Getting Rid Of McAfee On Windows 8 and Starting Windows Defender

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Please tell me I’m missing the obvious. I’m setting up a new laptop for my sister, and apparently I am unable to replace McAfee with Windows Defender. I get as far as Security in the Action Center and select “View Installed Antispyware apps”. This then shows McAfee as “Snoozed” (having disabled it for startup) and Windows Defender as Off. I click on that and “Turn On…” is grayed out.

If it means anything the machine was bought at Best Buy. I have been using CCleaner to clean out the trialware, of which McAfee is one such item.

What am I missing?

(I’m quite happy with Microsoft Security Essentials on my Windows 7 machines, and I understand Defender is the same thing for Windows 8.)

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Uninstall McAfee using the Control Panel. Windows Defender should then be automatically reinstated.

Joe

--Joe

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Uninstall McAfee using the Control Panel. Windows Defender should then be automatically reinstated.

Joe

Thank you sir! I hadn’t deleted McAfee because I thought I might be without any protection while I figured things out, but you were right, deleting McAfee did the trick.

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Use the MCPR tool after the normal uninstall of McAfee, it has a habit of leaving things behind which may cause issues later: http://service.mcafee.com/FAQDocument.aspx?lc=1033&id=TS101331

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