We continue to recommend Microsoft Security Essentials and we continue to use it on all own computers. Avast has gone Norton. AVG has gone Norton. AntiVir is a good free antivirus but its nag-screen is annoying. There is no proof anywhere that paying for an antivirus provides you with better protection — but we have ample proof that paying for an antivirus doesn’t provide you with better protection. We’ve examined computers protected with Norton and computers protected with Avast or Kaspersky that we infected with all manner of rogues, spyware and badware. We’ve yet to see a computer using MSE infected with anything — but nonetheless — no antivirus is perfect.
But why pay for something unless you really have to? If you want to spend money — visit our donation station and donate the $50 to us — you’ll get better information and more security for your dollar that with a paid security suite. Save your money.
If you’re going to be changing antivirus programs there’s something you need to know. You must uninstall your current anti-virus first. But it’s not as easy as it sounds. You can’t get rid of many antivirus program by using Control Panel/Remove Programs. Doing that is sure to leave something behind. And what that something is is a service that continually runs in the background and does absolutely nothing but use up resources.
If your going to be changing anti-virus programs soon, here’s a list of special removal tools for some of the major antivirus programs and suites. Use these special tools to remove the respective antivirus program from your computer.
Avast Removal Tool
http://www.avast.com/uninstall-utility
You must boot into safe mode to completely uninstall Avast.
AVG Removal Tool
http://www.avg.com/us-en/utilities
Be sure to download the correct tool for your computer.
Kaspersky Removal Tool
http://support.kaspersky.com/faq/?qid=208279463
Be sure to read the instructions on that page.
McAfee
http://service.mcafee.com/FAQDocument.aspx?id=TS101331
Be sure to read the information on this page if you want to uninstall McAfee products. It’s not easy. Make sure you read the instructions carefully. If you got your McAfee free through your ISP, be sure to read the information on that page.
Norton Removal Tool
http://goo.gl/XDpTt
If your Norton product came from your ISP, you might have to contact them for removal instructions.
Trend Micro Removal Tool and Instructions
http://esupport.trendmicro.com/solution/en-us/1036064.aspx
Be sure to read the instructions for using the tool
That covers the major brands of antivirus you’re likely to have. If you have something else google “removal tool+name of your antivirus” and see if there’s a removal tool for your antivirus product.
I know it seems strange that antivirus products can’t be remove using Control Panel/Remove Programs but most can’t be completely removed that way. Even Revo Uninstaller won’t remove some of the remaining files because they are locked by the operating system.
On your advice I changed to Microsoft Security Essentials some years back, and I love it. I had McAfee and felt like I was getting less and less for more and more $. Not so with this great program. I’ve recommended it to a number of friends and associates. Thanks for all the great advice. Both of you are fantastic, and your advice is right on.
I have been using MSE for a number of years quite satisfactorily without ever having experienced a problem with any viruses. I totally agree that it operates in the background using less resources than most if not all other anti-virus programmes, and it is supplied free by MS.
Hi
Many thanks for this info, have been stuck with Norton’s, and could never remove it. Never got answers to my emails, to them! As I can’t get Broadband where I live,and can’t download updates from them,because of the slow connection,they just cut you off, after 10 mins, so again, many thanks, from a long time watcher, and a huge folder of your tips :o) Jim from down under NZ
I’m sooooo glad I found you guys before all these “used-to-be greats” lost their way. I used to be an avid Norton
fan. However, I was also running Win98SE at the time and couldn’t imagine being without the Norton Utilities part of the package, and the Anti-virus used-to-be great, too. After I got my XP Pro machine, I didn’t need Norton Utilities any longer, and didn’t appreciate their annual fee for Anti-Virus updates. I switched to the then excellent and free AVG. From that point on, I have followed your advice/recommendations/warnings/ and switched programs when you’ve recommended it. I’ve never regretted it. I have kept myself out of “computer trouble” because of your leadership, including the encouragement to use my own “common sense”. Bless you both for taking the time to stay so well-informed and passing it on to us. I used to subscribe to several guru’s newsletters, but for years you guys have been my only computer “guru”. Thanks.
I’m sorry, but since my changing my computer in 2010 and having a stroke in 2008 {I lost my husband in 2004} I am
having trouble with my computer…Beleive it I happened
to be nursing when it occured! I try to be careful & only try to use your advice. What would you do as far as
changing my “anti-virus” program? I presently have AVAST
& oops! I just saw your last sentence about changing the Anti-virus Program…Oh well,I’ll send this anyway… What would I do without you! I love you people!
I changed to MSE several months ago from AVAST. I only used AVAST’s program uninstall feature at that time, not the special removal tool you’ve listed. Can I run that now, or will I need to reinstall MSE if I do?
Thanks for all the excellent advice and tips!
You should try the Avast uninstall tool. I’m sure if you open services.msc and look, you’ll find the AVAST service still running all the time in the background. You should use the Avast uninstall tool in Safe Mode — it won’t work in normal Windows.
I have seen a number of your Cloudeight Homepage tips concerning the demise of Avast, and now with this latest information about “Changing Anti-virus Programs” I feel a little more confident to make the change. Our local computer club had begun making its members aware of how “bloated” Avast has become. With my last Avast update/revision I noticed it was 10 times bigger in size and more hungry for my computer resources than it was only a year ago!! Thanks so much for being vigilant about this GROWING problem and informing your readers about the need to look into Microsoft Security Essentials!
Little by little, more of our local computer club members will most likely be making the switch from Avast to MSE. Thanks, again, for this article which helped me to make that decision……long over-due decision; however, better late than never!!!
I have been trying to download MSE but it keeps giving me an error that seems to show that maybe there is still remnants from a virus protection program. I have only had two on here. One is McAfee but I have went through the process of deleting all of it per McAfee instructions. The other one was for the MSE but I do not see anyway to check to see if that is still here. When you click uninstall from MSE would it keep things on the computer as well? It is not showing up in my programs.