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Kali

(55,004 posts)
Tue Sep 27, 2022, 11:30 PM Sep 2022

hating this laptop

playing around with a "new" laptop and it is now giving me a popup warning of an infection, wants me to "renew" macaffee account. don't have one. how do I handle this annoyance? it is a win 10 and I am still using the edge browser and the effing default bing search too. these popups are doubly annoying due to their noises.

I haven't had an infection on my old win 7 desktop running the built-in protection - whatever it is called with firefox ever.

LOL it was 3 viruses a while ago, now it says 5 and I haven't been anywhere. it started a few minutes ago when I googled oh excuse me, binged a question about sherbet punches (see Cooking and Baking) one of the sites I clicked on seemed to be the trigger.

23 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
hating this laptop (Original Post) Kali Sep 2022 OP
install ad blockers and or download firefox Tetrachloride Sep 2022 #1
when I finally went to 7 from xp it wasn't too bad Kali Sep 2022 #4
They still have uninstalling programs in the control panel kimbutgar Sep 2022 #2
I can't even find the control panel Kali Sep 2022 #6
In the search bar type control panel kimbutgar Sep 2022 #13
I did find something macaffee and uninstalled it Kali Sep 2022 #16
I happen to have the Geek Squad PoindexterOglethorpe Sep 2022 #3
I'm not at home, and even if I was it would be at least an hour to a best buy Kali Sep 2022 #8
Ah. PoindexterOglethorpe Sep 2022 #14
seem to have got the pop up thing stopped Kali Sep 2022 #17
Download and Install Malwarebytes would be my suggestion. Once everything were BootinUp Sep 2022 #5
I do have that on my desktop. I wonder if the subscription is good for more than one device? Kali Sep 2022 #10
Just select free trial. Let it check/clean BootinUp Sep 2022 #15
oh, ok will probably not do anything else tonight as it seems to be back to "normal" Kali Sep 2022 #18
MS AV seems pretty solid. OAITW r.2.0 Sep 2022 #7
that was the impression I got Kali Sep 2022 #9
Download and Install Firefox... ultralite001 Sep 2022 #11
can edge be uninstalled? Kali Sep 2022 #12
cant uninstall it. make something else your deffault browser. win 7 and 10 arent that different nt msongs Sep 2022 #19
Yup... ultralite001 Sep 2022 #21
If it were me I'd download a clean copy of Windows 10 from MS onto a USB drive Hugh_Lebowski Sep 2022 #20
no files that I care about Kali Sep 2022 #23
Yippee... ultralite001 Sep 2022 #22

Tetrachloride

(7,817 posts)
1. install ad blockers and or download firefox
Tue Sep 27, 2022, 11:35 PM
Sep 2022

from

getfirefox
dot
com

——— hopefully an experienced person will advise in detail real soon

i suspect that manufacturers is not too clean in their install

Kali

(55,004 posts)
4. when I finally went to 7 from xp it wasn't too bad
Tue Sep 27, 2022, 11:41 PM
Sep 2022

but I am really not liking this thing. so much in your face BS. thought my reluctance was just my fear of change, and I was trying to give it a chance. I can't find ANYTHING, there is too much crap trying to push connecting all my devices and shop. ugh.

kimbutgar

(21,055 posts)
2. They still have uninstalling programs in the control panel
Tue Sep 27, 2022, 11:37 PM
Sep 2022

Just uninstall macaffe. I had this on a new laptop also and then installed the anti virus software I use.

PoindexterOglethorpe

(25,816 posts)
3. I happen to have the Geek Squad
Tue Sep 27, 2022, 11:38 PM
Sep 2022

from Best Buy, and it is one of the best things ever.

I only use it every other year or so, but when I do it more than pays for itself.

Kali

(55,004 posts)
8. I'm not at home, and even if I was it would be at least an hour to a best buy
Tue Sep 27, 2022, 11:45 PM
Sep 2022

not sure where one is around here (and now I am askeered to "bing" anything else LOL)

also I didn't buy this from them so...

PoindexterOglethorpe

(25,816 posts)
14. Ah.
Tue Sep 27, 2022, 11:57 PM
Sep 2022

I happen to buy most of my computers from Best Buy, so the Geek Squad makes sense for me.

