Antivirus protection during Windows initial setup and S mode

McAfee and Norton have turned into bloated packages that don't resemble anything useful nowadays.

Could anyone please help me with my remaining questions?

So if McAfee LiveSafe was installed as part of the pre-bundle:
It would have the most recent security signatures from when it was installed?
It would be active during OOBE / first time setting up Windows chosing language, creating profile etc.?

"DON'T DO ANYTHING" - as in what?
I had internet connection for a couple of minutes before MS Defender or McAfee LiveSafe could get the latest signature security update.
But I assume they came with recent security signatures - so I assume its safe / okay?

Thank you

Into_Oblivion1 said:

Could anyone please help me with my remaining questions?

So if McAfee LiveSafe was installed as part of the pre-bundle:
It would have the most recent security signatures from when it was installed?
It would be active during OOBE / first time setting up Windows chosing language, creating profile etc.?

"DON'T DO ANYTHING" - as in what?
I had internet connection for a couple of minutes before MS Defender or McAfee LiveSafe could get the latest signature security update.
But I assume they came with recent security signatures - so I assume its safe / okay?

Thank you

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Personally, I'd uninstall McAfee and never look back! Both McAfee and Norton got totally out of hand and created a bloated "do everything" but nothing well mindset IMO. The bloat of those packages is out of control.

Into_Oblivion1 said:

Could anyone please help me with my remaining questions?

So if McAfee LiveSafe was installed as part of the pre-bundle:
It would have the most recent security signatures from when it was installed?
It would be active during OOBE / first time setting up Windows chosing language, creating profile etc.?

"DON'T DO ANYTHING" - as in what?
I had internet connection for a couple of minutes before MS Defender or McAfee LiveSafe could get the latest signature security update.
But I assume they came with recent security signatures - so I assume its safe / okay?

Thank you

Click to expand...

Okay. I got you. Would it have the most recent security signatures from when it was installed? Short answer: YES.
Your invasive problematic malware will even be active enough to update. SAFE? Hardly. You should be able to remove it safely with the right software. If you insist on keeping McAfee that's your choice. Reminds me of a young lad who kept a pet weasel on the farm. He wasn't too impressed when it escaped and killed the chickens but he was entitled to his personal preference.

There is a reason why so many here give McAfee the thumbs down. It isn't due to a lack of experience. The reason you're not getting answers is because no one here wants to help you destroy your OS. My advice is to remove all traces of McAfee from your operating system. Once again user preference prevails. You can assume whatever you wish but "safe" is idealistic. IMO there's not a system in the world that is 100% safe. Safer to eliminate McAfee. Yes.

Scannerman said:

Okay. I got you. Would it have the most recent security signatures from when it was installed? Short answer: YES.
Your invasive problematic malware will even be active enough to update. SAFE? Hardly. You should be able to remove it safely with the right software. If you insist on keeping McAfee that's your choice. Reminds me of a young lad who kept a pet weasel on the farm. He wasn't too impressed when it escaped and killed the chickens but he was entitled to his personal preference.

There is a reason why so many here give McAfee the thumbs down. It isn't due to a lack of experience. The reason you're not getting answers is because no one here wants to help you destroy your OS. My advice is to remove all traces of McAfee from your operating system. Once again user preference prevails. You can assume whatever you wish but "safe" is idealistic. IMO there's not a system in the world that is 100% safe. Safer to eliminate McAfee. Yes.

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I only use Defender now.

My questions was regarding if my system was protected from the start, even if McAfee LiveSafe was the selected AV from the start.

That I could trust, that McAfee LiveSafe would protect my system up until Defender kicked in / was selected as the main AV.

That I could trust, that McAfee LiveSafe would protect my system up until I turned off S mode.

2.
If McAfee LiveSafe is the selected antivirus:
When running the Windows initial setup, selecting language, creating a profile etc. / completing OOBE
Is the system protected by McAfee LiveSafe and all its security features?

4.
If McAfee LiveSafe is the selected antivirus:
If Windows S mode is turned on.
Are all the security features McAfee LiveSafe has still activated?
Or are some of its security features deactivated, and will be activated if Windows S mode is disabled?

Thank you

My experience with McAfee has been that it sinks its hooks in so deep that it acts almost like a root kit. If you do a factory restore and McAfee is part of the software bundle you will have McAfee running actively on your PC and prompting you for updates. The only way to avoid it is to refrain from doing a factory restore and installing a clean copy of Windows from Microsoft. Perhaps things have changed since but I wouldn't know as I haven't tangled with McAfee for at least a decade because that's how I deal with it. Bundled software is a bane to those who have no use for bloatware and adware.

It would seem to me that you are of the persuasion that McAfee will "protect" your PC until MS AV loads. I'm not sure what level of protection you seek but speaking for myself, McAfee would not be my first choice. I don't know what the make and model of your laptop is either, but if you're using a Lenovo laptop I can't help you. I don't know if you're running Windows 11 on Windows 11 compatible hardware either. If you want to keep using McAfee that's your choice. Perhaps someone else here might better assist you with your choice. If you don't want to keep using McAfee then your questions are irrelevant. The solution is to get rid of McAfee.

2. and 4. Simple answer is to do OOBE with no possibility of internet access. That is what I did.

All features of any AV are not run all the time, it is a complex application.
The user is the main problem, always has been.

There is always a megadose of fake info on McAfee/Norton.

Helmut said:

There is always a megadose of fake info on McAfee/Norton.

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There's usually a similar megadose of fake info on how beneficial products like this are.

Scannerman said:

It would seem to me that you are of the persuasion that McAfee will "protect" your PC until MS AV loads. I'm not sure what level of protection you seek but speaking for myself, McAfee would not be my first choice.

Click to expand...

I would just like to be sure, that my system had some kind of protection from the moment I turned it on for the first time

Thank you

Helmut said:

2. and 4. Simple answer is to do OOBE with no possibility of internet access. That is what I did.

All features of any AV are not run all the time, it is a complex application.
The user is the main problem, always has been.

There is always a megadose of fake info on McAfee/Norton.

Click to expand...

I would just like to be sure, that my system had some kind of protection from the moment I turned it on for the first time

Thank you

Into_Oblivion1 said:

I would just like to be sure, that my system had some kind of protection from the moment I turned it on for the first time

Thank you

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Don't connect to the Internet until you have your chosen AV protection loaded. You can do a Windows install without a network connection if you have an an ISO or similar install media. If it's a pre-installed Windows system, same rules. Obtain the setup program for the AV and install it without a network connection.