# McAfee antivirus "virus"



## AntAltMike (Nov 21, 2004)

I've got it, bad. My McAfee subscription expired 37 days ago (gee, how would I know that?) and now I am continually assaulted by pop up, drop down, and slide out messages altering me to potential threats to my computer, and the most annoying characteristic of them is that, quite often, the close message function does not appear for several seconds. What ever happened to the way we used to just hit something like "ctrl" and "f-something" to close the top window?

How can exorcise these McAfee demons?


----------



## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

pay to extend your subscription ?


----------



## MysteryMan (May 17, 2010)

AntAltMike said:


> How can exorcise these McAfee demons?


Control Panel - Programs - Programs and Features. Scroll down list to McAfee and right click. Select Uninstall.


----------



## scooper (Apr 22, 2002)

UNinstall McAfee or re-up your subscription.


----------



## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

scooper said:


> UNinstall McAfee or re-up your subscription.


My ISP (Optimum) gives us McAfee at no cost. Works well and can't beat the cost.

Rich


----------



## billsharpe (Jan 25, 2007)

Windows Defender works well for me. I have to uncheck McAfee install every time I update my Java installation.


----------



## Eva (Nov 8, 2013)

Although my hubs usually build puters, last time we got a pre-built one, first thing 86ed was McAfee.


----------



## grover517 (Sep 29, 2007)

Eset has a good online scanner that you can use for free.


----------



## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

Comcast/Xfinity has the full *Norton Security Suite* available free to subscribers.

I also use *Malwarebytes* and *CCleaner*.


----------



## cmoss5 (May 26, 2006)

AntAltMike said:


> I've got it, bad. My McAfee subscription expired 37 days ago (gee, how would I know that?) and now I am continually assaulted by pop up, drop down, and slide out messages altering me to potential threats to my computer, and the most annoying characteristic of them is that, quite often, the close message function does not appear for several seconds. What ever happened to the way we used to just hit something like "ctrl" and "f-something" to close the top window?
> 
> How can exorcise these McAfee demons


----------



## cmoss5 (May 26, 2006)

I GOT IT AND HATE MCAFEE!!! REMOVED ALL FROM MY COMPUTER AND DOWNLOADED NORTON 360 AS HAVE ON 5 OTHER COMPUTERS AT HOME AND AT WORK. USE NORTON ERASER IF SOMETHING GETS BY VIA MALWARE AND WORKS GREAT1!!! GO INTO DOWNLOADS FOR THIS.


----------



## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

please turn off caps lock - you are shouting here


----------



## AntAltMike (Nov 21, 2004)

I went ahead and renewed for $70. It ran for a while, and then I got a notice that my trial was up and as far as I can tell, it is not running now, because the slide out box in the lower right hand corner that had been telling me that the site I was about to visit was OK doesn't happen anymore. 

This is becoming more work than I hoped to do. I guess I will uninstall everything "McAfee" and then try to reinstall; the idea being that I will have eliminated any conflict between re-authorization and a free trial.


----------



## AntAltMike (Nov 21, 2004)

But I will still need to somehow "de-junk", I guess, because from what I have read so far, it seems like what I have subscribed to from McAfee is just a gatekeeper that does not seek and neutralize anything that may already be in my computer.


----------



## jimmie57 (Jun 26, 2010)

AntAltMike said:


> But I will still need to somehow "de-junk", I guess, because from what I have read so far, it seems like what I have subscribed to from McAfee is just a gatekeeper that does not seek and neutralize anything that may already be in my computer.


I found this and it looks legit.
*McAfee Consumer Products Removal Tool*
Download McAfee Consumer Products Removal Tool or MCPR from *the McAfee site* and run it. Once you agree to the T&Cs, the program will start. Strangely enough there is no trigger to uninstall the McAfee program as MCPR automatically detects the McAfee software installed on your computer and uninstalls it for you.

Link:Completely uninstall McAfee Internet Security or Antivirus from Windows


----------



## AntAltMike (Nov 21, 2004)

I accessed, Settings, and then Uninstall Programs, and saw three McAfee programs. When I started to uninstall the first, using the HP laptop's own Windows 10 uninstall software, it warned me that the program I was about to uninstall had subscription life left, so I bailed out.

I then tried to uninstall the second of the three, but it ignored my request.

I then uninstalled the third one listed, which I'm pretty sure was the free trial version that came installed in the computer.

I have since rebooted and McAfee presented me with a slide out box that said I was about to connect to a new wireless source and that it was OK. I guess now I have to do something like try to access a program with a virus in it and see if McAfee protects me. Any suggestions for a "bad news" website?


----------



## Cholly (Mar 22, 2004)

for me, it's McAfee LiveSafe. Excellent program.It includes a very good firewall. It updates itself automatically so you always have the latest version. It checks all your apps to make sure you have the latest updates and with your consent, updates them to the latest release. It even includes a password manager.


----------



## ericknolls (Aug 18, 2013)

I went ahead and renewed for $70. That is a lot of money. How many computers are you allowed to download McAfee on? If this is only for one computer - you are being robbed! That is too much for antivirus. I would pay that amount if it was for three years and up to three downloads on a computer or laptop!

