Windows Defender Conflict: Windows Firewall & McAfee
Computers that use the Windows Vista or Windows 7 operating system have the Windows Defender spyware scanning software pre-installed. The Windows Defender works in conjunction with the Windows Firewall, but may cause conflicts with McAfee software, because it operates in the background in “real-time.” Because Windows Defender, the Windows Firewall and McAfee all perform the same function, using them on the same computer can cause multiple problems.
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Dual Virus Protection Programs
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Leaving Windows Defender and the Windows Firewall on while using a third-party anti-virus program such as McAfee causes a conflict in the computer that results in multiple, but random errors that can be hard to trace. McAfee VirusScan software comes with its own firewall, and will disable the Windows Firewall and Windows Defender when it runs. This conflict can prevent you from accessing the Internet. It can also keep you from reviewing emails with attachments and creates a variety of error codes that continually pop-up on your screen.
Poor Computer Performance
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When you have software that conflicts in this way running on your computer, you will continually experience screen freezes and pop-ups that request you to perform an action, all of which makes it difficult to use your computer. It is not recommended to run more than one type of computer anti-virus program at a time, because running two programs will create conflicts, regardless of the programs used. All programs running on the computer must be compatible to create the best computer user experience.
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Choose Between Programs
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Select between the programs that you want to use. Microsoft also offers a Microsoft Security Essentials program that offers real-time scanning of your computer to protect against virus threats. You can run the Microsoft Security Essentials software in conjunction with your Windows Defender and Windows Firewall. These programs are created for integration. If you decide to run the McAfee software instead, you will need to disable all of the Windows default programs to avoid computer conflicts.
Uninstalling McAfee Software
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If you decide to use the Windows programs on your computer and add the Microsoft Security Essentials program, uninstall McAfee from your computer. Go to the Control Panel menu on your Windows computer and select the “Add or Remove Programs” option from the menu. After removal, even though it reboots your computer, it may not get rid of all of the McAfee programs from the computer. McAfee provides a special download that will allow you to remove the rest of the files on your Windows-based computer to get it functional again.
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