Norton Warning

[James Silverton]

I have the Norton Security suite and I just got a "Warning" that the
free McAfee security scan is in conflict with it. This is after several
years of co-existence. Am I to believe it or is Norton trying scare tactics?

 

[Bruce Hagen]

I have the Norton Security suite and I just got a "Warning" that the free
McAfee security scan is in conflict with it. This is after several years of
co-existence. Am I to believe it or is Norton trying scare tactics?

You should never have two security programs that do the same job running at
the same time. Not to mention those are the two least compatible security
programs you could choose to use with Windows.

 

[James Silverton]

Believe it and uninstall both of them as neither is any good. You should
*never* have two anti virus programs running simultaneously.

Unfortunately, uninstalling this crap isn't easy; you have to use Norton
and McAfee's removal tools to do it properly. I would, after
uninstalling them, install the free version of Avast which is rated much
higher than either of those two.

Despite all advice, they've been running together for at least two years
and no trouble seems to have arisen.

 

[James Silverton]

Until now. Get rid of both of them. They are not good at protecting your
computer. They're just good at taking money out of your wallet.

I'd forgotten that Security suites seem to raise emotional responses,
just like news readers and word processors.

 

[Bruce Hagen]

I'd forgotten that Security suites seem to raise emotional responses, just
like news readers and word processors.

Don't confuse facts with emotions.

 

[Bert]

In James Silverton

Despite all advice, they've been running together for at least two
years and no trouble seems to have arisen.

Emphasis on "seems."

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

I'd forgotten that Security suites seem to raise emotional responses,
just like news readers and word processors.

Don't confuse your reaction with a rational response to good advice.

 

[Ken Blake]

Despite all advice, they've been running together for at least two years
and no trouble seems to have arisen.

Glad to hear it, but that's like saying "I've been driving without a
seatbelt for at least two years and no trouble seems to have
arisen."

Running two anti-virus programs at once doesn't guarantee a problem;
it increases the risk of having a problem. Increasing that risk is
*not* the thing to do.

And it adversely affects your performance.

And finally, as others here have said, despite their popularity, these
are the two poorest anti-virus programs available. I hate to agree
with Alias, but in this case I do--dump them both and install *one*
good anti-virus program.

I recommend eSet NOD32 or Kaspersky, if you are willing to pay for it.
If you want a free anti-virus, I recommend one of the following three:

Avira AntiVir
Avast
Microsoft Security Essentials

You also need anti-spyware software (even if you run a program like
Microsoft Security Essentials, with anti-spyware capability built into
it). I recommend that you download and
install (freeware) MalwareBytes AntiMalware

 

[Paul]

I'd forgotten that Security suites seem to raise emotional responses,
just like news readers and word processors.

Having two runtime scanners, ends up causing twice as much I/O on
your hard drive. And slows things down. (When a program attempts to
launch, good AV programs will scan the code as it is loaded. And
they'll both want to do that, in series.)

And since two scanners, can each independently experience false
positives, quarantining key system files, you're doubling the
odds of an AV program bricking the computer.

But otherwise, well, enjoy yourself...

I have no strong feelings on the topic, because it's your computer.
For some reason, I use a different policy here, but each to their own.

Paul

 

[mick]

I have the Norton Security suite and I just got a "Warning" that the free

McAfee security scan is in conflict with it. This is after several years of
co-existence. Am I to believe it or is Norton trying scare tactics?

Possibly, I have Norton Internet Security and the free edition of
Malwarebytes Anti-malware which is only used to do a system scan a
couple of times a year. Both have been living happily together for at
least six years or more until a few months ago when I get the same
message as you. I just ignore it. I know Norton still works fine as
it picked up a dodgy file yesterday that I had download.

 

[Robin Bignall]

Possibly, I have Norton Internet Security and the free edition of
Malwarebytes Anti-malware which is only used to do a system scan a
couple of times a year. Both have been living happily together for at
least six years or more until a few months ago when I get the same
message as you. I just ignore it. I know Norton still works fine as
it picked up a dodgy file yesterday that I had download.

I think the "don't do it" applies to having two *real-time" scanning
systems running together. MWB and SAS have the real-time features
optional, and I only scan with SAS once a week, and Panda Activescan
once a month. There doesn't seem to be any conflict.
My main scanner is Kaspersky Pure, and its installation procedure scans
the system for other real-time antivirus programs and won't install
until you remove them. It doesn't baulk at MWB or SAS, but it also
doesn't object to Windows Defender, which is a real-time scanner built
into Windows 7 Ultimate.

 

[James Silverton]

Don't confuse facts with emotions.

I wasn't arguing with you Bruce but with the "Heap of Junk" community. I
decided to follow your advice and removed the MacAfee virus scan without
any problems going the usual Microsoft route.

