Software Conflicts

• Many new computers have a trial antivirus program preinstalled and this commonly causes conflicts if the trial software components are not removed before the user installs another antivirus program. Removing the trial software and using a registry cleaner to fix any corrupt files caused by the software conflict may solve this problem.
  
  

Resource Use

• Antivirus software causing a computer to grind to a halt is a common complaint. Defragmenting the hard drive, removing redundant programs and disabling unnecessary programs running in the background may free up more memory, allowing the antivirus software to function more efficiently. If this fails, try disabling the program when the computer is not connected to the Internet or add more random access memory (RAM). Programming the antivirus software to scan only necessary files may also speed up your computer.
  
  

Considerations

• Simply uninstalling and reinstalling antivirus software is effective if problems occurred during the initial installation. Removing or disabling antivirus software makes your computer more vulnerable to malicious programs and viruses. Disconnect your computer from the Internet while you are troubleshooting your antivirus software. If antivirus software stops working suddenly, it may have been disabled by a virus and should be investigated. If attempting to remove a suspected virus, always start your computer in safe mode.