why cannot install two different antivirus software in the same machine?

why cannot install two different antivirus software in the same machine?
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why cannot install two different antivirus software in the same machine? javacc2@gmail.com 01-24-2006
Posted by javacc2@gmail.com on January 24, 2006, 11:45 am
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I have Mcafee antivirus software installed in my machine, and I tried
to install Norton antivirus software, but it pops up an error message
"Norton AntiVirus has detected a conflicting anti-virus product is
already installed and prevents this installation from proceeding." Do
you know why we couldn't install two different anti-virus software in
the same machine?

Please advise. thanks!!


Posted by Scherbina Vladimir on January 24, 2006, 11:49 am
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Because AV uses some undocumented approaches in order to have complete
control over all events in OS. They create kernel mode componentes that
tracks file activities (CreateFile(W|A) hooking), dll injection
(WriteProcessMemory hooking) etc. So it's hard to have two AV's properly
working in one machine.

--
Vladimir

>I have Mcafee antivirus software installed in my machine, and I tried
> to install Norton antivirus software, but it pops up an error message
> "Norton AntiVirus has detected a conflicting anti-virus product is
> already installed and prevents this installation from proceeding." Do
> you know why we couldn't install two different anti-virus software in
> the same machine?
>
> Please advise. thanks!!
>



Posted by Scherbina Vladimir on January 24, 2006, 11:53 am
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I forget to mention the "marketing" part of this approach.

Every AV company treats another AV companies as competitor, so even if
Norton is compatible with McAfee (I don't know for sure, it's just an
ideas), they don't want you to use McAfee, instead buy another Norton
product..

--
Vladimir

> Because AV uses some undocumented approaches in order to have complete
> control over all events in OS. They create kernel mode componentes that
> tracks file activities (CreateFile(W|A) hooking), dll injection
> (WriteProcessMemory hooking) etc. So it's hard to have two AV's properly
> working in one machine.
>
> --
> Vladimir
>
>>I have Mcafee antivirus software installed in my machine, and I tried
>> to install Norton antivirus software, but it pops up an error message
>> "Norton AntiVirus has detected a conflicting anti-virus product is
>> already installed and prevents this installation from proceeding." Do
>> you know why we couldn't install two different anti-virus software in
>> the same machine?
>>
>> Please advise. thanks!!
>>
>
>



Posted by Bigbruva on January 26, 2006, 2:51 am
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It might help to explain that most AV apps have two main elements:

1) Real-time scanner
2) On-demand scanner

The real-time scanner is typically the most problematic for multiple AV
installations. This is because they are designed to intercept incoming files
and data and scan them as they arrive or depart the system. If you have two
AV programs attempting this it will slow the system down and can cause
unpredictable behavior as both scanners attempt to control the data.
Two On-demand scanners are usually okay together as they are typically run
one at a time so as long as they don't detect the other AV scanner as a
virus (as Ian mentions in this thread) they will simple scan the local hard
disks for malware.

As Panda_man points out your could always use an online scanner for a second
opinion if your where to suspect a single scanner was missing something.
Also http://www.virustotal.com/flash/index_en.html is an excellent place to
check suspect files against most of the main AV packages.

I hope that helps explain the issues clearly for you
Cheers

BB

> Because AV uses some undocumented approaches in order to have complete
> control over all events in OS. They create kernel mode componentes that
> tracks file activities (CreateFile(W|A) hooking), dll injection
> (WriteProcessMemory hooking) etc. So it's hard to have two AV's properly
> working in one machine.
>
> --
> Vladimir
>
>>I have Mcafee antivirus software installed in my machine, and I tried
>> to install Norton antivirus software, but it pops up an error message
>> "Norton AntiVirus has detected a conflicting anti-virus product is
>> already installed and prevents this installation from proceeding." Do
>> you know why we couldn't install two different anti-virus software in
>> the same machine?
>>
>> Please advise. thanks!!
>>
>
>



Posted by Malke on January 24, 2006, 11:50 am
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javacc2@gmail.com wrote:

> I have Mcafee antivirus software installed in my machine, and I tried
> to install Norton antivirus software, but it pops up an error message
> "Norton AntiVirus has detected a conflicting anti-virus product is
> already installed and prevents this installation from proceeding." Do
> you know why we couldn't install two different anti-virus software in
> the same machine?
>
> Please advise. thanks!!

Sometimes you *can* install two separate antivirus programs, although
you should not *run* two antivirus programs at the same time. Both NAV
and McAfee install system services and are designed to run all the
time. If you want two antivirus programs installed on the system (and
it really isn't necessary), then find something other than NAV for the
second one.

Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User

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