Uninstalling AOL and McAfee Security Centre

[Mian Ali]

Hello,

I recently got Dell computer with Window XP sp2. It came with AOL and McAfee
Security Centre (limited time) preinstalled. I have my own security
softwares such as spyware blaster, spybot search and destroy, Adaware and
Microsoft Antispyware etc. I also subscribe to EZArmor. I want to install
EZArmor and I have uninstall the McAfee. There is no entry in the Add/Remove
program for the Security Center. The only entry I see in the Add/Remove is
"McAfee Uninstaller". Also it seems the McAfee Security Centre is integrated
with Windows Security. When I click on security center in Contro Panel, it
shows McAfee antivirus and firewall etc.

Just wondering if this the normal entry for McAfee Centre in the Add/Remove?
I searched McAfee helpdesk but could not find anything about "McAfee
Uninstaller" in Add/Remove.

Called the Dell technical help and he did not know how to do it but
suggested horrible way to uninstall the program. He suggested just delete
the McAfee folder from your computer. Amazing!

Sorry of the long post. Also will appreciate some suggestions about
unistalling AOL. Heard some scary stories about it. What cautions should I
take?
Thanks for your help.
Mian

 

[R. McCarty]

Newer versions of both AOL & McAfee come off the PC fairly well
using the Add/Remove applet in Control Panel. However, both apps
will tend to leave some Registry remnants behind. If it's a typical Dell
OEM setup, AOL may have two or three separate entries to nick.
While in Add/Remove I'd go through the whole listing - you're likely
to see some other applications and other "Fluff" that most folks can
do without quite nicely. About the only thing to watch out for is some
McAfee services that usually get left in the Registry Service mapping.
You can identify them if you check TaskMgr, Processes (TAB) after
removal/reboot and look for any starting with Mc... and their other
common naming convention of 'shield...'.

 

[Alias]

Hello,

I recently got Dell computer with Window XP sp2. It came with AOL and McAfee
Security Centre (limited time) preinstalled. I have my own security
softwares such as spyware blaster, spybot search and destroy, Adaware and
Microsoft Antispyware etc. I also subscribe to EZArmor. I want to install
EZArmor and I have uninstall the McAfee. There is no entry in the Add/Remove
program for the Security Center. The only entry I see in the Add/Remove is
"McAfee Uninstaller". Also it seems the McAfee Security Centre is integrated
with Windows Security. When I click on security center in Contro Panel, it
shows McAfee antivirus and firewall etc.

Just wondering if this the normal entry for McAfee Centre in the Add/Remove?
I searched McAfee helpdesk but could not find anything about "McAfee
Uninstaller" in Add/Remove.

Called the Dell technical help and he did not know how to do it but
suggested horrible way to uninstall the program. He suggested just delete
the McAfee folder from your computer. Amazing!

Sorry of the long post. Also will appreciate some suggestions about
unistalling AOL. Heard some scary stories about it. What cautions should I
take?
Thanks for your help.
Mian

Question is, does Dell make more money selling the computer or from the
likes of AOL and McAfee? I would say they might even lose money on the
computer but make it up by being paid to put garbage all over the machine.

 

[R. McCarty]

I agree on Dell's motivation on this Fluff/Add-ons. If they are
customer oriented, they'd avoid cluttering up a brand new PC.
What I still cannot figure out is why very few vendors offer a
PC tweaked/tuned for performance.They (Vendors) seem to
try and create a Startups & Watchdog slide show waiting on
the PC to finish booting. I'm still marketing "De-Dell-ifying",
can't compete on hardware,but I'll beat them every time on a
setup & configuration job. Many folks bitch about MS as a
"Greed Factory", in my mind there are other more deserving
companies of that description.

 

[Alias]

I agree on Dell's motivation on this Fluff/Add-ons. If they are
customer oriented, they'd avoid cluttering up a brand new PC.

They know on what side their bread is buttered. Better for the people
who build computers as it gives them a niche: quality white box builds.

What I still cannot figure out is why very few vendors offer a
PC tweaked/tuned for performance.They (Vendors) seem to
try and create a Startups & Watchdog slide show waiting on
the PC to finish booting. I'm still marketing "De-Dell-ifying",
can't compete on hardware,but I'll beat them every time on a
setup & configuration job. Many folks bitch about MS as a
"Greed Factory", in my mind there are other more deserving
companies of that description.

Dell's hardware is expensive. Yes, there are greedier companies.

Alias

 

[Rctfreak]

Dell's hardware is expensive. Yes, there are greedier companies.

Actually Dell wants you to finace that new PC thru DellFinancial.

They make it sound like such a great deal...just $45 a month and this
new PC is yours.

They neglect to tell you that the service charges and interest charges
run over $35 a month. So you are actually only paying less that $10
against that bill each month.

 

[Mian Ali]

Thanks McCarty for the response. I would like to unistall these softwares.
AOL is listed in the Add/Remove and I will use that. However, McAfee
Security Centre or anything contained within it is not listed in the
Add/Remove. The only entry for McAfee in Add/Remove is "McAfee Uninstaller".
I assume I have to use that entry to unistall. I was just wondering if
anyone else had this type of entry for the McAfee Centre. OR is Dell trying
to hide the entry so people are stuck with it?

 

[R. McCarty]

I would think the McAfee Uninstaller is what you want.

Who knows what Dell thinks, McAfee's biggest downfall is
on most setups, the protection doesn't enable unless you do
an unlock or registration. So you get a trial version, but it is
not enabled until you get your email on McAfee's database
for the frequent "Nag/Buy Us, Don't Forget Us" mailings.

 

[Alias]

Actually Dell wants you to finace that new PC thru DellFinancial.

They make it sound like such a great deal...just $45 a month and this
new PC is yours.

They neglect to tell you that the service charges and interest charges
run over $35 a month. So you are actually only paying less that $10
against that bill each month.

Using credit only make sense when one buys a house/apartment or possibly
when one buys a car.

Alias

Use the Reply to Sender feature of your news reader program to email me.
Utiliza Responder al Remitente para mandarme un mail.

 

[Mian Ali]

Thanks. I will use the Unistaller.

I would think the McAfee Uninstaller is what you want.

Who knows what Dell thinks, McAfee's biggest downfall is
on most setups, the protection doesn't enable unless you do
an unlock or registration. So you get a trial version, but it is
not enabled until you get your email on McAfee's database
for the frequent "Nag/Buy Us, Don't Forget Us" mailings.