Trouble Installing Antivirus Software On New Laptop

Hi all:

I am hoping someone could help me with this issue. I bought a brand new Compaq Presario A909US laptop yesterday and I am having trouble installing spybot, adware, and avg.

When the downloads are complete I get either one of two error messages:

'...is not a valid win32 application'

OR

'The set up files are corrupted. Please obtain a new copy of the software.'

I have attempted to install these programs at least three times and still get the above messages.

Since the laptop is brand new, i doubt there is a virus on it.

here are the specs:

windows vista home premium
Intel (R) Pentium (R) Dual-CPU T2330 (1.60GHz)processor
2038MB
32 bit operting system

If someone could help me I would greatly appreciate it!

 

Did you try re-downloading the softwares from the official websites?

 

yes i have tried to download avg,adware and spybot from download.com at least three times to no avail.

 

Since it is brand new, you may want to try formatting back to factory condition first and see if the problems still exist even after re-formatting.

If you don't want to do it, try installing other antivirus like Avira and SAS.

How about other softwares? No problems at all?

 

Before you go reformatting anything, make sure that there isn't any trial antivirus on it. If there is, you have to completely uninstall it before you can install any other antivirus software. A lot of times, especially with HP, the new systems come with a trial version of Norton on it. Try to find out if this is the case before you do anything more drastic.

 

Like Thaansa already wrote, check for pre-installed security software.
If you've got Norton installed, check the Norton site for their Norton Removal Tool and use that before installing any other anti-virus.
Have you been able to install other software, do you also get error messages when you install a program like Ccleaner or only with security software?

 

thanks for the reply!


yes norton is currently installed, what is the easiest way to uninstall?

 

thanks!

i have not tried to install anything else yet.

 

Start> Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs> select Norton and uninstall.

 

thanks for all the suggestions.

i uninstalled the norton software and tried to download adware and still received the same error message:

...is not a valid win32 application

also, i get another message before this one saying 'the publishers is unknown'

does anyone know what this is about?

I just want to be able to use my new laptop in peace!!!!!

 

Have you tried clearing you browsing history also download them straight from the makers see what happens.

 

carrot:

i believe i am already downloading it straight from the makers. i go to the websites and it always reconnects me to the download.com page.

what is the quickest way to clear the browser history?

also, i defragmented as well.

 

Click tools, internet options then delete the history if using internet explorer or tools, clear private data if using firefox. Or you could download ccleaner which I use and that will delete temp files, read up about it, its a good little app.

 

Don't do this. This does not completely remove the program from your system. This method rarely completely removes a program from your system. Go to their website and you'll find a link where you can uninstall whatever version of Norton you have. Once this is done, then Norton will completely be removed.

This is probably because Norton is still on your system. Go to the website and find the link that allows you to completely remove the software.

 

To remove Norton you should use the Norton Removal Tool to get rid of all traces of it.

Here is the link....
http://service1.symantec.com/Support/tsgeninfo.nsf/docid/2005033108162039

I'm not sure how it's going to work since you already deleted it, but you should give it a try.

 

THAANSA3:

thanks for the response.

ok i was able to install mcafee.

but i dont just want one antivirus program.

i will try adware and spybot again.

 

thanks jd1010.

i will give this a try.

 

Then make damn sure you don't use proactive protection from both programs you use.
While you can use 2 anti-virus programs, you have to know exactly how to do the configuration of both.
If you don't know how to do this then you will probably mess up both programs and you will end up less secure than if you'd stick with just one AV prog.
Cheers.

 

Baserk:

i am not the most computer savvy person, so i am not exactly what proactive protection is.

so is it not good to use more than one AV program?

i have mcafee now, but i wanted to also install the free ones adware, avg, and spybot.

i have seen several posts on this forum which state they use multiple av programs on one PC, so now I am a little confused.

i want to thank the forum members for being so patient with me!

