Yep, I wouldn't touch McAfee even with a barge pole. The first thing I did when I got my Dell Lappie was to scrub it clean.
Be happy with your clean install and do away with the OEM Partition(if any) and recovery partition.
Last edited by Brink; 11 Apr 2012 at 15:34. Reason: removed content not allowed
My new Dell dasktop came with a 15 month free McAfee. That was the first thing I uninstalled before I even connected to the web (and I did not bother to keep the key) and installed NIS2012 instead. No way would I tolerate McAfee on any of my systems. Just make sure you run the MPCR.exe after you did the normal windows uninstall. Else you might get problems with the next AV program.
McAfee has a good scanner though. They are good at finding rootkits. But that you can find for free on the web.
Don't worry about activation. The Win7 Reinstallation DVD which came with your Dell has the factory mass activation file included so that it reactivates itself using the factory OEM-SLP method.
If you reinstall with a Win7 retail DVD as is possible you'd instead use the Product Key on the COA sticker which changes activation method to OEM-COA which is managed directly in MS Activation servers and often requires a telephone robocall to MS during activation to record your hardware ID.
yep, Greg has already explained.
Both ABR and Advanced Tokens Manager facilitate activation of any future installs without going through the hassles of reactivating through the internet or calling Microsoft. The screenshots below show the stored activation info for my Dell laptop and my custom-built Desktop.
Dell Laptop: (ABR)
Custom-built desktop: (Advanced Tokens Manager)
I can now reinstall any number of times and simply restore the activation in just a click. Hope this clarifies your query.
I have forgot to take a back up of factory setting and dell has changed my hard drive, even the executive who has come to replacement did not inform me. I am using inspiron N5050, can any one help me for getting my factory restore setting?
Follow these steps to get a perfect Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7.
Everything needed is in the blue link including the installer which is the same as the Dell REinstallation DVD except that you will need to activate it from the Product Key on COA sticker and it will lack a Dell Logo on Computer>Properties page. But you will likely have a more recent installer provided in tutorial.
Put the wireless driver for your tag number into your backup in case you need it to get online to run all rounds of Important and Optional Updates which should deliver most of the rest of your drivers. If not import any other drivers needed from the Dell Support Downloads webpage for your tag number.
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