 

[mick]

I think the "don't do it" applies to having two *real-time" scanning
systems running together. MWB and SAS have the real-time features
optional, and I only scan with SAS once a week, and Panda Activescan
once a month. There doesn't seem to be any conflict.
My main scanner is Kaspersky Pure, and its installation procedure scans
the system for other real-time antivirus programs and won't install
until you remove them. It doesn't baulk at MWB or SAS, but it also
doesn't object to Windows Defender, which is a real-time scanner built
into Windows 7 Ultimate.

Malwarebytes is only running when I open it to do a scan, a secondary
catch anything Norton may have missed - which it has never done so far.
Norton is scanning 24/7 but gives the conflict message at any old time
when MB is not operational. The golden rule is to only run one
anti-virus program which I do. I just think Norton has got its
knickers in a twist so I ignore it.

 

[Paul in Houston TX]

Despite all advice, they've been running together for at least two years
and no trouble seems to have arisen.

Perhaps something on your computer has changed?
Do you allow any programs or o/s to update?

 

[J. P. Gilliver (John)]

Endless repetition does not make something true.

Paul and Ken have actually given some possible reasons for the above
"received wisdom".
Interesting to see the various recommendations: I see one or two have
mentioned Avira, which I use - but I've also seem people viciously
against it. All have their enthusiasts and knockers. (A few people are
very happy with Norton, and even with McAfee; I haven't looked at either
for too long to be able to comment, but McAfee is popular with large
companies. Possibly who have large IT departments to look after it.)

Despite all advice, they've been running together for at least two
years and no trouble seems to have arisen.

As you've seen, making statements against that "received wisdom" gets
you into hot water ...

 

[Bruce Hagen]

I wasn't arguing with you Bruce but with the "Heap of Junk" community. I
decided to follow your advice and removed the MacAfee virus scan without
any problems going the usual Microsoft route.

I didn't take it as arguing, just a difference of opinion.

As someone else brought up, I have Malwarebytes free version installed and
run a quick scan on occasion. I have use it with Avast and Microsoft
Security Essentials and have never had any "interference" issue. No matter
what security program you use, a Trojan can slip by on occasion and MBAM is
pretty good at getting you out of a jam.

 

[...winston]

"Ken Blake" wrote in message Glad to hear it, but that's like saying "I've been driving without a
seatbelt for at least two years and no trouble seems to have
arisen."

Running two anti-virus programs at once doesn't guarantee a problem;
it increases the risk of having a problem. Increasing that risk is
*not* the thing to do.

And it adversely affects your performance.

And finally, as others here have said, despite their popularity, these
are the two poorest anti-virus programs available. I hate to agree
with Alias, but in this case I do--dump them both and install *one*
good anti-virus program.
It's more akin to saying "I'm driving with two seat belts for at least two years and I've always been able to buckle both of them'

Imo, it would make more sense if the op has a paid Norton subscription to remove McAfee and reevaluate the need for a fee based AV
program when the subscription expires and consider MSE for Win7.

While MSE is not as intrusive as Norton, MSE continues to be ranked lower by AV Compartives for effectiveness in almost every
single category. Norton programs these days have a much smaller footprint and are not as intrusive as in the past....and if
choosing a Norton product the footprint and intrusiveness is less for Norton AV stand-alone than Norton 360 or Norton Internet
Security.

A lot of folks complain or provide advice about Norton products but much of that advice is based on not having used or tested the
product for many years or decades.

Other fee based AV programs like ESET and Kaspersky are also good choices if one is willing and has a need for fee-bases program.

In the long run, the user's computer and surfing habits determine the effectiveness of any AV/AM program (MSE, Norton, ESET,
Kaspersky, AVG, BitDefender, Avast).

 

[Martin Edwards]

I have the Norton Security suite and I just got a "Warning" that the
free McAfee security scan is in conflict with it. This is after several
years of co-existence. Am I to believe it or is Norton trying scare
tactics?

I read that any two systems may be in conflict. I always untick McAfee
when it is offered.

 

[James Silverton]

I didn't take it as arguing, just a difference of opinion.

As someone else brought up, I have Malwarebytes free version installed
and run a quick scan on occasion. I have use it with Avast and Microsoft
Security Essentials and have never had any "interference" issue. No
matter what security program you use, a Trojan can slip by on occasion
and MBAM is pretty good at getting you out of a jam.

MacAfee is not a heap of junk but my new computer (two years ago) came
with a free 90 day trial of MacAfee. After 15 days I began to get
messages encouraging me to buy the real thing. These reached a daily
frequency and I got so irked that I decided to buy Norton. I have not
detected anything that Norton seems to have missed.

 

[Wolf K]

On 5/22/2013 6:29 AM, James Silverton wrote:
[...]

MacAfee is not a heap of junk but my new computer (two years ago) came
with a free 90 day trial of MacAfee. After 15 days I began to get
messages encouraging me to buy the real thing. These reached a daily
frequency and I got so irked that I decided to buy Norton. I have not
detected anything that Norton seems to have missed.

You haven't detected anything?

Do you have an avatar of yourself inside the machine?

;-)