I am having memory problems with the upgraded McAfee software. The computer is almost useless. Is there a better alternative to McAfee? I am running XP, SP 3, 512 MB RAM.

I personally would not have anything made by McAfee or Norton on any machine of mine.If you are someone that feels the need to pay, NOD32 is excellent.I used to use Avast (freeware), which I still think is very good, along with Windows Defender. WD will become a thing of the past in the near future though. I now use MSE.Microsoft Security Essentialshttp://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/default.aspxA free and compatible Anti-Virus - Anti-Spyware - Anti-Malware program.If you choose to abandon McAfee, be sure to do it completely.McAfee Consumer Products Removal Tool three-step fixhttp://service.mcafee.com/FAQDocument.aspx?lc=1033&id=TS100507I also keep the free versions of these tools on my machines and run them occasionally.Malwarebytes Anti-Malwarehttp://malwarebytes.org/SpywareBlasterhttp://download.cnet.com/SpywareBlaster/3000-8022_4-10196637.htmlYou will get other opinions to be sure.Bruce Hagen ~ MS-MVP [Mail]

Hi,Be sure to use the maker's Removal Tools and/or special instructions after uninstallingto prevent McAfee and similar programs from leaving trouble causing remnants.List of anti-malware program cleanup/uninstall toolshttp://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/msestart/thread/407bf6da-c05d-4546-8788-0aa4c25a1f91/-------------------------------------------================================Here is what I use and recommend : (These are all Free versions and very effective.)Avast and Prevx have proven extremely reliable and compatible with everything I havethrown at them. Microsoft Security Essentials and Prevx have also proven to be veryreliable and compatible. Use MSE and Prevx or Avast and Prevx however not all 3.Avast Home Free - stop any shields you do not need except leave Standard, Web, andNetwork running.Prevx - Home - FreeWindows FirewallWindows Defender (not needed if using MSE)IE - Protected ModeIE 8 - SmartScreen Filter ON (IE 7 Phishing Filter)I also have IE to always start with InPrivate Filter active if IE 8.(You occasionally have to turn it temporarily off with the little Icon on LEFT of the + bottomright of IE)Two versions of Avast are available 5.x and 4.8xAvast 5.x - Home - Free - Stop the Shields you do not use (except File, Web, Network, &Behavior) - double click the Orange Icon in Notification Area - Real Time Shields - click theShield you want to stop - STOP. To stop the Orange Icon from showing an error indicator -click the Orange Icon - Upper Right - Settings - click Status Bar - uncheck the Shields youdisabled - click OK http://www.avast.com/free-antivirus-downloadAvast 4.8x - Home - Free - stop any shields you do not need except leave Standard, Web,and Network running. (Double Click Blue icon - details next to OK. - upper left Shields -Terminate those you do not use.)http://www.avast.com/free-antivirus-download#tab4Or use Microsoft Security Essentials - Freehttp://www.microsoft.com/Security_Essentials/Prevx works well along side Avast or MSEPrevx - Home - Free small, fast, exceptional CLOUD protection, works with other securityprograms. This is a scanner only, VERY EFFECTIVE, if it finds something come back hereor use Google to see how to remove. http://www.prevx.com/ <-- informationhttp://info.prevx.com/downloadcsi.asp <-- downloadPCmag - Prevx - Editor'a Choicehttp://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2346862,00.aspAlso get Malwarebytes - free - use as scanner only. If you ever suspect malware, and thatwould be unsual with Avast and Prevx running except for an occasional low level cookie(no big deal), UPDATE it and then run it as a scanner. I have many scanners and theynever find anything of note since I started using this setup.http://www.malwarebytes.org/Hope this helps.Rob Brown - MS MVP - Windows Desktop Experience : Bicycle - Mark Twain said it right.