Tip #3826 - More Than One Antivirus: Good or Bad?
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Q:
Is it okay to run more than one antivirus program at the same time? I
always thought it was, but I'd like to hear an update on it from you.
Thanks!
A:
The most simple answer is, "No, it's not okay to run more than one
antivirus program at the same time."
Technically, I've
answered your question, but I suppose I'll give you some reasons why too!
: ) All jokes aside though, this is a serious matter and this is something
that's important for every computer user to know. Now, I thought we had
done a tip on this in the past, but after searching and searching through
our archives, I couldn't find a decent article on the subject. But, even
if this is a duplicate, I feel it's important enough to go over again.
So, if you already know about all this, this could be a good refresher
for you or if you're not sure about it yet, please keep reading!
It makes sense that
we, as computer users, assume that if we have more than one antivirus
program on our computers, we will be better protected from outside threats.
We all think that if one of them doesn't catch something, the other surely
will. Well, this just isn't true. Using more than one program (or even
multiple versions of the same one) will likely cause you some problems.
Here are a couple of the biggest ones spelled out for you.
1.) You will
use up too many resources on your computer. Doing this will more
than likely slow your system down and it will truly affect your computer's
performance.
2.) You could
receive false virus alerts. Antivirus programs work by using
an actual virus to detect another one on your computer. So, if you have
more than one piece of software running at the same time, each program
will think the other is a virus. The two programs will conflict in many
ways, but this is one of the majors.
Now, as I'm sure you
can already figure out, it's recommended that you only install one antivirus
program on your PC. So, if you have two of them on your computer right
now, you should uninstall one right away. Now, you might be wondering
how you should pick which one to keep, right? Well, choose the one you're
the most familiar with. For example, if you have Norton and McAfee on
your computer, which one do you know the best? Which one is going to give
you the protection you need, but also ease of use? Those are just a couple
questions you should ask yourself before you decide.
Also, you might want
to look into the expenses of each program you have. If one is going to
be a little cheaper to upgrade, etc., you may want to go with that one.
Keep in mind also that there are several free antivirus programs available
today, so maybe that could be a deal breaker for you. Just weigh all your
options and make sure you choose the program that is going to be the best
for you and your computer.
If you already have
two antivirus programs on your computer, you can uninstall one by going
to Start, Control Panel, Add/Remove
Programs. From there, just find the name of the one you want
to get rid of and hit the Remove or Uninstall
button. That will take care of the program and all of its components as
well.
Now, if you still
don't think you're going to be protected enough, just make sure you keep
your virus definitions up to date and keep everything clean. Run your
virus scans on a weekly basis as well. If you do all that, you'll be just
fine with only one antivirus program. And believe me, your computer will
thank you. No more conflicts, no more slow downs and no more trouble.
The best is yet to come!
~ Erin
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