Sent from my XT1609 using Tapatalk


----------



## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

read the fine print, some packages allow to install it on certain amount of PC


----------



## AntAltMike (Nov 21, 2004)

I never did remedy the conflict between my purchased and installed McAfee and the nuisance teaser enticements that keep popping up from the pre-installed sample version, but that HP laptop bit the dust last week, and I bought a near identical one that had Windows 10 in it rather than the Windows 7 I had been running.

As or after I imported my Firefox, a message came up saying that my McAfee transfer was successful. I don't remember much about that message, other than the fact that it surprised (and pleased) me.

Yesterday, a pop-up appeared on my screen that looked to be a virus enticement, asking me for my password and incorporating a syntax problem (Boris at work?). I think it said something about kettledrum.cie. I was expecting a McAfee warning to slide out from the lower right side of my screen but none did, and in fact, no McAfee warnings have presented themselves to me.

I diffused the assault on my computer by deliberately crashing it.

I decided to deliberately "install" McAfee and downloaded it to this computer after having logged in, but when I went to install, it said that it was already installed. It seems that this computer has Windows Defender installed in it and it is suppressing the McAfee, which I guess is alright with me, except that I will have to remember to prevent McAfee from debiting my card at renewal time, but still, I would like some sign that Defender is doing its job and protecting me. How can I get Defender to reveal itself? Might there be some benign, "test virus" that I can expose my computer to, to see if Defender deflects it?


----------



## AntAltMike (Nov 21, 2004)

Assuming that I did get Defender with this computer, is it likely a trial or is it now standard fare for Windows 10? If it is mine to keep, with no recurring charges, then I might as well notify McAfee right now that I want to end my subscription, because otherwise, they will surely auto-ding my credit card this November.

I just moved into a new apartment a few days ago that has Fios for all the tenants. Do they have something to offer that I might be interested in?


----------



## jimmie57 (Jun 26, 2010)

AntAltMike said:


> Assuming that I did get Defender with this computer, is it likely a trial or is it now standard fare for Windows 10? If it is mine to keep, with no recurring charges, then I might as well notify McAfee right now that I want to end my subscription, because otherwise, they will surely auto-ding my credit card this November.
> 
> I just moved into a new apartment a few days ago that has Fios for all the tenants. Do they have something to offer that I might be interested in?


Defender is FREE. It works but it is slow to me.
I use Comcast Cable and they offer Norton Internet Security FREE with the service.
It works very well for me.

Call Fios provider or search their website for Support and see if a FREE virus protection is offered by them.

Search the web for how to permanently remove McAfee. I read that it is not a simple remove.


----------



## billsharpe (Jan 25, 2007)

I have been using Windows Defender for several years with no apparent slowdown in my computers. It's free and updated regularly. Frontier FiOS charges a monthly fee for antivirus. Spectrum does not.


----------



## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

billsharpe said:


> I have been using Windows Defender for several years with no apparent slowdown in my computers. It's free and updated regularly. Frontier FiOS charges a monthly fee for antivirus. Spectrum does not.


Altice/Optimum gives us McAfee at no extra cost. Seem to work well.

Rich


----------



## AntAltMike (Nov 21, 2004)

My Defender doesn't seem to be doing much defending. I just got a pop-up in the middle of my screen saying that my Windows was damaged and had to be repaired immediately. Before I even finished reading it, another popup opened on top of it saying that Microsoft had "determined" that my installation was defective.

When I get attacked like that, I usually get rid of the invader by crashing my computer by pulling the battery. I fear that if I click the "X" in the upper right corner it might be reassigned as an "accept" command, but this time, when I rebooted the warning was still there so I closed it using the "x" in the upper right corner of the browser screen. And worse, this time it included a count-down, seconds timer saying that if I didn't authorize the repair within 220, 219, 218... seconds, all of my files were going to be destroyed.

As I mentioned above, I have a subscription to McAfee that got imported along with my Firefox but is presently suppressed in favor of the Defender. When I had McAfee on my previous computers, I used to see slide out boxes in the lower right corner telling me that McAfee had detected and defeated prospective virus attacks. I'd feel better about defender if I at least occasionally saw it boast bout what it was doing for me.

I may try to suppress it in favor of the McAfee, which I have paid for through at least November.


----------



## jimmie57 (Jun 26, 2010)

AntAltMike said:


> My Defender doesn't seem to be doing much defending. I just got a pop-up in the middle of my screen saying that my Windows was damaged and had to be repaired immediately. Before I even finished reading it, another popup opened on top of it saying that Microsoft had "determined" that my installation was defective.
> 
> When I get attacked like that, I usually get rid of the invader by crashing my computer by pulling the battery. I fear that if I click the "X" in the upper right corner it might be reassigned as an "accept" command, but this time, when I rebooted the warning was still there so I closed it using the "x" in the upper right corner of the browser screen. And worse, this time it included a count-down, seconds timer saying that if I didn't authorize the repair within 220, 219, 218... seconds, all of my files were going to be destroyed.
> 
> ...


