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?
My Computer
At a glance
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit 7601 ...AMD Athlon(tm) II P320 Dual-Core Processor3.00 GB Usable 2.75 GBATI Mobility Radeon HD 4200 Series
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Toshiba-Satellite C655-portable
OS
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit 7601 Multiprocessor Free Service Pack 1
CPU
AMD Athlon(tm) II P320 Dual-Core Processor
Motherboard
TOSHIBA Portable PC
Memory
3.00 GB Usable 2.75 GB
Graphics Card(s)
ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4200 Series
Sound Card
High Definition Audio Device
Monitor(s) Displays
Generic PNP Monitor
Screen Resolution
1366 x 768
Cooling
Microsoft ACPI-Compliant System
Keyboard
Standard 101/102-Key or Microsoft Natural PS/2 Keyboard with
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
*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.