Re: McAfee
That McAfee WebAdvisor mostly comes in when other software is installed, Very often, you don't get a choice no matter how careful the installation options are read. Fortunately though, it's not the full blown McAfee AV program. It is just a browser extension that can be easily removed from within the browser ..but check for signs of it in 'Programs & Features' too.
AV programs eh? There's always plenty to discuss about all of them. I quite often look at '
AV-Comparatives' and '
AV-Test' to see what they say. Can a leopard change its spots? Both Norton and McAfee come in for criticism nearly everywhere, yet these two testing sites rate them as fairly good.
I have used Bitdefender Internet Security for the last three years and will probably use it for a fourth. I have no experience of McAfee but have of Norton. Not the old Norton that was reportedly so awful but the newer version that was a total rewrite of the program in 2009. I have to say that it didn't slow the computer down at all and I kept it on the system for about 3 years.
The trouble is that once these programs have got bad reputations it tends to stay with them forever. No matter how much they may have changed in development, users tend never to forgive bad experiences.
As regards getting rid of AV or other security programs, I find they all can be difficult to totally remove. Even if the removal tools are used, there can still be files and/or Registry entries left behind. The only way to completely remove such programs is often, a clean installation of the system. The best thing to do is: Do your research, not just here but everywhere, decide on what you think is best and then stick with it.