Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: Adobe and McAfee  (Read 1849 times)

Andres Bonilla

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 792
Adobe and McAfee
« on: December 22, 2014, 03:20:26 pm »

It seems than more and more reputable companies are bundling their updates with bloatware. I made the mistake of updating Adobe Reader and it installed McAfee Antivirus. I don't use Bit torrents or much freeware because I want to avoid bloatware. I thought Adobe was safe. I used to love Revo Uninstaller but last time I did not checked and got the computer full of crapware like Conduit etc. Now the free version of Revo is really bad, it only detects half of the software you have installed. I noticed that some of them have the decline button grey out as to suggest it is not an option; I have always installed with the customized option to see what are the choices but it is getting harder to find that option. I read in the Net that more and more users are declining and checking off the free crap and they still get spigots, browser hijacks and all kind of unwanted BS.

 So now I have to uninstall McAfee because it supposes to conflict with AVG and the the uninstaller does not do a comple job, you have to download a removal tool. What a PITA     .
Logged

deejjjaaaa

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1170
Re: Adobe and McAfee
« Reply #1 on: December 22, 2014, 03:26:40 pm »

It seems than more and more reputable companies are bundling their updates with bloatware.

there was a checkbox to uncheck in order not to install mcafee...
Logged

OldRoy

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 470
    • http://
Re: Adobe and McAfee
« Reply #2 on: December 22, 2014, 04:31:11 pm »

As someone else has already pointed out there was (almost certainly) a check box that was preset to install the unwanted application. Deselecting it would have eliminated the problem. That said, this is becoming a very widespread problem. You need to look carefully at each field before proceeding to the next stage of installation.

Currently the biggest problem is with browser hijackers and malevolent search engines ("ask", "jeeves" etc) and some of these can be extraordinarily hard to remove. In some cases a search for solutions can easily lead to additional malware installations, typically those that claim to discover hundreds of "infections" but which won't remove them until you install a paid upgrade. Even worse there are some instances where what appears to be a clean installation actually includes malware without any option to deselect it.

I recently got caught by one of these. I was looking to install "WinAmp", a well-established freeware audio application. As ever, Google threw up numerous different sites from which to download the WinAmp installer. I hastily selected one of the top returns and instantly had the feeling I'd been had. And I had been had. Now I'm no novice but the two vicious applications I'd installed almost defeated me. Mercifully I can't remember the names but one was a browser hijacker and the other a search engine.

I managed, with difficulty, to remove the first but the latter was incredibly tenacious. If you stopped the processes it was running in order to delete the executable and support files, they instantly restarted. Purging the registry likewise. It also disabled the System Restore process. In the end I had to do a complete system image re-installation - the first time I've had to do this on Win 8.1. In fact the whole process took me back to the sort of problems that were common on Win systems a decade or more ago.

When installing any of these freeware and shareware programs it's wise to think carefully about the source of the installers. Many of the program originators allow almost anyone to host their installers. Some of these sites are kosher and some are simply opportunities for predation. The well-established freeware aggregator sites (like FileHippo and MajorGeeks) are your best bet. If you can, determine the application creator's own website (which may require a bit of investigation first) and download only from there.

Think before you click!
« Last Edit: December 22, 2014, 04:34:18 pm by OldRoy »
Logged

John Koerner

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 866
  • "Fortune favors the bold." Virgil
    • John Koerner Photography
Re: Adobe and McAfee
« Reply #3 on: December 22, 2014, 10:27:05 pm »

Currently the biggest problem is with browser hijackers and malevolent search engines ("ask", "jeeves" etc) and some of these can be extraordinarily hard to remove. In some cases a search for solutions can easily lead to additional malware installations, typically those that claim to discover hundreds of "infections" but which won't remove them until you install a paid upgrade. Even worse there are some instances where what appears to be a clean installation actually includes malware without any option to deselect it.

So true. I hate those intrusive search engines.

My ex downloaded a "freeware" application and it gave her a computer virus. No antivirus program could find it (Norton couldn't, McAfee couldn't, etc.).

