BleepingComputer.com: Switching AV safely: do I need to uninstall the current one completely, first?

Hi, I'm not renewing my Vipre subscription due to lack of income. After much research I've decided to try Avira (free), supplemented by whatever else I need. (Avast is on my other computer, and I actually switched from Avira, but I don't remember why, and I'm going to go crazy if I don't try it again, so I can compare them for myself!)

I have a week of the paid subscription left, and I'd like to try Avira out while I still have Vipre available, in case Avira doesn't work out. Can I just turn Vipre off while I try Avira, or will I need to uninstall it completely?

thanks!

That may or may not work. Dual installation is not always possible because most of the newer anti-virus programs will detect the presence of others and may insist they be removed prior to download and installation of another. If the installation does complete with another anti-virus already installed, you may encounter issues like system freezing, unresponsiveness or similar symptoms while trying to use it.

Before removing your existing anti-virus, please read Replacing your Anti-virus.

Well, I knew I couldn't have them both on at once, at least. I'll follow the directions you linked to, thanks.

btw, I noticed something about changing passwords when you've been infected. If someone was sending out bogus emails to my contacts, does that count as my being infected? I changed the password for that account, obviously (Yahoo) but am wondering if I need to change everything else.

Anytime you encounter a malware infection on your computer or believe it has been hacked, especially if that computer was used for online banking, paying bills, has credit card information or other sensitive data on it, all passwords should be changed immediately to include those used for taxes, email, eBay, paypal and any other online activities. You should consider them to be compromised and change passwords from a clean computer as a precaution, not the infected one. If not, an attacker may get the new passwords and transaction information. Banking and credit card institutions should be notified immediately of the possible security breach. Failure to notify your financial institution and local law enforcement can result in refusal to reimburse funds lost due to fraud or similar criminal activity.

If using a router, you also need to reset it with a strong logon/password before connecting again. Consult these links to find out the default username and password for your router, and write down that information so it is available when doing the reset:

• Router Password
  
• Default Password List

These are general instructions for how to reset a router,:

• Unplug or turn off your DSL/cable modem.
  
• Locate the router's reset button.
  
• Press, and hold, the Reset button down for 30 seconds.
  
• Wait for the Power, WLAN and Internet light to turn on (On the router).
  
• Plug in or turn on your modem (if it is separate from the router).
  
• Open your web browser to see if you have an Internet connection.
  
• If you don't have an Internet connection you may need to restart your computer.

For more specific information on your particular model, check the owner's manual. If you do not have a manual, look for one on the vendor's web site which you can download and keep for future reference.

quietman7, on 07 February 2012 - 09:01 AM, said:

I should have been clearer about my question. I didn't think this was computer-based; it seemed like only that one account was a problem, and all the info for it is stored online (Yahoo Mail). Changing the password on it seemed to take care of the problem. It was one of those things that spammed my contacts. Nothing else has happened. Does this still count as my computer having been infected?

Thanks!

A spambot is a type of web crawler designed to scan the Internet and extract e-mail addresses and hyperlinks from various sources (newsgroups, bulletin boards, web pages, chat rooms, etc) in order to build mass mailing lists for sending unsolicited e-mail (spam). Spambots and Email relays typically come packaged with rootkits so I'd be concerned about what happened. Rather than take a chance, I would change all my passwords to be on the safe side...but that's just me and my opinion.