I plan on renewing my original anti-virus in a few weeks so I do not want to uninstall but it is expired as of now. Under "processes" I see it is still running but I am afraid to stop it because it may still be working. If I run the free download (different mftr.) it causes conflict. What should I do to keep my comp protected until I renew?
Whatever AV your running should have an uninstall tool. Check the link below. You may want to uninstall it completely while running another AV in it's place, being that even if it's disabled, the files from one AV could cause problems and false positives on another AV.
You can try disabling it and see if you can find another AV that will run with no problems, but generally, 2 AV's on the same machine don't always play well together.
Uninstallers (removal tools) for common antivirus software
Uninstallers (removal tools) for common antivirus software - ESET Knowledgebase
*Conventional wisdom says antivirus tools don't work well together — so a PC should have just one tool installed at any time.
You say you will not be renewing your original AV at this point.
My suggestion therefore..
* Use the appropriate AV uninstall tool to remove the original AV from your system until later when you decide to reinstall.
* Reboot.
* Make sure the free version you use in the interim is from a reliable source.
Keep the definitions updated.
Use the recommended uninstaller for your free version when you decide to return to your original choice again.
* Safe surfing...
Have you considered using Microsoft Security Essentials instead of your paid-for software?
It's free and many of us on these forums use it along with Malwarebytes.
You can download MSE here: Microsoft Security Essentials - Free Antivirus for Windows
If you do decide to use it, you will need to remove your current anti-virus program first.
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