I did an internet search, and found "one company" that could find and eradicate this virus ... and then got the sneaking suspicion that they were also the company that created the virus. Sure enough, their verbiage was almost identical.

Nice ploy! Install viruses onto systems (that nobody else could detect) via "freeware" ... then sell people the Anti-virus software to eliminate it ::)

Needless to say, we erased the hard drive and reinstalled her software, rather than further pollute her computer with this company's crap.
Logged

Andres Bonilla

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 792
Re: Adobe and McAfee
« Reply #4 on: December 23, 2014, 01:42:25 pm »

As someone else has already pointed out there was (almost certainly) a check box that was preset to install the unwanted application. Deselecting it would have eliminated the problem. That said, this is becoming a very widespread problem. You need to look carefully at each field before proceeding to the next stage of installation.

Currently the biggest problem is with browser hijackers and malevolent search engines ("ask", "jeeves" etc) and some of these can be extraordinarily hard to remove. In some cases a search for solutions can easily lead to additional malware installations, typically those that claim to discover hundreds of "infections" but which won't remove them until you install a paid upgrade. Even worse there are some instances where what appears to be a clean installation actually includes malware without any option to deselect it.

I recently got caught by one of these. I was looking to install "WinAmp", a well-established freeware audio application. As ever, Google threw up numerous different sites from which to download the WinAmp installer. I hastily selected one of the top returns and instantly had the feeling I'd been had. And I had been had. Now I'm no novice but the two vicious applications I'd installed almost defeated me. Mercifully I can't remember the names but one was a browser hijacker and the other a search engine.

I managed, with difficulty, to remove the first but the latter was incredibly tenacious. If you stopped the processes it was running in order to delete the executable and support files, they instantly restarted. Purging the registry likewise. It also disabled the System Restore process. In the end I had to do a complete system image re-installation - the first time I've had to do this on Win 8.1. In fact the whole process took me back to the sort of problems that were common on Win systems a decade or more ago.

When installing any of these freeware and shareware programs it's wise to think carefully about the source of the installers. Many of the program originators allow almost anyone to host their installers. Some of these sites are kosher and some are simply opportunities for predation. The well-established freeware aggregator sites (like FileHippo and MajorGeeks) are your best bet. If you can, determine the application creator's own website (which may require a bit of investigation first) and download only from there.

Think before you click!
True what I have read most people end up doing complete restores rather than trying to solve a very difficult removal. I have noticed that CNet takes you to a different installer once you click on the one you want, you have to read very carefully because you ended up downloading something else. ADWCleaner  is a wonderful program but it was also hosted in a website that want it to install lost of crapware. I finally found the original website.
Logged

jjj

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 4728
    • http://www.futtfuttfuttphotography.com
Re: Adobe and McAfee
« Reply #5 on: December 23, 2014, 05:22:50 pm »

One of the worst problems I ever had on Windows was not a virus, but Norton Antivirus. Not only that it was impossible to remove.
I ended up doing a fresh install and never used the crappy software ever again.
Logged
Tradition is the Backbone of the Spinele

John Koerner

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 866
  • "Fortune favors the bold." Virgil
    • John Koerner Photography
Re: Adobe and McAfee
« Reply #6 on: December 23, 2014, 07:16:32 pm »

One of the worst problems I ever had on Windows was not a virus, but Norton Antivirus. Not only that it was impossible to remove.
I ended up doing a fresh install and never used the crappy software ever again.

Norton itself is a PITA, true.
Logged

Andres Bonilla

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 792
Re: Adobe and McAfee
« Reply #7 on: December 23, 2014, 07:41:47 pm »

One of the worst problems I ever had on Windows was not a virus, but Norton Antivirus. Not only that it was impossible to remove.
I ended up doing a fresh install and never used the crappy software ever again.


It is true and it also slows down your computer, I was advised to do a complete restore after uninstalling it.
Logged

xocet

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 41
Re: Adobe and McAfee
« Reply #8 on: December 24, 2014, 05:45:12 am »

Ninite have a nice little tool that will keep all the utility programs up to date without subjecting you to the associated crapware even the bigger companies are "helpfully bundling" these days.
Logged
Pages: [1]   Go Up