Turning off McAfee trial version firewall and turning on Windows 7 firewall

[jonnyD]

I bought an Acer Aspire 5532 notebook for my daughter which apparently came loaded with a temporary McAfee firewall. I'm getting a pop-up that says the computer is no longer protected, the trial version has expired. I went to the Control Center to see about turning on the built-in Windows 7 firewall, but I get the following message:

These settings are being managed by vendor application McAfee Personal Firewall.

Under the security settings, there is nowhere for me to turn on the Windows 7 firewall and turn off the McAfee.  Any ideas?

[Broni]

Uninstall McAfee through "Programs & Features" in Control Panel.
Next, run McAfee Consumer Product Removal Tool: http://www.softpedia.com/get/Tweak/Uninstallers/McAfee-Consumer-Product-Removal-Tool.shtml

When done, download and install one of these:

- Avira free antivirus: http://www.free-av.com/en/download/1/avira_antivir_personal__free_antivirus.html
- Avast! free antivirus: http://www.avast.com/eng/download-avast-home.html

- free Comodo Internet Security (firewall + AV): http://www.personalfirewall.comodo.com/
NOTE. During installation, Comodo will also allow you to install AV only, or firewall only, if you prefer to combine one Comodo product with some other product.

If you decide to install Avast, or Avira, make sure, Windows firewall is turned on, or use Comodo firewall..
If you decide to install Comodo Internet Security, or just Comodo firewall, make sure, Windows firewall is turned off.

IMPORTANT! Make sure, you use only ONE antivirus, and ONE firewall.

[jonnyD]

I have uninstalled McAfee.

the reimage tool

Next, run McAfee Consumer Product Removal Tool: http://www.softpedia.com/get/Tweak/Uninstallers/McAfee-Consumer-Product-Removal-Tool.shtml

says it's not supported by Windows 7.  I have just uninstalled it too.  Does it matter if it's not run on the computer to do a cleanup?

[Allan]

Sometimes McAfee software doesn't uninstall properly. See if you have any residual issues - if not, don't worry about it.

[jonnyD]

What kind of residual issues might I find - I don't know what to look for.  I do see the McAfee program is no longer in the list of installed programs in the Control Center.

[patio]

Have you tried right clicking it and selecting Run in compatibility mode ? ?

[Allan]

What kind of residual issues might I find - I don't know what to look for.  I do see the McAfee program is no longer in the list of installed programs in the Control Center.

You'll know. Most likely something along the lines of pop-ups relating to McAfee, but nothing that will hurt anything. Try patio's suggestion of compatibility mode - that will probably work.

[jonnyD]

I don't know what compatibility mode is.

[Allan]

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/316-compatibility-mode.html

[jonnyD]

Ok.  What would I be running in compatibility mode since I removed McAfee?

[patio]

The McAffee removal tool...

[Broni]

says it's not supported by Windows 7

Run it. It'll work. Trust me.

[patio]

Thanx Broni...

[jonnyD]

Run it. It'll work. Trust me.

I jut tried to run it. I get this pop-up message:

Unfortunately Reimage cannot be run in compatibility mode.
If your OS is not supported and tou try to work around this issue you may
damage your PC.  Learn More.

I clicked on the Learn More  link and under the Setup section there is a question: Which operating systems does Reimage support? Answer: Reimage is currently only available for repairing Windows-based XP operating systems.

Does that mean I've just hit a dead end?

[Allan]

Broni suggests you just run it in normal mode regardless of any message(s) you get.

[Broni]

What Reimage?
What did you download?

Any time, patio

[jonnyD]

It appears I downloaded another program because I wasn't paying attention to the deceptively layed out download links. 

So now I'll try to install the Comodo firewall & AV.

[patio]

Torrents ? ?

[Allan]

Bueller?

[Broni]

Did you run McAfee Consumer Product Removal Tool?

[jonnyD]

Yes, I successfully ran the McAfee tool.

Regarding downloads, first I mistakenly downloaded the Spware Doctor.  If you click on the link you provided in your response, you first see a large headline: McAfee Consumer Product Removal Tool 3.0.128.8.  Just below it, to the right you see a blue Download icon.  WRONG!! It's the SpyDoctor program.

Below the headline to the left you see the McAfee cleanup icon which you find out is only a screenshot link.  Just above this icon is another download icon with an arrow speciously pointing downward to a link that says: "add to download basket", making me think I'm gonna have to buy something. And guess what? When you click on "add to download basket" you get the good ol' Software Doctor telling you to bend over so he can  examine your wallet. You actually have to click on the Download icon itself.

So when you click on the Downlaod icon, you get the next page at the top of which is the headline: "McAfee Consumer Product Removal Tool 3.0.128.8: Free Download" (Don't worry, the Doctor is just below it in case you're feeling a little queasy and want another examination).

Just below this headline you see: DOWNLOAD LOCATIONS
                                                  for McAfee Consumer Product Removal Tool 3.0.128.8:

If you put your cursor on the words "McAfee Consumer Product Removal Tool 3.0.128.8" you get a link to....THE PREVIOUS PAGE!  Makes sense to me - if you're MC Escher, perhaps.

So you slide your cursor down a little further to either "Softpedia Mirror" or "External Mirror" (whatever a mirror is, hey, I'm a relative newbie). Only then do I get to download a program which potentially will work.  Who does the byzantine layouts for these pages?  I feel like there's a grenade waiting to explode at every click of the mouse.  Very unsettling.

Notice I said "potentially will work" above:  I went to execute the Comodo Internet Security Installer (yes, I turned off the internal Windows 7 firewall) and I got the following error message:

Error 109: Not able to extract InCompatSw.ini


What now?

[Broni]

Regarding downloads, first I mistakenly downloaded the Spware Doctor.  If you click on the link you provided in your response, you first see a large headline: McAfee Consumer Product Removal Tool 3.0.128.8.  Just below it, to the right you see a blue Download icon.  WRONG!! It's the SpyDoctor program.

Internet may be a dangerous place. You have to check 3 times, before you click on anything.

Error 109: Not able to extract InCompatSw.ini

Again, same issue. Watch what you click on. The above error indicates, you downloaded wrong Comodo version. 32-bit, instead of 64-bit, or vice versa: http://forums.comodo.com/report-comodo-forum-web-site-issues/error-109not-able-to-extract-incompactswini-t47488.0.html;msg341768#msg341768

[jonnyD]

What does it mean "32 bit" as compared to "64 bit" and how do I determine which one I need?

[Broni]

Click Start and in "Start search" type in:
winver
Press Enter.

Pop-up window will open.
If it DOES NOT say 64-bit, you have 32-bit Windows version.

[jonnyD]

Ok.  I have 32-bit.  I downloaded 32-bit version.  I have Internet Explorer. Still get the same error message.

[Broni]

Forget Comodo then and go for Avira, or Avast, plus Windows firewall.

[jonnyD]

It turns out I have a 64-bit system.  While there is no mention of it in the pop-up you mentioned

Click Start and in "Start search" type in:
winver
Press Enter.

Pop-up window will open.
If it DOES NOT say 64-bit, you have 32-bit Windows version.

When I went into Control Panel and then System it shows I have a 64-bit OS.  I was able to download Comodo and I'm up and running.

Thanks Very Much

[Broni]

Cool