Sunday, September 2, 2012

Fun with Computer Security Systems...

Today I was trying to use the laptop computer, surfing the blog sites that I follow every day, and the AVG software automatically came up for the umpteenth time pressuring me to pay the money for the subscription, because the free trial runs out in 6 days.....!

Well it was a mistake that I had installed the paid version of AVG in the first place, because I was trying to install the freebe version instead....

But the fact remains that this was the pro version, and they wanted to be paid.....  But remember that Incredibar business?  I was using the uninstall program and found still more incredibar programs that had been forced onto my laptop...  Over the working professional version of AVG....

I used Revo Uninstaller to remove some more of incredibar....  And then tried to uninstall AVG.....  Nope not even on Revo's list of installed programs.............  How do they do that?  Its obviously on the computer because it runs all the time with these scans......  that don't find incredibar....  And what else is it missing....?

I ran the uninstaller that is part of AVG, but even after the uninstall, the program came up and wanted money again.......?  What?  So after some searching on the net, I managed to find a page where they said they could uninstall the software....  The program errored out.......

Finally after downloading and reinstalling the AVG again and then using another uninstall program directly from AVG's web site, it appears to be gone.....

Seems nothing can find and uninstall AVG except their own programs, and even then it may not be completely gone...  Had this same problem with Norton security once before...  Once its on there, you can't get rid of it either....

So I went back to Rick and Paulette's RV web site and searched for his Microsoft program instructions for Microsoft Security Essentials...  He linked the download, so I copied the link above for anyone else wanting to try official free security...

Once the computer was clean of the other companies software, the program downloaded and installed rather quickly........  It didn't put any take over web search engines in place of what was already programmed, or do anything else to my configurations....  I thought sure it would dump chrome as my default browser in favor of IE, but nope it didn't...

Well in just a little while, my son arrived here with his newest little Toshiba laptop...  Like brand new, and we worked on it for a while too.  It had Norton on it, and he had managed to get it removed, loading AVG in its place...  But it had overwritten his search engines with a AVG web search page...  After he had checked no to this option...

One thing led to another and we went thru this entire process again removing AVG free from his new computer....  He had two different security programs in about two hours time....  So we stuck the MS Security Essentials program on his new machine too...

And it didn't change any of his configuration either..  It did run a scan, but his machine is brand new, so it didn't find anything.......

I'm not sure that MS SE is scanning incoming emails like the other programs do, and I think that it doesn't have the spy bot features either, but for a simple and free program, it seems to be the ticket...
--------------
It rained here almost all day, so Isaac isn't gone yet..   The storm seems to be moved farther East, but Chris said that KC had about 5 inches of rain since we left...

Tonight, we went back to my favorite Bar B Cue here in Osage Beach, Bandana's.  I've written about this place numerous times, but it will suffice to say that my belly, is rather full, and I smell like wood fire smoke, even though it is well after midnight now......

It was still raining when we came home after dark, so I'm not sure how long this system will last, but I understand why Louisiana is flooded...

Retired Rod

4 comments:

  1. Hey Rod, thanks for that info. I too just purchased a new Toshiba with Norton..It has been warning me about purchasing it as I only have 5 days left..I just have the feeling it's not going to go quietly...I'll save your today post in case I'm in trouble.
    Thanks, David

    ReplyDelete
  2. I have MSE on my two laptops and I do believe they provide Spybot protection, since one of the things it found on my old one was a spybot. Rick would know for sure, but so far I am happy wit it. Be safe out there. Sam & Donna..

    ReplyDelete
  3. I too have MSE, my son installed. He also installed Spybot.I've had it for over a year and no problems.
    Betty from Milwaukie, Oregon

    ReplyDelete
  4. Rod, as you undoubtedly know, I'm a big fan of MSE and have been ever since I installed it on all of our computers 3 years ago. It has been trouble free, quiet, no prompts, no ads and best of all it works. I haven't had any virus troubles whatsoever other than when I accidentally have done some stupid myself. MSE not only protects against viruses but also defends against worms, Trojans, and other malicious software along with providing spyware protection.

    Microsoft Security Essentials is going to be bundled in and included as part of the Windows 8 Operating System but will automatically default to any Antivirus Software (i.e. Norton, AVG) that an owner installs in place of MSE. That would be an unwise thing to do as far as I'm concerned. MSE is terrific.

    ReplyDelete

Anonymous comments had to be eliminated.... For the most part this has removed unwanted responses.. If you can't post your comments, please email me and we will make other arrangements...