Sony/McAfee Removal

area51 · 30 Mar 2009 at 15:25

Got a Sony laptop.which came with mcafee antivirus installed.free! for 60days. So trying to remove as going to install kaspersky.Uninstalled via uninstall file brought up mcafee file ticked all the boxes said done.but tried installing kaspersky and keeps saying mcafee pc suite site advisor or words to that effect are still installed.but can't find it been through files.done restore point to see if uninstalled properly.still same.mate who does pc repairs/tech! spent few hours onit and he couldn't do it?.he deleted/modded alsorts of files/folders and none of that worked.only thing he could think of was to use recovery discs and start as new pc and do from their?

braveheart · 30 Mar 2009 at 15:35

You can removed McAfee if you want and then install Kaspersky - i did when I was used my old laptop few years ago - just unistall in Add/remove and then enter Regedit to see if it still there - if so then delete one folder of McAfee then reboot then install Kaspersky.

area51 · 30 Mar 2009 at 15:59

hi where do you type in regedit?as done in add/remove programs does not show any mcafee info at all but its still hanging around? seems abit like trying to remove a lump of dogs poo out of a carpet? bits still linger after!.

area51 · 30 Mar 2009 at 16:14

haa haa found me way into it? been into deleted a mcafee file?eeek hope it works?

area51 · 30 Mar 2009 at 16:23

no it's still saying remove mcafee internet security suite with siteadvisor 2008.

theheyes · 30 Mar 2009 at 16:47

I've had this before with AVG and Kaspersky. There must still be a trace of McAfee in the registry somewhere. I wouldn't advise messing with the registry if you don't know what you're doing so perhaps find someone who does or another member can post specific instructions.

Rainmaker · 30 Mar 2009 at 16:55

Official Mcafee Removal Tool help page. Follow this, though I still find it stupid that a product is so deeply entrenched and inefficient that its makers actually admit that you need to run a cleanup tool to cleanup after uninstall lol

theheyes · 30 Mar 2009 at 18:26

I agree, it's a bit sloppy on their part.

Although I'm not sure why Kaspersky can't nuke it itself. The enterprise version of Kaspersky comes with an administration kit which allows you to remove common installations of antivirus from client machines automatically before deploying, McAfee included - so it is possible.

Perhaps it's just a floodgate they don't want to open/line they don't wish to cross in the home market.

area51 · 31 Mar 2009 at 22:00

Cheers all and many thanks.all done now my localish pc whizz bob crabtrees sorted all out for me.yes had to run programme to remove and all working.
Just wish o2 dongles worked promise lots but never deliver the goods?
Mines the dozy model? the more signal i get the slower the service!.