 

avg is an antivirus.
spybot and adware are antispyware.

 

Carrot Muncher:

thanks.


ok so that makes a little more sense.

so i have the mcafee security center installed. what other (free) malware protection would you all recommend?

 

There is absolutely 0 reason to have more than one antivirus program on your computer. They will more-than-likely conflict with one another, and you will have problems. I think you may need to reconsider your position on the matter. Really, all you would need is one of the protection suites: Kaspersky Internet Security, BitDefender Internet Security, or NOD32 Internet Security are all good choices (assuming you don't mind spending some money).

 

I usually recommend running two antivirus programs where you have one without active protection turned on. However, since you said you aren't the best when it comes to computers, you should probably stick with one really good antivirus program like Nod32 or Kasp.

For antimalware, check out Malwarebytes Anti-Malware.

Also, AVG used to have a free antispyware program, but I think they shut that down.

 

where does mcafee rank among the protection suites? that is what is currently installed now on my comp.

 

thanks for the info jin07.

ok so i have mcafee security center installed. is it ok to also download avg and spybot for additional security?

 

also i have windows defender turned on.

 

I don't really like Mcafee at all. I figure if I'm going to pay, I'd go with the best (Nod32 or Kasp). Mcafee isn't worth the money.

I suggest getting Avira and doing a custom install where you do NOT install Avira Guard if you do NOT want its active protection. If you want to use Avira's active protect (which is better than Mcafee), you should turn off Mcafee's active protection. I'm not a fan of AVG anymore. Although the program is decent, there are better free antivirus programs (Avira and Avast).

For antispyware related stuff, check out A squared or Superantispyware (dumb name, good program). Both Spybot and Ad-adware have really fallen off.

 

thanks for the reply.

i am using mcafee because its free w/ aol. i am actually not interested in paying for any antispyware or antivirus protection.

 

I wouldn't use it even if it's free....

 

jin07:

I am not really interested in using mcafee either. I initially wanted to use several of the free software programs, but i was having trouble installing them, hence my initial post.

if i can somehow get my initial problem solved and download the avg, sypbot, and adware, i will uninstall mcafee.

 

I wouldn't use those programs either. Try Avira and Avast and see if they can be install. Also, try installing other programs like HDTune and see what happens. If you can get HDTune up, run an error scan. If not, run the error scan built into windows (right click local disk -> Tools -> Error check). Lastly, are you fully updated Windows-wise?

 

McAfee is very hard on resources. My sister has it on her computer since her cable company offers it with the high speed subscription, and it completely drains her system. It's awful in that regard. On the plus side, it does update itself a few times daily and is seemingly user-friendly. I, personally, would stay away from it. You can get better programs that are much lighter. Kaspersky and NOD32 are the leaders in the industry currently.

 

Wow, I never knew that Norton's uninstaller was that ****ty. Amazing.

If the OP is still having the same issues, there are other threads out there that may have a solution:

http://forums.techarena.in/showthread.php?t=755043

http://forums.microsoft.com/TechNet/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=3101408&SiteID=17

I have had this error in the past, but you can also look at Vista's Event Viewer or Reliability Monitor to really dig for what is going wrong.

 

Norton is one of the toughest programs to fully uninstall without the Norton Removal Tool. You know a program is a pain to uninstall when a company has to make a tool.

 

Actually, I think a lot of other premium antivirus software actually have download tools too, but you're still right about it being a pain. Ever since I did my clean install of Vista Ultimate x64, I've been very very very selective about what I install. I'm trying only to put programs on it that are a necessity, or at least programs that I know I will have a future need for. Some programs, not just antivirus programs, can wreak havoc on a computer.

 

I've been using vista for a year now and one thing I do like about it is that it doesn't seem to get bogged down by the install and uninstalls of programs. I know with XP every year I would start the feel the wear on the OS. I have yet to feel this on vista.

