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18 Nov 02 - 02:41 PM (#829173) Subject: Tech: McAfee Virus Scan interrupts start-up From: Sibelius Hope someone can help with this. I've been given a McAfee VirusScan 4.5.1 demo disk to try. Yes I know; get what you pay for, and you don't get owt for nowt! Something seemed to interrupt the setup wizard during installation, and it only got part way through the process. Now, when starting the computer (Windows 98 2nd edition) the McAfee program seems to run through some of its processes and delays start-up for about 20 minutes. The computer then runs normally, but it's irritating to have this 20 minute interruption every time I start the thing up. I'd like to remove the McAfee, and then do the sensible thing and get some up to date anti-virus software. During the hiatus, the screen is black with white computer script saying things like "Please wait while setup updates your configuration files. This could take a few minutes" and "Completed updating files, continuing to load Windows." It ends, every time, with: "Total files 21; Clean 9; Not scanned 12; Possibly infected 0". The program doesn't seem to be completely dead, because there's a message about its age, in number of months. Every month it updates itself and tells me that new viruses are coming out all the time, and isn't it about time I got myself some new software? On the other hand, I've got no idea whether it's actually doing any virus scanning. I've tried removing the program using 'Add/Remove programs', but all that does is run the McAfee setup wizard. After the first couple of steps and clicking 'remove', I get: "Internal Error 2735. StopAVSync Manager". Okay that, then it says: "The wizard was interrupted before McAfee VirusScan could be completely installed. Your system has not been modified...." [oh yes it has!!] "...to complete installation at another time run setup again." Running setup again as it suggests simply goes through the setup wizard until it reaches the same point, internal error 2735. Any suggestions? Anti-virus software recommendations also welcome. Home use only, and just the one computer. Thanks |
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18 Nov 02 - 04:23 PM (#829262) Subject: RE: Tech: McAfee Virus Scan interrupts start-up From: toadfrog I have been told by my then Hewlitt-Packard warranty people that an attempt to keep two different antivirus programs on the same disk is a recipe for disaster, and that before installing one antivirus you have to remove the one on the disk. You might check if this is so and applies to your situation. But don't go removing things just on MY say so. You seem to have Windows. If you tell us which Windows program, it helps. |
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18 Nov 02 - 05:44 PM (#829325) Subject: RE: Tech: McAfee Virus Scan interrupts start-up From: Sibelius Toadfrog, thank you. I'm a bit of a luddite, but I thought I'd mentioned the Windows program - W98 2nd edition. Is that not it? I've never knowingly installed anti-virus software previously, so I wouldn't know whether there is anything to remove. |
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18 Nov 02 - 05:58 PM (#829332) Subject: RE: Tech: McAfee Virus Scan interrupts start-up From: GUEST,stringman you should have a anti-norton on the hard disk,anyway. |
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18 Nov 02 - 06:50 PM (#829375) Subject: RE: Tech: McAfee Virus Scan interrupts start-up From: Allan Dennehy You have my sympathy. I've just installed Norton 2003 on my computer and its the biggest virus I've ever had on my computer. Its quite capable (some of the time) of using most of my Athlon 2000 power. I tried Mc Affee, that was possibly worse. You might try downloading one of the programme removers from download.com. It might do a better a better job than Windows programme remover. Anyway I'm sure that you'll get plenty of good advice from the techies on this page within a couple of hours. Keep us informed how you get on. |
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18 Nov 02 - 07:52 PM (#829410) Subject: RE: Tech: McAfee Virus Scan interrupts start-up From: JohnInKansas There may be a "removal tool" on the demo disk itself - or at least a "readme" file with instructions for how to do it. In Win98SE a "normal" anti-virus installation will show in your Control Panel Software listing. Start - Settings - Control Panel Select the "Add/Remove Software" If the McAfee did a "normal" installation, it should be in the list that displays. Click on it and then on OK, and it should be removed. If the program doesn't appear in the Add/Remove list, then the demo disk probably had its own "install" program, and didn't use the Windows install process. Open Windows Explorer and select Tools - Find Files, or just use Start - Find - Files and put something like "McAfee" in the "what to find" box. The intent is to find the folder where McAfee installed. Look in that folder for an something named "uninstall" or some cute variation thereof. (unadvised.exe is sometimes used, but if you right-click the file and look at properties, you can often see something about what it's for.) Your 20 minute "hang" indicates that the trial program is probably doing a full system scan at each bootup, and is doing it before Windows starts. That's about how long a "scan all files" takes on a typical 8 - 20 GB drive. If you can find, and open the installed program, you might be able to set it to remove the "scan on boot" instruction, but many demo programs do not allow you to change (very many) of the options. John |
