Update to Vista: Anti Virus Programs

Question

Hello. Just wanted to ask whether one should disable any antivirus programs in Windows XP before updating to Vista? Thanks for any help. Keith Dean

Mark_XPS · Answer

You should definitely uninstall Windows Live OneCare before upgrading, if you have it. Vista uses a different version, and there is a bug which prevents the XP version from being completely uninstalled after upugrading to Vista, and the Vista version of OneCare thinks it is still there and won't install.

keith007 · Answer

Actually I have bought a computer with Windows XP Media Centre. It has Symantec Security Suite preinstalled. Problably it does not have Windows Live OneCare preinstalled. Keith Dean

jmwills · Answer

DO NOT upgrade, clean install is the preferred method.

xxBigFootxx · Answer

well, Mcafee doesn't work, Symantec doesn't work two of the most popular.   I like AVG anti-malware with antivirus, it works with Vista RTM and is free for 60 days.  They do have freeware versions of both.   Thanks Jeff

jmwills · Answer

Avast is toally free.

keith007 · Answer

Thanks for help. I dont know how to do a clean install.I have always had a Macintosh and dont know much about Windows System.Maybe some suggestions? Thanks Keith

jmwills · Answer

Here you go:

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html
http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/windowsxp_sg_clean.asp
http://www.djdenham.com/Install%20Procedures.htm#Install

Driver Installation:
http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/dsn/en/document?c=us&cs=19&docid=1A0C0937D62A8739E0401E0A55174744&journalid=4F1F82483DC811DBAE564F9328EE04A4&l=en&s=gen

xxBigFootxx · Answer

Save yourself the headache, do not install, ignore ANYTHING the advisor tells you its only basic information and a guess IMO.   I have external devices with drivers installed in XP it told me all these devices are fine and will work after the upgrade.  I run the upgrade AFTER I had to copy the contents to the hard drive since running the dvd gave me an Error 0x0.  When Vista came up after the upgrade the devices didn't work and complained there wasn't any drivers and on trying to install drivers gives me file not found errors.   Same issues on a fresh install as well.   I would wait until companies like Dell who had over 2 years to test drivers in longhorn/vista to actually release something.  I would be happy with pre-release beta drivers.   Thanks for reading,   Jeff

1c187080abcb414 · Answer

About McAfee not working.  Did a check with the upgrade assistant, the only problem with McAfee it found was with Personal Firewall plus, but I guess the inbuilt vista firewall should be all you need.   Didn't like quickclean either but that's the 2005 version. Message Edited by tim jw on 12-07-200605:43 PM

jmwills · Answer

Of course Mcafee isn't going to work, neither is Norton because they both want access to the kernel which Microsoft has denied.   I am running every flavor of Vista on virtual machines hosted by a three year old Dimension 8300, and everything, I mean everything just works great.

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