VISTA 64-BIT and McAfee Apathy

[Lexonex]

Just like everyone out there to know there are other anti-virus vendors besides McAfee and Norton. I purchased a multi-year anti-virus software product from McAfee NOT knowing they had absolutely no 64-bit Vista compatible product/downloads on the market. McAfee left me hanging and NO REFUND. All of their discussion board company monkeys kept saying it was coming. NEVER SHOWED.

Everyone is entitled to make the decision to go with 32-bit Vista O.S. or the 64-bit O.S. DON?T LET THE LACK OF 64-bit ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE FROM THESE TWO VENDORS MAKE THAT DECISION FOR YOU. I am pleased to announce I have purchased a year subscription from Trend Micro and it is performing nicely with only one glitch(1) and hope to be resolved by a future download update by Trend Micro.

Remember, much of your software will NOT run with Vista and products/software claiming to be “VISTA READY” are referring the to the 32-bit version and NOT the 64-bit.

But, once you are up and running with VISTA 64-bit it is really cool. Did you know it offers an I.E. 7 browser in a 32-bit version AND 64-bit version?

Take a look:

http://members.cox.net/lexonex/McAfee.bmp

glitch(1): My issue/problem is still with me and I believe it is a Trend Micro problem with Vista. I still can NOT scan my computer for viruses UNLESS I go to the Control Panel (classic view), click on User Accounts and go to “Turn User Account Control On or Off” and click OFF. I must then reboot my PC and then open my Trend Micro Internet Security 2007 main console to scan for viruses. ONLY AFTER I HAVE TURNED OFF THE USER ACCOUNT CONTROL AND REBOOT CAN I SCAN MY PC FOR VIRUSES?.This is a cumbersome step just to do a computer scan for viruses, please let?s get this fixed.

Specs:

Windows Vista Home Premium

64-bit Operating System

I.E. 7 (32-bit and 64-bit)

Gateway FX510S

Intel? Pentium? D CPU 3.40GHz

4093 MB RAM

NVIDIA GeForce 7600 GS Graphics Card

(IP Provider Cox Cable)

Download: 10.0 Mbps Upload: 1.0 Mbps

Coaxial direct to tower for TV viewing on Monitor

(Hardware)

Linksys Cable Modem Ethernet connection

HP LaserJet 1300 PCL 5 printer

Logitech Z-5300 Speakers and Sub-Woofer

20” Envision LCD Monitor

30 GB Zune Digital Media Player

APC Back-UPS ES 750

Western Digital 60 GB Removable hard drive

Belkin 15in1 Media Reader/Writer

(Software)

MS Office Professional 2007

Adobe Acrobat 8

Trend Micro Internet Security 2007

MS Zune Software Version 1.3

Edited April 20, 2007 by Lexonex

[Lexonex]

Is McAfee compatible with Windows Vista?

Summary: Yes, McAfee is compatible with all 32-bit versions of Microsoft Windows Vista. For specific product and operating system requirements, see below.

Affected Products:

McAfee 2007 Consumer Products

Affected Operating Systems:

Microsoft Windows Vista

Description

McAfee 2007 security products will be Vista compatible soon after Microsoft releases this new software to consumers. Upgrades will be made available to McAfee users who are registered and have valid subscriptions. They will complement Vista by providing advanced protection against online threats and hacker attacks.

McAfee recommends not taking any chances with your valuable time, property, precious personal information, reputation and identity. It is important to have the best protection and layered security. McAfee is dedicated to and trusted for providing consumers with the best PC security and ID theft prevention available.

What a load of crap....What about us 64-bit folks?.....What about giving us an update?.....Where is my money I spent on your useless product?.....Never Again.......

[spaceelf]

Yeah it's pretty much endemic to the mainstream antivirus vendors. Their apps are so OS intrusive that they have to rework them to make them work in x64.

They still don't work in XP x64 either.

Oh well. I'm not complaining, since I don't use an antivirus (and no I don't recommend that, just a personal thing.)

[Lexonex]

I believe the companies are going after the ?32-bit Universe? because of its? size. Even Microsoft does not make it easy. I did a lot of research on ?Vista? and I was sold on the idea of 64-bit computing. Little did I know that MS shipped ONLY the 32-bit version of Vista with the exception of the top version ?Ultimate? (and I?m not even sure on that). I had to spend an additional $9.95 to get the 64-bit version of Premium that was shipped separately. These are not just 64-bit ?drivers? but the entire O.S. and I had to do ANOTHER clean install. Believe me if you are upgrading make sure you do a ?clean? install after saving your files to an external hard drive. ..My advice to anyone is get the 64-bit version installed from the PC manufacturer.

I guess MS and many of the vendors are betting that most PCs out there are lacking the hardware, memory, graphics card, processor and software to handle the 64-bit. I did my home work and made sure the Gateway model I ordered could handle the 64-bit Vista. I ordered it with the Media Edition XP. It was okay but, I made the decision to go forward to the 64-bit Universe and I am NOT going back or looking back. I had some compatibility issues with my software (2002 MS Office Professional, Adobe Photo Shop Elements and Adobe7.0 Standard and an XP Scanjet 3970 Scanner?.all of which I had to junk) I?m 64-bit and here to stay. I?ve lost my faxing ability too. Vista does not have it like XP did. Waiting for Mightyfax to come out with some compatible faxing software.

I did find a problem when having my I.E. 64-bit version open. If you try and open an XPS (Vista?s free document printer and viewer to compete with Adobe and PDF format) it goes nuts opening and closing and opening and closing?..Make sure your I.E. 64-bit browser is closed before you open an XPS file.