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19 Nov 02 - 10:13 AM (#829837) Subject: RE: Tech: McAfee Virus Scan interrupts start-up From: Nemesis I had to take McAfee off my computer as it just glitched it to hell so badly I had to reformat the hard drive :( Also, heard nearly as bad from a friend who has a more up to date operating system than me (so, it wasn't me being a LUddite :) |
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19 Nov 02 - 10:42 AM (#829860) Subject: RE: Tech: McAfee Virus Scan interrupts start-up From: Davetnova I have had to remove Mcaffees and reinstall. Contacting McAffee technical support is a nightmare, reams of instructions for removal, all incomplete and I lost it with them a couple of times before eventually getting it to work. Commiserations and good luck. |
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19 Nov 02 - 10:46 AM (#829863) Subject: RE: Tech: McAfee Virus Scan interrupts start-up From: MMario It isn't actually delaying your startup - the message about "updating settings" is seperate from the "files scanned" - what you DON'T see is in between those messages MacAfee is actually running the virus scan program - but without updating the screen display. |
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19 Nov 02 - 11:13 AM (#829883) Subject: RE: Tech: McAfee Virus Scan interrupts start-up From: saulgoldie Where I work we have several hundred computers and McAfee, useful and necessary as it is, has often caused us reliability and other problems. I would suggest that you a)reinstall and then properly uninstall McAfee; b)run SCANDSKW and run it all the way to the end (may take a couple of hours if you have a large HDD and have never done it before); c)run DEFRAG and uncheck the setting option to arrange files so that programs start faster (also may take a while). After that, run Norton utilities Win Doctor. THEN, reinstall McAfee, and make sure that it does not start and run automatically. You can always invoke it from time to time (and you should). But that way, it will not hang up your boot routine or cause operational problems while you are computing. After that, make sure you get the updates so you can be as current as possible, since there are many virus writers who don't have music in their lives, but instead put their energies into making others miserable. :-( Funny that this computer thingie needs so much baby-sitting. I first got into it so that I could write more efficiently than with a type-a-writer. If my guitar were this demanding, I would have to seriously reconsider that. Good luck! |
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19 Nov 02 - 12:50 PM (#829982) Subject: RE: Tech: McAfee Virus Scan interrupts start-up From: Bill D I hear so many horror stories about McAfee!...I have an old, no longer updated versiom of Norton Utilities which I mostly just use for catching crashes, analysis..etc......but for anti-virus, the FREE, self-updating AVG anti-virus program is excellent! www.grisoft.com |
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20 Nov 02 - 12:47 PM (#830835) Subject: RE: Tech: McAfee Virus Scan interrupts start-up From: Jim McLean In win98, start your PC in SAFE mode (gently tap the F8 key about every second after you switch on). If you can remove McAfee from Add/Remove then do it otherwise go to START, RUN, type sysedit and remove all reference to McAfee in the autoexec.bat file. You can also RUN regedit ( a bit more dangerous) and select FIND in the EDIT tab and enter McAfee and delete all reference. Do the regedit only after the other options if they don't work. Jim McLean |
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20 Nov 02 - 01:55 PM (#830902) Subject: RE: Tech: McAfee Virus Scan interrupts start-up From: Sibelius Thank you very much everyone - there's clearly some bitter experience out there! John in Kansas: You're absolutely right, there is a VirusScan logo in the control panel - I hadn't noticed it. Clicking on it throws up the message: "An error occurred while Windows was working with the control panel file C:Windows\System\AVSMCPA.CPL" I haven't looked at the demo disk for a removal tool, so I'll try that, and the 'readme' file. I've been through the Start - Settings - Control Panel - Select "Add/Remove Software" routine, and McAfee does show in the list as you suggest, which would seem to indicate that it's been installed normally. But clicking on 'remove' only starts the McAfee installation wizard. The first few steps are the same whether installing or removing, and either way it gets as far as 'internal error 2735' and grinds to a halt. I tried 'Find Files', searching the C-drive, and all it could find was two McAfee internet sites. No sign of a Mcafee installation in any of the folders. Saulgoldie: The problem is getting it to uninstall so I can then re-install it. Whatever I've tried so far, it's preventing me from uninstalling it. As soon as I unravel the mystery I'll take your advice and run Win Doctor! Bill D: I've also heard good things about AVG, so I'll try that too. Jim: Have tried Add/Remove (see above), but not safe mode, so I'll try that. The trick is to tap that F8 key "gently", is it?! Thanks again everyone - including those not mentioned by name, I've read all the posts and it's all grist to the mill. I'm going to sign off now and try some of those suggestions. If I fail to re-appear in four minutes, don't worry, it's not Apollo 13! Actually, I'm going to be up all night listening to an even greater source of mystery and frustration: how to beat the Australians at cricket. Removing McAfee has nothing on that. |
