Problems with windows defender after 4home download.

[laptop]

I am new to windows/pc former mac user(may go back) My McAfee trial expired and a friend of mine recommended avast, so I downloaded it last night. Now I have a windows security alert (shield with red x) and windows defender problem. Error states Program can not check for definition updates, 0x80240029
Security Center states windows defender out of date when I click update I get a message Security Center can not update definitions for Windows Defender.
I have windows Vista Home basic. Currenty on dial up.
I browsed through the forum but I did not see this problem, what is my next step?
Thanks in advance.
CB

[MrRAlan]

Did you make sure to properly uninstall McAfee before installing avast?

[laptop]

I uninstalled McAfee after I downloaded avast, I did not see any instructions to do so before downlading? cb

[MrRAlan]

It's okay to download avast first, but did you uninstall Mcafee before installing avast.

[laptop]

No, I uninstalled after.

[MrRAlan]

That could be your problem, not sure.  I've always found it better to remove your previous version of antivirus first.  I would uninstall avast and see if everything else starts to work again.  If so, then I would reinstall avast.  You might want to try to find a mcafee uninstaller and run it after you uninstall avast to make sure it is totally removed.  Try a google search and see if one exists.

[Lisandro]

No, I uninstalled after.

Bad...
To remove McAfee you need to do via Add/Remove and then the manual removal of the registry keys left behind with their on-line instructions.

They've released VSCleanupTool (http://download.mcafee.com/products/licensed/cust_support_patches/VSCleanupTool.exe) to do that either, just go to http://www.us.mcafee.com and click the Tech Support tab (provide your version number in Step 1 and select install/uninstall in Step 2). You can go to their user forum at http://www.forums.mcafeehelp.com if you should have problems or questions.
Check http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=20560.msg172602#msg172602 also.

You can find many free versions of these registry cleaners here:
http://www.snapfiles.com/Freeware/system/fwregtools.html

[laptop]

Tried to run VSC clean up tool, error windows can not find mccleanup.exe. Why would McAfee upset windows defender wouldn't downloading avast with defender as opposed to McAfee cause problems too? Why would the registry cause problems for defender,could someone explain the cause of why defender wont download the definitions? . I spend more time worrying about a damn virus than I do using my pc. Should I uninstall Avast?
cb

I went to McAfee site ran uninstall tool MCPR.exe. to remove all McAfee supported products. Appeared to be succesful, but I still have a Windows Defender problem as described?
cb

[Spiritsongs]

   Hi :

     McAfee has 2 different "Removal Tool(s)", based on WHICH years product
     you have !?  "Tech" seems to always quote the one for the 2006 product;
     IF you had their "2007" product, you should "replace" the "VSCleanupTool"
     with "MCPR" and run that .

      Since McAfee does NOT seem to be COMPLETELY REMOVED from your
      machine, it seems best to uninstall Avast, including the use of its
     "Uninstall Application" if necessary. See the info at
      www.avast.com/eng/faq-install-uninstall-avast.html  .

      Have heard that "Windows Defender" is "built-in" with the Vista OS !?
      There are better antispyware/antitrojan programs; it is possible to
      "disable", perhaps "uninstall" this program ? There are quite a few
      experiencing problems with the new Vista OS and the "Security Center"
      has proven to be unreliable in the past; there has been several threads
      on this Forum about the "Security Center".

[Lisandro]

"Tech" seems to always quote the one for the 2006 product

Sorry. I've updated my knowledge bank...

[DavidR]

And mine

[laptop]

Well, I turned off security center auto updates and manually ran update for defender and it updated the definitions. I turned auto update back on and, so far, all is well. I guess I'll find out when it tries to update again. Am I just doubling up on my protection using both avast and defender and really do not need defender? What else should I get to protect the computer?

When I down loaded avast it installed a short cut on to the desktop. When I double click it a dialog box comes up and performs some sort of "memory check"? what is it doing? Also a control panel pops up, am I supposed to manually check the drives? Does avast automatically check everything? I'm not quite understanding the basic help pop up is there a user friendly description of how to fully use this software? Any info is appreciated and thanks to those who have posted help.
cb

[Lisandro]

Am I just doubling up on my protection using both avast and defender and really do not need defender? What else should I get to protect the computer?

Doubling is too much... increasing, maybe. I really doubt that Windows Defender could caught anything different than avast. But, I know, there will be tons of avast users against me in this opinion...

When I down loaded avast it installed a short cut on to the desktop. When I double click it a dialog box comes up and performs some sort of "memory check"? what is it doing?

Scanning the RAM (memory)... It's the splash screen. You can disable this test on the settings.

Also a control panel pops up, am I supposed to manually check the drives? Does avast automatically check everything?

On-demand you need to chose the area (what) you want to be scanned.
On-access, yes, avast scans everything.