New
#1
Windows 10 & Antivirus Software
Windows 10 seems to be just what the programmers have said it would be. It seems fairly stable so far. The only real issue I have run into in the last 24 hours is antivirus related. Microsoft assured the public that the upgrade would not disable or uninstall current, up-to-date antivirus programs. This was not the case on my Acer laptop. My pre-installed Mcafee software had just been renewed less than 30 days before the upgrade. During the upgrade process it appears as if Windows did not perform the pre-check for active subscription. Instead it completely uninstalled the software in favor of Windows Defender. Fortunately, it did not leave registry keys behind so re-installing Mcafee went smoothly. Those who have used Mcafee and attempted to remove it know that it requires a removal tool to ensure these keys are not left behind. In some cases re-installation is not possible while those keys exist.
So, the purpose of this post is to serve as a warning to those who are considering upgrading to Windows 10. Uninstall your antivirus before you launch the upgrade just to be safe. You could take your chances, cross your fingers and hope that the new Windows system completely removes all registry keys of the previous antivirus. You can hope it opts to leave your antivirus alone. In my personal experience, Windows default antivirus is inadequate in protecting against the vast majority of viruses overrunning the net. Relying on that is like running barefoot through a field of broken glass. My laptop was infected with two malware programs in a short time as a result. Be safe with this upgrade folks.