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Can one uninstall built in software?

1936

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Posted April 29, 2011 at 4:29PM

I was in the process of ordering a Dell Inspiron 17R which comes with a McAfee® Security Centre. I would prefer that it did not have this because I use a paid for version of AVG on my desktop which has served me well. For reasons best know to themselves Dell state that it is not possible for them not to load the McAfee and I'm not sure why this is. Could it be that they are too bureaucratic to handle such a task or what? Anyway, the point of this post is to ask how difficult it is to remove this software because I read somewhere that it is not just a matter of "Uninstalling."

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woodchip

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Posted April 29, 2011 at 4:33PM

Yes it can be removed as can other Software.

I use Free Avast, Windows and Router Firewall's

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rawprawn

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Posted April 29, 2011 at 4:35PM

Yes use Macafee removal Tool

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johndrew

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Posted April 29, 2011 at 4:38PM

The 'extra' software - such as McAfee - supplied with a PC can be uninstalled using the Add/Remove facility in the usual way link text you can also use Mcafee removal tool link text. The reason Dell wont do it is because they load their HDDs with a master loading facility and it would be too much trouble!! They may also have a contract with McAfee which provides them with a 'backhander' if you register the software and pay for it.

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rawprawn

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Posted April 29, 2011 at 4:39PM

Register it first before removal Read This

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1936

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Posted April 29, 2011 at 4:52PM

Many thanks for all that.

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Woolwell

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Posted April 29, 2011 at 7:05PM

Dell almost certainly have an agreement with McAfee that every system will be sold with McAfee on it and will not break that agreement. As others state it can be uninstalled. The removal tool is best.

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robinofloxley

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Posted April 29, 2011 at 7:11PM

About a year ago, PC World were offering £30 discount on computers NOT supplied with AV (I forget if it was McAfee or Norton).

On the shelf labels in the store, it was printed in a smaller font underneat the larger Total price.

That doesn't really help, just interesting?

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Belatucadrus

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Posted April 29, 2011 at 8:01PM

How about PC Decrapifier

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Ian in Northampton

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Posted April 29, 2011 at 8:36PM

Dell will have a 'standard load', probably an automated process, and deviating from that would probably be nigh on impossible for them. Plus, what Woolwell said is almost certainly right.

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Strawballs

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Posted April 29, 2011 at 11:49PM

This is the same as were I work they used to use win 2000 on all of the machines but when they arrived from HP they came pre-installed with OEM XP so the first thing they did was format them and install their corporate copy of win2K I asked why didn't they just get machines without O/S and was told HP charged more for machines without windows OEM.

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