Uninstalling an AV Program

[Wittmann]

My PC is only 4 weeks old with Win 10, both new to me.

It came with a McAfee AV. I uninstalled McAfee using their normal uninstaller and
all went well. I then installed Avast which is performing perfectly.

I am aware of the "clean uninstall" programs that go with these AV programs extra
to their normal uninstaller, but I have never used them and never had any trouble
covering several different AV's over the years.

What is done is done, there is nothing I can do about it.
Avast is working perfectly as it always has and any clutter left behind by McAfee
is not affecting it in any way.

To be honest if these AV vendors consider "left overs"from normal uninstall as being
important, then they should include such elements in their uninstall program, not
provide separate special programs.

Me ? I cannot go back in time so will simply carry on regardless of any McAfee clutter
left over in my system.

Edit - Is a clean uninstall really necessary ?

[Asyn]

Any question or is this meant as a statement..?

[Wittmann]

My PC is only 4 weeks old with Win 10, both new to me.

It came with a McAfee AV. I uninstalled McAfee using their normal uninstaller and
all went well. I then installed Avast which is performing perfectly.

I am aware of the "clean uninstall" programs that go with these AV programs extra
to their normal uninstaller, but I have never used them and never had any trouble
covering several different AV's over the years.

What is done is done, there is nothing I can do about it.
Avast is working perfectly as it always has and any clutter left behind by McAfee
is not affecting it in any way.

To be honest if these AV vendors consider "left overs"from normal uninstall as being
important, then they should include such elements in their uninstall program, not
provide separate special programs.

Me ? I cannot go back in time so will simply carry on regardless of any McAfee clutter
left over in my system.

I had hoped somebody would comment on the clinical uninstall as opposed to the regular uninstall
that 9 out of 10 users do world wide and that Armageddon will not happen.
I have added a question to my OP.

[Wittmann]

Revo Uninstaller scoops up all the left-overs, why bother with special AV programs provided by the vendor.

[alanb]

why bother with special AV programs provided by the vendor

Because third party uninstallers can often be "over-zealous" or incomplete, whereas the dedicated AV uninstallers are targeted to remove exactly the programs/drivers/services/registry entries that are required to fully uninstall the product.

[Wittmann]

All I can say is that I have uninstalled several AV's using just the basic uninstall program supplied with the AV.
AND nothing awful has ever happened. The same with McAfee a week ago - nothing..

Whilst I accept the technical aspect of this special uninstall, 14 years of experience using normal uninstall
programs with nothing untoward happening,  puts it in the frame of over sensitive paranoia.

[mchain]

All I can say is that I have uninstalled several AV's using just the basic uninstall program supplied with the AV.
AND nothing awful has ever happened. The same with McAfee a week ago - nothing..

Whilst I accept the technical aspect of this special uninstall, 14 years of experience using normal uninstall
programs with nothing untoward happening,  puts it in the frame of over sensitive paranoia.

Not really.  Don't think you ever ran into an instance where you've needed to resort to a specifically designed tool for final clean-up.

McAfee and Norton antivirus were known to brick networking drivers in the not too distant past if their specialised uninstallers were not used after uninstalling normally.  It was tough to diagnose the first few cases, so until that happened we were thrashing around for solutions...

Not the case anymore, maybe, but when one is in the helpdesk field, one must cover all the bases just in case.  Best practices. 

A happy customer is a satisfied customer.

[Wittmann]

The only problem with a vendor program uninstaller is that the vendor can choose what to delete and what to remain.

With Revo Uninstaller it all goes.

[Asyn]

Official info from Avast here: https://support.avast.com/en-ww/article/11/

Before installing Avast Antivirus software, ensure no other antivirus software including expired or trial versions are installed on your PC. When multiple antivirus programs are installed on one PC, conflicts such as false-positive detections, performance degradation, and system instability occur.

Most vendors offer special removal tools to completely uninstall their antivirus software from your system. If available, such tools are the preferred mode of uninstallation because uninstalling programs via the Windows Control Panel may leave files behind which prevent Avast Antivirus from being installed correctly.

[Wittmann]

Official info from Avast here: https://support.avast.com/en-ww/article/11/

Before installing Avast Antivirus software, ensure no other antivirus software including expired or trial versions are installed on your PC. When multiple antivirus programs are installed on one PC, conflicts such as false-positive detections, performance degradation, and system instability occur.

Most vendors offer special removal tools to completely uninstall their antivirus software from your system. If available, such tools are the preferred mode of uninstallation because uninstalling programs via the Windows Control Panel may leave files behind which prevent Avast Antivirus from being installed correctly.

Thanks Asyn,
I must have  scooped up all the flotsam because Avast is working perfectly.

[Asyn]

You're welcome.

[schmidthouse]

why bother with special AV programs provided by the vendor

Because third party uninstallers can often be "over-zealous" or incomplete, whereas the dedicated AV uninstallers are targeted to remove exactly the programs/drivers/services/registry entries that are required to fully uninstall the product.

+1
No doubt what so ever. Revo is well known for being overly aggressive and requires review before allowing to continue.
More information at Wilders: https://www.wilderssecurity.com/threads/novirusthanks-osarmor-an-additional-layer-of-defense.398859/page-94  POST # 2339

[bob3160]

How to Successfully Install Avast: http://goo.gl/VLXde

[baabel]

Once, on a new Windows 7 machine, I had a major problem after I uninstalled a factory installed McAfee and installed Avast.  McAfee offers a program on their website to REALLY uninstall their program. I did and solved my problem.

This begs the question, why doesn't the Control Panel uninstall do a full uninstall?  Why does McAfee require a separate uninstall program?

Way back in years ago, I had a similar problem with a factory installed Norton and had to download programs to really uninstall.  Norton was famous for problematic uninstalls then.  I haven't used them since. 

[bob3160]

Once, on a new Windows 7 machine, I had a major problem after I uninstalled a factory installed McAfee and installed Avast.  McAfee offers a program on their website to REALLY uninstall their program. I did and solved my problem.

This begs the question, why doesn't the Control Panel uninstall do a full uninstall?  Why does McAfee require a separate uninstall program?

Way back in years ago, I had a similar problem with a factory installed Norton and had to download programs to really uninstall.  Norton was famous for problematic uninstalls then.  I haven't used them since.

Almost all AV programs require the use of a special program to remove what's left over.
Follow the link I posted.