[spaceelf]

Yeah it's chicken-egg in a bad way. 64 bit needs support to be supported, in effect. But there are some approaching dealbreakers that will push more pople to 64.

MS is really pushing 64 this time around, and it's good, because with any luck they won't even offer a 32 bit version of their next OS. It's not that people don't want change, it's that they feel they have no reason to...MS forcing the issue is a good thing because a lot of companies are refusing to support an emergent userbase.

Does 64 bit have immediately noticable benefits? Not to everyone...neither did 32 bit when it came out. But it definately has benefits which will show more and more as both OSes and applications get more complicated, and it's a necessary change. Even though Vista (and x64) does bring some new issues and annoyances to the table, I don't know how people are deciding 'more of the same' is better.

Some good notes on x64:

More impressive game ports are coming

x64 Flash plugins are coming (a real dealbreaker on using a 64 bit browser for many people)

Driver support is really solid, if not necessarily for older equipment

Product testers are no longer ignoring it (unless the company particularly sucks on support)

And so on. So yes, obviously I remain optimistic. I was kind of down about the lack of x64 support on XP x64, but I think it's finally going to be coming into its' own.

[Lexonex]

Dear Lexonex,

Hello there! A pleasant day to you! My name is John from Consumer Escalation Team and I will be assisting you on this issue. To keep our records up-to-date, it is very important to RESPOND to this e-mail.

I have carefully read your email and have understood your concern.

Regarding Turning-off User Account Cotrol of WIndows Vista. This feature of Windows Vista is the same as the Suspicious Software Alarm System of Trend Micro Internet Security 2007. Turning-it off really does not harm your computer since you have this kind of feature working in your Trend Micro program. It even allows you not to have that annoying pop-up each time you install or open other programs.

Right-now we don't have any information yet if there will be a patch for that problem since it's really about WIndows Vista's permissions on the programs running in your computer. It's like Trend Micro not being allowed by Windows Vista to work normally. And for the feature to run, it's either we turn-off User Account Control or set some exceptions for other programs in User Account Control which right-now; WIndows' Vista does not give an option. If ever a patch should be created for this problem, it should be a patch from Microsoft so they can allow valid programs to run normally when User Account Control is on.

But we are not closing our options and are still testing if there is a way that the whole Trend Micro program as a whole can be permitted by WIndows Vista to run normally.

I hope I have answered your inquiries clearly.

I will patiently wait for your reply.

Please let me know if I can close this case already.

VERY IMPORTANT: In order for me to have a history of our correspondence, please do not delete the subject and the contents of this email.

Hope this proves useful and have a nice day :)

Best Regards,

Consumer Support Team

TrendLabs HQ, Trend Micro Incorporated

[Lexonex]

Saturday, February 17, 2007 5:39 PM jesper

64-bit Anti-Virus For Vista

One of the (few) security tools that does not come with Windows Vista is anti-virus. Tons of people have asked about which one to use, and which are available. The answer is: most are available for 32-bit Vista already. Malke, a Windows Shell MVP, put together a list of 32-bit anti-virus programs that work on Vista.

Fewer of the programs are also available in 64-bit versions. I was able to confirm availability of the following in 64-bit versions:

Name Cost Notes

Avast!

Home edition is free.

AVG

$38.95 for two years

CA eTrust

$29.95 Primarily designed for businesses and sold via site-licenses but can be bought stand-alone too. The consumer version is not available in 64-bit yet.

McAfee

$39.99 for one year The web site claims the enterprise version works on 64-bit, but McAfee technical support is adamant that they have no versions that work on 64-bit Windows. I would recommend you stay away from McAfee until they figure out what products they actually make.

NOD32

$39 for one year

Trend Micro

$39.95 for one year

http://msinfluentials.com/blogs/jesper/arc...-for-vista.aspx

Edited April 22, 2007 by Lexonex

[Lexonex]

Here is an Update on the McAfee folks and the kind of business they run. Apparently, hidden in their user agreement is an ?automatic? renewal claBECAUSE I WAS CHARGED ON MY VISA TODAY!...Give me a break?I will NEVER do businessMcAfeeee again.

?Vista? compatible? Yeah right. ONLY if it was 32-bit?I had a three year contract and asked for a refund when they WERE NOT SUPPORTING 64-bit at the time?Nothing?.I did learn to never purchase ANY anti-virus software for more than 1 year?

Did you cancel McAfee anyBETTER CHECK YOUR VISA CHARGES!A CHARGES!

Windows Vista Home Premium x64 Service Pack 1

I.E. 7 (32-bit and 64-bit)

Gateway FX510S

Intel® Pentium? D 950 CPU 3.40GHz

800 MHz FSB, 2x2MB cache non-HT EM64T

Intel (Watsonville 2) 975x Motherboard

BIOS WT97510J.15A.2039.2006.0825.0358

600-Watt power supply

4.0 GB RAM

NVIDIA GeForce 7600 GS Graphics Card

(Sound)

Yamaha RX-V361 AV Receiver

JBL Cinema Sound Speakers CS480

IDT High Definition Audio CODEC for 64bit Windows

Driver Version 1.0.5713.6 Driver Date 02/13/2008

[Lexonex]

Nice Going McAfee:

Consumer Complaints Concerning McAfee

[Argi]

Briefly read over everything; there's a reason why people recommend only Nod32 and Kaspesky.

[ViperAFK]

Trust me you are better of without McAfee, My dad used this for years until he finally got fed up enough to switch recently. It is almost as bloated as norton and significantly slowed down the system. I always had problems with it.

[bob_c_b]

I was a big CA fan, but since switching to Vista I get caught in a "cannot update" loop so I switched to Avast and ma very happy. The big AV vendors have lost sight of their customer for some time now, and they have gotten worse with Vista.