Do you go thru a router ? Or is this PC connected directly to the modem ?
A router provides a lot of added protection against virus' and worms, trojan horses, etc.


----------



## AntAltMike (Nov 21, 2004)

jimmie57 said:


> Do you go thru a router ? Or is this PC connected directly to the modem ?
> A router provides a lot of added protection against virus' and worms, trojan horses, etc.


I was and am at a McDonald's, on their free WiFi system.


----------



## jimmie57 (Jun 26, 2010)

AntAltMike said:


> I was and am at a McDonald's, on their free WiFi system.


OK, I do not know how secure their wireless is.

Are you familiar with Malware-Bytes ? It works very good to remove things like popped up on your machine. It used to be FREE but now it just has a 14 day trial period.
It does fully work during that time.
Lost of the FREE ones will scan and show you what they found but not fix it. This one fixes things it finds.

C Cleaner also removes some stuff and it is FREE.


----------



## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

AntAltMike said:


> When I get attacked like that


as IT guy I would say - there was a visit(s) to infected or adult sites;

this type of malware doesn't come without real clicks...


----------



## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

I'll agree with "infected" - although with modern web sites, injected advertising can come from anywhere on the net. We have to rely on the people inserting the ads to not insert viruses. All it takes is one click on a cleverly disguised Trojan. Some times one doesn't even need to click.


----------



## grover517 (Sep 29, 2007)

jimmie57 said:


> Are you familiar with Malware-Bytes ? It works very good to remove things like popped up on your machine. It used to be FREE but now it just has a 14 day trial period. It does fully work during that time.
> Lost of the FREE ones will scan and show you what they found but not fix it. This one fixes things it finds.
> 
> C Cleaner also removes some stuff and it is FREE.


Malwarebytes is still free. The 14 day trial is for the "premium" features like having the program always running in the background like most AV software does as well as performing background/automatic database updates. Once the trial expires, the "free" version kicks in but you have to then manually perform the updates and initiate the scans on your own.


----------



## AntAltMike (Nov 21, 2004)

AntAltMike said:


> ... It seems that this computer has Windows Defender installed in it and it is suppressing the McAfee, which I guess is alright with me, except that I will have to remember to prevent McAfee from debiting my card at renewal time, but still, I would like some sign that Defender is doing its job and protecting me. How can I get Defender to reveal itself? Might there be some benign, "test virus" that I can expose my computer to, to see if Defender deflects it?


About a month ago, something appeared on my screen referencing Defender being my protector, but it then disappeared before I got to pursue it.

Yesterday, I tried to obtain a "free" instruction manual for an appliance, but as is usually the case, the site offering the manual required the downloading and installation of their "free manual reader", which is why I never take those, and when I clicked the option that did not say "DOWNLOAD NOW" I got a warning from my browser, Firefox, saying that Firefox was advising me not to proceed because doing so would be allowing software to be installed. I would have hoped that Defender had detected it and similarly advised me, but it hadn't.

I have a junk computer that I will probably use for "free" instruction manual downloads in the future.


----------



## jimmie57 (Jun 26, 2010)

AntAltMike said:


> About a month ago, something appeared on my screen referencing Defender being my protector, but it then disappeared before I got to pursue it.
> 
> Yesterday, I tried to obtain a "free" instruction manual for an appliance, but as is usually the case, the site offering the manual required the downloading and installation of their "free manual reader", which is why I never take those, and when I clicked the option that did not say "DOWNLOAD NOW" I got a warning from my browser, Firefox, saying that Firefox was advising me not to proceed because doing so would be allowing software to be installed. I would have hoped that Defender had detected it and similarly advised me, but it hadn't.
> 
> I have a junk computer that I will probably use for "free" instruction manual downloads in the future.


In Windows 10, Click on the Gear ( Settings ),
Click on Update & Security,
Click on Windows Security
All of your options are on this page to set your security preferences.


----------



## MysteryMan (May 17, 2010)

jimmie57 said:


> In Windows 10, Click on the Gear ( Settings ),
> Click on Update & Security,
> Click on Windows Security
> All of your options are on this page to set your security preferences.


When using Widows Defender you need to make sure your getting the Definition Updates for Windows Defender Antivirus which can average one every two hours. I'm currently using Windows Defender Antivirus. Yesterday my PC received 10 Definition Updates.


----------



## billsharpe (Jan 25, 2007)

I have gotten 11 defender definition updates in the last eight days. That includes both before and after I installed the 1903 major update.


----------



## AntAltMike (Nov 21, 2004)

billsharpe said:


> I have gotten 11 defender definition updates in the last eight days. That includes both before and after I installed the 1903 major update.


How can I tell if I've gotten any?


----------



## MysteryMan (May 17, 2010)

AntAltMike said:


> How can I tell if I've gotten any?


All Settings - Update & Security - View Update History.


----------



## AntAltMike (Nov 21, 2004)

Defender just gave me a "slide out" window that let me access its prevention history log. It says it hasn't perceived one single attempted intrusion since Day 1. That is not reassuring.


----------

