[KB559] My computer is slow or freezes after installing my Windows ESET product

• Degraded system performance
• Computer is freezing and does not allow operation in normal mode

If you have installed a Windows ESET product on a computer which already has a non-ESET antivirus product installed, you may experience degraded system performance. Please uninstall both products and reinstall your ESET software using the information contained in this article. If your computer is freezing and will not allow operation in normal mode, you will need to restart the computer in Safe Mode and disable the ESET service.

I. Disable the ESET service on startup

1. Restart your computer in Safe Mode.
    
2. Once you are in Safe Mode, open the Services window:
   • Windows XP: Click Start → Run, type services.msc and then click OK.
      
   • Windows Vista and Windows 7/8: Press the Windows key + R, type services.msc into the command line and then press Enter on your keyboard.
      
3. Right-click ESET Service and select Properties.
   

   

   Figure 1-1
   Click the image to view larger in new window

4. Select Disabled from the Startup type drop-down menu and click OK.
   

   

   Figure 1-2

5. Close all windows and restart your computer. The computer should now start normally without freezing or hanging. Proceed to part II below.

II. Uninstall all antivirus products

1. Click Start → All Programs → ESET → ESET Smart Security or ESET NOD32 Antivirus → Uninstall.
    
2. Uninstall your previous antivirus software.
    
3. Download a fresh copy of your ESET product onto your desktop.
   

   Installation instructions

   To download, Click Home Downloads or Business Downloads, depending on your license, and then click Download to the right of your desired version. you will need the ESET-issued Username and Password that were sent to your email address after purchasing your ESET product. If you do not know your Username or Password, visit our lost license page.   

   • ESET Smart Security
   • ESET NOD32 Antivirus