McAfee provided FREE from Comcast: how free is free?

Discussion in 'Malware Help - MG (A Specialist Will Reply)' started by martiniqueeni, Dec 6, 2007.

  1. martiniqueeni

    martiniqueeni Private E-2

    Just because it was provided by Comcast for taking our monthly donation for high speed internet, we've had the McAfee freeware on our home pc (PC running XP sp2) since roughly the beginning of time.

    Quite recently, Comcast send us an email informing us that a brand new version of the free McAfee was available for us to download once we tackled a number of "pre-install" instructions provided by links in the email that didn't work.

    I should have stopped right there but I just got mad and started poking around the Comcast/McAfee site to see what all the fuss was about. After a substantial (4-5 hours) delay in getting their site to load and being unable to reach anyone in their tech support function, I was confronted with this list of programs that McAfee requires I should do without. I'm running 6 or 7 of them but found the idea that they had truly built the better mousetrap a bit arrogant.

    List of Incompatible Applications
    Company Name Product Link for removal
    Acronis Inc Acronis True Image http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showpost.php?p=773771
    Acubix Pico Backup http://www.picobackup.com/visualguide/uninstall.html
    AdwareFilter PCSafe Try Windows removal tools. No link.
    AhnLabs Anti-Virus Try Windows removal tools as noted on page 33. http://global.ahnlab.com/
    Alwil Avast! 4 http://www.avast.com/eng/faq-installation-problems.html#idt_1541
    AOL AOL Security 9.0 Parental Controls http://help.aol.com
    Authentium Command Antivirus http://authentium.custhelp.com/
    BitDefender All Products http://kb.bitdefender.com/KB333-en--How-to-uninstall-BitDefender.html
    BitDefender Antispyware http://kb.bitdefender.com/KB333-en--How-to-uninstall-BitDefender.html
    Bullguard Internet Security http://www.bullguard.com/uninstall.aspx
    CA eTrust AV http://supportconnect.ca.com
    CA CA Anti-Virus Try Windows removal tools. No link.
    CA eTrust EZArmor http://crm.my-etrust.com/
    CA PestPatrol http://crm.my-etrust.com/
    CA AntiSpam http://crm.my-etrust.com/
    Cloudmark SpamNet http://cloudmark.com/
    Cyberlink Power Backup http://www.cyberlink.com/
    Editions Profile Parental Filter http://www.ecommsec.com/pf/faq/index.php?cat=1#a15
    Esat NOD32 http://www.eset.com/support/faq1.php?id=1070
    Ewido Ewido Anti-Spyware 4 http://www.ewido.net/en/support/?AID=4
    Frisk F-Prot AV http://www.f-prot.com/support/windows/fpwin_faq/332.html
    F-Secure Anti-Virus http://support.f-secure.com/enu/home/supportissue/fsis2007/install_q05.shtml
    F-Secure F-Secure Anti-Spyware http://support.f-secure.com/enu/home/supportissue/fsis2005/install_q02.shtml
    G-Data AntiVirenKit http://www.gdata.de/support/GB/faq/detail/771
    Genie-Soft Corporation Genie backup Manager Try Windows removal tools. No link.
    Grisoft AVG Anti-Spyware 7.5 http://www.ewido.net/en/support/?AID=4
    Grisoft AVG Antivirus http://www.grisoft.com/doc/51/us/crp/0/num/288#faq_288
    Hauri ViRobot Desktop Try Windows removal tools. No link.
    Inca Internet nProtect Personal Try Windows removal tools. No link.
    ISS BlackIce Defender (Protection) https://iss.custhelp.com/
    Javacool Spyware Blaster http://www.javacoolsoftware.info/kb/idx/9/078/article/
    Jiangmin Antivirus http://global.jiangmin.com/help/2.htm
    Kaspersky Antivirus Personal http://usa.kaspersky-labs.com/
    Kaspersky AntiHackers Try Windows removal tools. No link.
    KimLab HV-Scan Try Windows removal tools. No link.
    Kingsoft Antivirus Try Windows removal tools. No link.
    Lavasoft Ad-Aware SE Personal/Professional http://www.lavasoftusa.com/support/faqs.php
    LookSmart NetNanny http://www.netnanny.com/faq/4
    MailFrontier (Now SonicWall) MailFrontier http://www.mailfrontier.com/support/support_faq.jsp#15
    Maximum Output Software FileBack PC Try Windows removal tools. No link.
    McAfee VirusScan 8.0i https://knowledge.mcafee.com/
    McAfee TOPS https://knowledge.mcafee.com/
    Microsoft Windows Live OneCare http://www2.nohold.net/
    Microsoft Windows Defender (Beta 2) http://www.microsoft.com/a
    Microsoft One Care http://forums.microsoft.com/
    New Technology Wave VirusChaser Try Windows removal tools as noted on page 12. http://www.viruschaser.com/
    Norman Virus Control http://www.norman.com/Support/
    Norman Norman Personal Firewall Try Windows removal tools. No link.
    Norman Norman Internet Control http://www.norman.com/
    Panda Titanium Antivirus+Antispyware http://www.pandasoftware.com/com/support
    Panda Platinum Internet Security Suite http://www.pandasoftware.com/com/support/
    Panda Titanium Antivirus+Antispyware http://www.pandasoftware.com/com/support/card.aspx?id=23010&idIdioma=2&pagina=1
    PC Tools Spyware Doctor http://www.pctools.com/
    Rising Antivirus http://www.rising-global.com/ravphelp/install3.htm
    Secure Computing SmartFilter V 4.1 http://www.securecomputing.com/techpubs_download.cfm?id=1605 See Page 24
    Solid Oak CYBERSitter http://www.cybersitterhelp.com/KB/XcIBViewItem.asp?ID=33
    Sophos All Products http://www.sophos.com/support/knowledgebase/article/12360.html
    Spybot Seach & Destroy http://www.safer-networking.org/en/howto/uninstall.html
    Steganos Antispyware Try Windows removal tools. No link.
    Sunbelt iHateSpam http://support.sunbelt-software.com/
    Sunbelt \ Kerio Sunbelt Personal Firewall http://support.sunbelt-software.com...dp.php?p_sid=dPNyoYRi&p_lva=1453&p_faqid=1492
    SurfControl SurfControl Web Filter http://kb.surfcontrol.com/display/1/kb/article.asp?aid=1232&n=4&s=
    Symantec Norton AntiVirus http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/tsgeninfo.nsf/docid/2005033108162039
    Symantec Personal Firewall http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/tsgeninfo.nsf/docid/2005033108162039
    Symantec Norton Internet Security http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/tsgeninfo.nsf/docid/2005033108162039
    Symantec Norton 360 - Backup and Restore http://service1.symantec.com/
    Symantec Norton Save and Restore Try Windows removal tools. No link.
    Symantec Norton 360 - Optimizer http://service1.symantec.com/
    Trend Micro PC-cillin Internet Security http://esupport.trendmicro.com/
    Vpower PCZiggy Try Windows removal tools. No link.
    Webroot Spysweeper 4.5 http://support.webroot.com/ics/support/KBAnswer.asp?questionID=33
    Webroot Windows Washer http://support.webroot.com/ics/support/KBAnswer.asp?questionID=56
    Zone Labs ZoneAlarm Firewall http://forums.zonealarm.com/
    ZoneAlarm Anti-virus 5.5 http://forums.zonealarm.com/
    ZoneAlarm Zonealarm Anti-Spyware http://forums.zonealarm.com/

