Can't disable ESET with expired license via tray icon (secret product update?)

[MagLev 0]

Hi

Some time ago I switched from Windows to another operating system. Currently I use Windows 7 (x64) exclusively for gaming where ESET is installed. The license has long since expired, but so far I have been able to normally enter options and
disable it when needed by clicking on the icon in the tray. At the moment I can't enter options or disable ESET by clicking the second mouse button on the icon in the tray. Now after clicking on the tray icon with the mouse there is only one behavior from the program's side. It opens the main options window, which is in the background and above it is the license purchase window and nothing else. Because of the type of behavior, it doesn't look to me like a program glitch but a deliberate action. Here are my questions.
 1) is ESET, despite the expired license, performing some kind of updates in the background without the user's knowledge?
2) is the above described behavior due to just such an (recent) update?
3) if it so can the program's behavior can be restored to previous one?

PS. I am well aware of the fact that the license has run out, my OS is old, and this puts the computer at risk, etc. Please give clear answers to the above questions without any soapbox like "update your product / renew your license".

TIA

 

[Marcos 5,070]

After a license expired and the program stops to update modules, at least real-time protection turns off and Windows Defender activates automatically instead. ESET cannot be used in inactivated state.

[itman 1,659]

If you don't want to purchase a new Eset license, use one of the free AV's recommended in this article: https://windowsreport.com/windows-7-antivirus/ . Note that there are documented privacy issues in regards to free Avast/AVG usage.

[TheStill 29]

Why don't you just uninstall it? 

You are getting no benefit from leaving it installed and it will just be wasting system resources. 

[peteyt 393]

I presume this isn't a new feature but wonder if realtime protection might work for a bit but eventually eset will stop working fully because it doesn't detect a license or the license has expired.

Only real advise is to either uninstall or renew. Eset does support windows 7 but you need Service pack 1 installed