Solved Antivirus Programs

[Azgrannie3]

I've been told if you have more than one anti virus program running they will fight each other and not protect your computer. Don't know if this is true or not! I have windows Defender which says it needs to be on. I have Norton which is always on and now due to a recent download of some program...I have McAfee. What's the difference in these programs and can they run together or should I be deleting some of them?

 

[Lottiemansion]

Hi,

You should not have that combination of active safety measures.

As you install one "Protective" software, it will deactivate the another & you willl end up with the last one installed protecting your system.

So, you need to decide what you want protecting your system & remove the others.

Please note: - Windows defender is always on your system but could be "Inactive" as needed.


So, What do you want?

 

[Azgrannie3]

Thank you for the fast, really fast reply! As I've been reading some of the info in here, I read that Windows Defender is a good one and the other two not so good. I think I will now go in and uninstall Norton and McAfee. And stick with what came with my computer. Windows Defender. Do I still keep Windows Firewall on?

 

[richc46]

Most of the experts, here, use Miscrosoft Security Essentials for real time protection (Defender is included and you will not need to activate it sepaarately) and Malwarebytes for a once a week scan.

 

[Azgrannie3]

Thank you Richard. I did go in and download Microsoft Security Essentials and now everything in my Control Panel is showing in the green and not red. I'm still confused about Windows Defender. I assume it runs with Firewall and the new Microsoft Security Essentials. I did uninstall Norton and McAfee. However, it put me in a yellow status on the Control Panel until I downloaded Security Essentials. Now everything shows in Green...good to go! I did do a scan to see if any viruses were located and it came back clean.

 

[richc46]

Defender is part of Security Essentials and should not be run if you have Security Essentials. To avoid confusion I am talking about Windows Defender.
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/defender/default.mspx

Essentials looks for Virus
Defender and Malwarebytes looks for Malware. This is a bit different than a virus. It may be spyware, advertising pop ups etc.

 

[Azgrannie3]

Richard, thank you for the link...I was able to read what these things do. I went back into my Contro Panel to turn Windows Defender off and apparently when I downloaded Essentials, it automatically turned it off. Essentials says everything is running good. I feel safer now!!

 

[richc46]

You are using what most of the pros at the Forum use. Good luck

 

[richc46]

To be sure that you do understand, about safety, leave the firewall on.