[robsoti]

Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium Edition

Hardware: Dell Inspiron 17R

 

Issue:

Noted that the "ABOUT" button on my McAfee Total Protection no longer worked, although it appeared that I was able to get a virus definition update and ran a full virus scan without an issue.

I ran MVT and it indicated that McAfee File Lock process was not running and that it could not get it to run. I didn't know if the two were related. However, I decided to do an uninstall and reinstall the McAfee product. Part I of the procedure says to use Windows 7 Programs and Features to uninstall the product, then use their removal tool to finish the job. When i right click on McAfee Total Protection i get the message "You do not have sufficient access to uninstall McAfee Total Protection. Contact your system administrator". Well, I am the administrator and I don't understand what more access I need? Also, when I try to run McAfee File Lock, I get the  message that the program is blocked by group policy. As far as I know, there is no way to update group policy with Home Premium. Not sure what to do. Not sure if it is an OS problem or a McAfee problem. I am able to uninstall other programs through Windows Program/Features.

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[donetao]

Hello!

McAfee looks like a bugger to uninstall!

See if helps uninstall McAfee!

http://help.aol.com/...xternalId=14159

[robsoti]

Donetao,

 

Procedures at McAfee insist on using the uninstall feature of Windows 7 prior to using their tool. Hence my problem, since the uninstall feature will not allow me to access McAfee to uninstall.

[donetao]

Hello!

See if you can uninstall McAfee in safe mode. The way I uninstall programs is with Revo uninstaller, and search every thing!

I have searched on the web for your issue and there are a lot of unhappy people trying to uninstall McAfee. I have uninstalled other Anti-Virus programs with Revo.

That's the only advise I have. Maybe othermembers will read your topic and have a better a answer. I haven't found any thing Revo can't uninstall. I also like search everything to delete the files that Revo leaves behind.

http://www.revounins...e_download.html

http://www.voidtools.com/downloads/

[donetao]

Hello!

I've been searching all afternoon. McAfee seems to be almost impossible to uninstall unless you go through the Add and remove??

I'm out of ideas!

http://www.wikihow.c...Security-Center

A long shot might be CCleaner. It has a remove feature.

It doesn't show up in Revo!!

I know Anti-Virus programs are supposed to be hard to remove but this is ridiculous!

[robsoti]

Donetao,

I heard about the safe mode thing and gave it a try. For Mcafee, you need to do the windows uninstall and then use their mcpr tool to do the rest. I was able to execute the windows uninstall part in safe mode. Then ran mcpr. However, the reinstall was incomplete. At this point I was able to use the normal windows uninstall to uninstall again. I used the mcpr tool again. performed the reinstall again. But it would not install correctly. So I restored the system from a backup I made prior to attempting the reinstall. All out of ideas. I think I can uninstall it. But may have to try a different product.

[phillpower2]

Hello folks,

 

robsoti, have you tried deactivating your licence by logging into your McAfee account, if not give it a try but make sure that you have the licence number written down if you want to reinstall it later.

[donetao]

Hello! I use MSE and malwarebytes in real time. If it were me and I ever got McAfee uninstalled, I wouldn't even think about reinstalling it.

Phill has a good suggestion that might work!!

Hey Phill

[robsoti]

Thanks for all of the suggestions.

[phillpower2]

You are welcome 

 

Any luck with it.

[robsoti]

I have spent 36 hours this weekend on this. It takes about 1.5 hours to delete and reinstall McAfee (slow DSL out here in a rural area). I would also make a complete backup just in case the reinstall does not go well. So I haven't had time to do anything with it, since trying to uninstall/reinstall twice. Ran McAfee MVT which can't find anything wrong other than FILE LOCK process won't start and the ABOUT button that tells me what the dates are on the definitions doesn't work (all stated in the original post). The file lock monitor is being blocked by GROUP POLICY. I don't understand what GROUP POLICY could be in effect on a Windows 7 Home Premium edition OS with no other machines on line. I initially went down this path due to the ABOUT button. The virus software itself seemed to check out okay with MVT (I am waiting for a virus update so I can tell if it is able to do its primary job. The file lock part is not that important in itself - I don't  use it). I have spent a lot of time on this when I should not have had  to. I keep the windows up2date with its updates and keep the McAfee up2date as well. I faithfully run full scans every two weeks outside of the scheduled ones. Don't know that I did anything wrong to corrupt this (at least up till lately when I have been fooling around with the Laptop trying to get it fixed - may have messed something up now).

[robsoti]

I will be out of town and unable to work this problem till next week I think. I will try and look at it again before Wed this week.

[phillpower2]

No problem, reply when you are able to 

 

McAfee (among 1 or 2 others) has gone from one of the most preferred to one of the least favoured AVs and you can see for yourself why 

[donetao]

No problem, reply when you are able to 

 

McAfee (among 1 or 2 others) has gone from one of the most preferred to one of the least favoured AVs and you can see for yourself why 

I can name two more! AVG and Norton!

[Aura]

No problem, reply when you are able to 
 
McAfee (among 1 or 2 others) has gone from one of the most preferred to one of the least favoured AVs and you can see for yourself why 

McAfee, AVG, Norton, Webroot, etc. are all ... low quality Antiviruses, if I may say and stay polite at the same time.
I'm honestly not surprised that McAfee cause you that many issues robsoti. If this isn't resolved when you comeback, I guess we'll go the big way.