Hope you get your problem solved.

Kali

(55,004 posts)
17. seem to have got the pop up thing stopped
Wed Sep 28, 2022, 12:05 AM
Sep 2022

I need to do some downloading and customizing. I mostly just hang out here on DU, was being lazy about messing around with all that. hell I still haven't switched my phone over from what? 6 months ago? I don't like change just for the sake of change. Also did I mention I am lazy?

BootinUp

(47,085 posts)
5. Download and Install Malwarebytes would be my suggestion. Once everything were
Tue Sep 27, 2022, 11:42 PM
Sep 2022

back under control it could be be removed or deactivated.

Kali

(55,004 posts)
10. I do have that on my desktop. I wonder if the subscription is good for more than one device?
Tue Sep 27, 2022, 11:49 PM
Sep 2022

I will have to check when I get home.

BootinUp

(47,085 posts)
15. Just select free trial. Let it check/clean
Tue Sep 27, 2022, 11:57 PM
Sep 2022

reboot a couple times. Then uninstall it. Then go to windows troubleshooting and troubleshoot windows updates. Then reboot. Then check for windows updates.

Kali

(55,004 posts)
18. oh, ok will probably not do anything else tonight as it seems to be back to "normal"
Wed Sep 28, 2022, 12:07 AM
Sep 2022

interesting one of the two top search results from bing seemed to trigger all this. just a coincidence?

OAITW r.2.0

(24,295 posts)
7. MS AV seems pretty solid.
Tue Sep 27, 2022, 11:43 PM
Sep 2022

I don't have any 3rd Party AV programs running and I I don't seem to have any problems.

Wrt Mcafee....I would take a close look at the programs running in Task Manage and the Software programs running under setting/programs., Chances are you have a "reminder" program to annoy you that is simply a McAfee pop-up to get you to buy it. You may have other programs that run similar installed software reminders that you can kill as well

Kali

(55,004 posts)
9. that was the impression I got
Tue Sep 27, 2022, 11:47 PM
Sep 2022

I found it in some side menu finally and I think I uninstalled it. the icon went away, anyway. popup hasn't returned either so maybe that was it.

ultralite001

(892 posts)
11. Download and Install Firefox...
Tue Sep 27, 2022, 11:51 PM
Sep 2022

Make Firefox your default search engine...

Turn off pop-ups (Firefox settings)... (Privacy & Security/Permissions)

Uninstall McAfee...

Uninstall Edge browser...


msongs

(67,361 posts)
19. cant uninstall it. make something else your deffault browser. win 7 and 10 arent that different nt
Wed Sep 28, 2022, 12:53 AM
Sep 2022
 

Hugh_Lebowski

(33,643 posts)
20. If it were me I'd download a clean copy of Windows 10 from MS onto a USB drive
Wed Sep 28, 2022, 01:37 AM
Sep 2022

Reformat the disk and install it.

Assuming you still can get W10 from them. If not, lot's of places I'd imagine still host W10 install files you can download.

There's a few things you have to look out for like making sure you either have the license key for your windows copy (like on a sticker on the lappie, or somewhere in the box), or you set up a Microsoft account that tracks the license for that machine.

And then there's the fact you may have files you 'care about', you'll need to back them up before you reformat the drive.

And a few other concerns.

Myself, I'd never use the copy of Windows that came pre-installed on a new machine. Too much crap on those vendor-modified OS's.

MHO, YMMV.

Kali

(55,004 posts)
23. no files that I care about
Wed Sep 28, 2022, 10:34 AM
Sep 2022

I bought this thing more than a year ago, maybe even 2. I think off woot before I got sick of their non-bargains. I'm not seeing a sticker, that is odd. but it is a refurb. must have tossed box, though it could be out on junk porch somewhere. still, as annoying as this thing is, might be worth finding new copy. will see. I haven't spent much time trying to get rid of stuff - partly because I had sort of planned to give it to one of the kids anyway and just wanted something other than a phone for (mostly DU) surfing while traveling.

I inherited a nice old Toshiba that was well taken care of that I may make my own if I can find the note that I wrote the password on. OOPS.

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