 

You're probably on to something, but years of using XP (I still use it) programmed me to think this way. I'm not the type that likes to clean install periodically, and I feel the best way to keep from having to do it is to keep my system as clean as possible in the first place. I'm probably just being "OCD" about it, though. If you don't mind me asking, how many programs do you have installed on your Vista system currently?

 

hey all:

i am getting very frustrated.

i uninstalled mcafee and attempted to download kaspercy (sp)? and get the error message: 'your current security settings do not allow for this file to be downloaded.'

can someone plese let me know how exactly I can see exactly what my 'security settings are and then uninstall anything else that needs uninstalling?


thanks!

 

Have you tried running the error checks I mentioned before?

 

Again, you have to make sure you completely got McAfee off of your system. Once you've successfully done that, if you keep getting the error message, then you may want to run the error checking program like Jin suggested. I don't know if it will solve your problem or not, but it will at least let you know if your HDD is corrupted or has bad sectors.

Honestly, you should really just find one antivirus, free or premium, and stick with it. I, personally, don't like the idea of installing and uninstalling so many different AV programs.

 

Brooklynbound, previously you wrote, you had also the following error message; "this is not a valid win32 application".
Do you still experience this error also/has it been resolved?

Have you been able to download any .exe file at all?
If not, how silly it may seem, are your security settings for IE not too high?

Please report which antivirus programs you have tried to install/uninstall, so NBR members can give you the necessary/accurate information.
Having uninstalled McAfee (completely or not) make real sure your windows firewall is up.
This is VERY important. If you are behind a (DSL) router you already have hardware protection but still make sure about the Windows Firewall.
As far as a free antivirus program, I can recommend Avira Antivir.
It's one of the best available and certainly the best scoring free AV app.
Cheers.

 

did that, and everything is fine. i just dont know what to do because i keep getting that popup 'your security settings do not allow for this program to be downloaded.'

i thought maybe i didnt completely uninstall mcafee, so i went to their website to use their tool and got 'your security settings do not allow for this program to be downloaded.'

i turned windows defender off, so maybe that is the issue. i have no clue how to uninstall it because its not on the list for the add/remove programs.

 

Baserk:

I got the error message "this is not a valid win32 application", when i attempted to download adware, spybot, and avg from download.com.

fed up with not being able to download these, i downloaded, mcaffe for free through aol.

then i decided to uninstall mcaffee.

when attempting to download a new antivirus program (kaspersky) I received the error message ''your current security settings do not allow for this file to be downloaded.'

so i assumed mcafee was still installed, so i went to their website to download their removal tool and received the message 'your current security settings do not allow for this file to be downloaded.'


so it seems like i am stuck.

any help will definately be appreciated.

 

BrooklynBound, does this help page from Microsoft offer a solution? Link.
Check the settings for Internet Explorer 7, I assume at least, that's what you use.
If the settings are set to high, then IE7 will block the downloads you have attempted.
Let us know if this offers a solution.
Cheers.

 

I was thinking, after all this time, maybe it might be quicker to do a reformat. Also, just to verify, you've always had this problem and you never changed any settings right? Here's a link to Avira on softpedia (it's also on download.com, but you don't seem to be having any luck there):

http://www.softpedia.com/progDownload/AntiVir-Personal-Edition-Download-6527.html

 

Jin may be right. After all the headaches, maybe reformatting is the way to go. I know that you may not want to hear that, but that's what you may have to do if nobody can help you find another viable solution.

 

Baserk:

thanks for the link.

also the settings for IE are fine.

 

jin07:

i am open to reformating, since it seems like the last resort. although i am not very computer savvy, i am willing to try it.

i have several programs preinstalled on this new laptop, including windows vista. how exactly will i get some of the programs that i want back?

mind you, i am in college, with limited funds, so purchasing new software is not really an option.

if someone could walk me through this, i would appreciate it.

 

THAANSA3:

Thanks! I think this is what i will do!