Total Securty installation stuck on loop: Incompatible software McAfee has been removed & to restart computer to complete install.

[chasrea]

Total Security 2020 (maybe 2021 if update was automatic),  Home version won't install on new Windows device. I have active multi-device Kaspersky license that is not full & "startup.exe" does download, but installation stops soon after it starts & displays screen with message that incompatible software has been found. It shows checked box next to McAfee security software (came pre-installed on laptop) & indicates McAfee will be automatically removed, I click OK, get new screen with message McAfee has been removed & to restart computer to complete install. I restarted laptop, & obviously McAfee software was NOT automatically removed,  because install stops again & displays same message about incompatible software, shows McAfee security software is still there, with checked box, etc.. I repeated whole process a 3 times without success, so shut down laptop, did not do restarted.  Next day I started laptop, had same problem. So removed downloaded "startup.exe" & started over - but same thing happened. How do I get out of this absurd loop, & get McAfee software removed & Kaspersky Total security installed?

[Flood and Flood's wife]

Hello @chasrea, 

Welcome!

Please read then follow:

1. How to install Kaspersky Total Security
2. Check List of applications incompatible with Kaspersky Total Security ? 
3. How to remove a third-party anti-virus application from your computer
4. Special tools from anti-virus developers → How to remove McAfee products from a PC that runs Windows

Thank you🙏

Flood🐳 +🐋

[Schulte]

Hello @chasrea, Welcome.

Please use the McAfee Consumer Product Removal tool.
Maybe this can fix the problem. Please follow the instructions.

[chasrea]

The "startup.exe" file downloaded to my laptop from My Kaspersky. Installation DID begin, but stopped at about 5%. I get message that installation process will automatically remove incompatible McAfee software. I click OK to remove, & get message. McAfee IS removed... so why isn't it removed? If it is simply that the install process CAN'T remove McAfee, why does it indicate it HAS been removed, but is NOT removed? As for manually removing McAfee - if I remove it, & still have problem installing Total Security, I won't have any security program at all. 

Could it be that I actually need another file downloaded? Or is it possible there is a separate installer I need to download?

[Flood and Flood's wife]

Hello @chasrea, 

You’re welcome!

1. Windows default security will be protecting the machine, Kaspersky will take over, if the machine has been prepared correctly.
2. Before attempting any install, did you prepare your machine according to Kaspersky’s documentation? 
3. Have you followed the documentation provided in our last reply? 

Thank you🙏

Flood🐳 +🐋