded XP, then did a lot of hardware upgrades over the years myself. Not a bit of software crap on it. (Except old PPRuNe posts).
Me too. Wife's Toshiba laptop (WIN7) came loaded with useless things.
Then install AVG and Malware Bytes for virus software.
I'm typing this on the main PC, had built for me, loaded XP, then did a lot of hardware upgrades over the years myself. Not a bit of software crap on it. (Except old PPRuNe posts).
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,302
Likes: 0
From: N. Spain
"I hope you have made yourself up with a user account instead of running in an admin account!! "
The problem with that is I find most users are incapable of understanding the difference, and can't cope with having to put in passwords
UAC is a great idea, let down by lack of knowledge of the average user
The problem with that is I find most users are incapable of understanding the difference, and can't cope with having to put in passwords
UAC is a great idea, let down by lack of knowledge of the average user
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 2,173
Likes: 0
From: .
If you want to tidy up a machine and remove all the preloaded junk, this makes it easy
The PC Decrapifier Wipes Unwanted Junk | The PC Decrapifier
Just download and run the free version
The PC Decrapifier Wipes Unwanted Junk | The PC Decrapifier
Just download and run the free version
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 10,804
Likes: 1
Shack it stops most nastys in thier tracks before they can do anything even without an antivirus.
The only occassional bind is that if you want to install some software it asks you for the admin password.
Obviously if you haven;t intended to install any software you say "no" when it asks.
Apart from that you won't actually see much difference day to day.
The only occassional bind is that if you want to install some software it asks you for the admin password.
Obviously if you haven;t intended to install any software you say "no" when it asks.
Apart from that you won't actually see much difference day to day.
