How to prevent a Conflict with Trial Antivirus in Windows 10

Description: Most new computers will have a 30-60 day trial of internet security or antivirus pre-installed with the factory image. If ESET NOD32 Antivirus or Smart Security is installed before uninstalling the existing trial of a similar type of program, the two programs will conflict with each other causing the computer’s performance to slow dramatically. This article will show you how to restart a Windows 10 computer into Safe Mode and then to uninstall the pre-installed trial, using McAfee LiveSafe Internet Security for this example.

  1. If the computer is currently powered on, restart the machine. In some cases, it may be best to press and hold the power button for 10 seconds to fully shut down the computer and then press the power button again to start the computer.
  2. When Windows starts and the password prompt appears, do not enter the password and login.
  3. Click the Power icon at the lower right hand corner of the screen.
    Windows 10 Power Button Icon
  4. Hold the Shift key on the keyboard and click the Restart option.
    Windows 10 Power Icon Options, Restart
  5. A screen will appear with additional options. Click Troubleshoot.
    Windows 10 Startup Options, Troubleshoot
  6. Click Advanced options.
    Windows 10 Troubleshooting Startup, Advanced Options
  7. Click Startup settings.
    Windows 10 Advanced Startup Options, Startup Settings
  8. Click the Restart button.
    Windows 10 Advanced Startup Settings, Restart
  9. The computer will restart again and will show additional options. Press either the 4 key or F4 on the keyboard to start the computer into Safe Mode.
    Windows 10 Advanced Startup Settings, Safe Mode Option
  10. Log in normally to the computer.
  11. Click the Start button and then click Settings.
    Windows 10 Start Button, Settings
  12. Click System and then click Apps & features.
    Windows 10 Settings, System
    Windows 10 System Settings, Apps and Features
  13. Click McAfee LiveSafe – Internet Security.
    Windows 10 Apps, McAfee
  14. Click the Uninstall button, and the second one to confirm.
    Windows 10 Apps, McAfee, Uninstall
  15. The uninstaller will open for McAfee and will ask which programs to remove. Click both checkboxes to place a check in both of them, and then click Remove.
    McAfee Uninstaller, Remove
  16. There will a prompt that you still have an active subscription, click Remove.
    McAfee Uninstaller, Confirmation, Remove
  17. Once the program has uninstalled, which can take several minutes, click the Restart now button. The computer will restart normally into Windows and will run much smoother than before.
    McAfee Uninstaller, Restart

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