    Last Modified: 11/29/07


    MY QUESTION to those of you who know more about these programs than I, can I do without the McAfee program altogether?
     
  2. chaslang

    chaslang MajorGeeks Admin - Master Malware Expert Staff Member

    If your question is simply do you need McAfee, the answer is no!!!

    There are plenty of free very good tools that will work just fine and they will not slow your PC down as much as McAfee.

    Note however if you actually have all of the aboe items installed on your PC, that is a complete NO NO. You must only have one and only one antivirus program installed. The same is true for firewall software and for real time antispyware blocking,
     
  3. martiniqueeni

    martiniqueeni Private E-2

    Thanks, Chas! No, I'm only running one antivirus and one firewall (from McAfee, darn it). I may not post very often but I do pay attention! :D

    I was just astounded at that list and the underlying attitude and was feeling the need to share.

    I'm thinking we should go with the AVG program for the antivirus. Any thoughts on a good firewall program would be much appreciated!
     
  4. chaslang

    chaslang MajorGeeks Admin - Master Malware Expert Staff Member

    A list of recommended tools to checkout is in the below link:

    How to Protect yourself from malware!


    It is difficult to say which will work best for you. Everyone has different experience levels and also the speed of your PC and the amount of RAM can come into play. In addition, the types of applications you run and what you do with your PC can also impact performance. Thus while one person may have a great experience using ZoneAlarmFree, another person may feel it is too demanding on PC resources.

    You could give Comodo a try, many people had been very happy with it. Howver I'm not sure how well everyone likes the newer 3.0 version that is out yet.
     
  5. martiniqueeni

    martiniqueeni Private E-2

    Well, I got the AVG Antivirus installed and updated and the McAfee VirusScan uninstalled. Progress!

    That's an excellent list. Thanks so much! I'll look at Comodo and ZoneAlarmFree first and go from there!

    As always, your help is timely and on-point! Thanks, again!
     
  6. chaslang

    chaslang MajorGeeks Admin - Master Malware Expert Staff Member

    You're welcome.

    Don't forget to only have one installed at any given time just like an antivirus.
     

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