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20 Nov 02 - 02:21 PM (#830921) Subject: RE: Tech: McAfee Virus Scan interrupts start-up From: GUEST,Luddite I installed Protector Plus. It changed my e-mail settings and now I get error messages when I try to receive e-mail. I tried de-activating the e-mail scan, then I uninstalled Protector Plus. Haven't discovered how to correct my e-mail settings and the problem continues. |
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20 Nov 02 - 02:43 PM (#830942) Subject: RE: Tech: McAfee Virus Scan interrupts start-up From: GUEST,Q Another McAfee horror story. Never could get right following an upgrade. Their technical support is in India. One of them (good English and patient, no quarrel there) was on the phone with me for three hours. Another spent two hours with me. Each time, the system refused to load the next time there was an online revision. Two local technicians tried to help, one of them talking with a McAfee technician in India. We gave up. It took a while for a technician to remove all traces of McAfee. I ordered and he installed Norton. Their updates don't interfere with what I'm doing- just a little box with the announcement and finished in a few seconds. A weekly sweep of all files just takes about 10 minutes. My out-going Email is checked as well as incoming. A while back I received a daily email with a virus, the sender listed differently each time. I isolated and purged with Norton, not opening any of them. A technician (a friend) checked my habits and concluded it was probably someone at Mudcat who had my email address and became upset at one of my posts. I changed my address and I will never sign-up with any group again, although I miss swapping info. with some of the members here. |
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20 Nov 02 - 03:05 PM (#830970) Subject: RE: Tech: McAfee Virus Scan interrupts start-up From: Sibelius Splash down. Jim, I tried safe mode Start - Run - SYSEDIT, and the entire contents of the autoexec.bat window are these: SET BLASTER=A220 I10 D3 T4 LH C:\WINDOWS\AU10DOS.COM mode con codepage prepare=((850) C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\ega.cpi) mode con codepage select=850 keyb uk,,C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\keyboard.sys C:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\NETWOR~1\VIRUSS~1\40~1.XX\scan.exe C:\ @IF ERRORLEVEL 1 PAUSE You said to remove all reference to McAfee. Do I delete any of that? Thanks. |
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20 Nov 02 - 03:46 PM (#830987) Subject: RE: Tech: McAfee Virus Scan interrupts start-up From: JohnInKansas The last line - since it includes "viruss~1" and "scan" looks pretty suspiciously McAfee, and probably indicates that your "McAfee installed files" are in C:\Program Files\Common Files\Network (something)\VirusScan?\ I'd confirm that, and write that path down before doing too much else. You should be able to "comment out" the line by putting a "single-quote" or REM at the beginning of the line - 'C:\PROGRA~1\... or REM C:\PROGRA~1\... to see if it turns off the problem. (The REM prevents the line from being "processed" when you reboot, but it's still there if you decide you need it - just delete the REM. Standard practice) Of course, if it works, you'll want to remember how you got there so you can come back and delete it. Since you're working to Jim's suggestion, I'd give him a little time to come back and comment, too - before charging too far ahead. John |
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20 Nov 02 - 04:31 PM (#831028) Subject: RE: Tech: McAfee Virus Scan interrupts start-up From: Jim McLean John is quite right. That's the line and putting REM in front as he suggested should do the trick. Good luck. Jim McLean |
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20 Nov 02 - 07:15 PM (#831144) Subject: RE: Tech: McAfee Virus Scan interrupts start-up From: Sibelius John and Jim - will try that. Most grateful to both of you, and will let you know how I get on. John, I confess I've managed to lose the demo disk, so I've not yet been able to check it for an uninstall or readme file. The disk was lent by a friend, so I'll have to find the thing sooner or later so I can give it back. The 'friend' has been unable to come up with a solution to the McAfee problem, but I can't criticise him too much because we learnt to play the guitar together twenty years ago. Without that starting point, I don't suppose I'd ever have come across Mudcat at all. How about a formula for beating the Aussies then ???? |
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20 Nov 02 - 07:25 PM (#831151) Subject: RE: Tech: McAfee Virus Scan interrupts start-up From: John Routledge Didn't realise I was so lucky. Have had McAffee for two years with very regular online updates and no problems. My machine is so old now that it is probably too slow to realise it has any options :0) |
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20 Nov 02 - 08:09 PM (#831194) Subject: RE: Tech: McAfee Virus Scan interrupts start-up From: JohnInKansas I'm not real sure you wouldn't do your friend a favor if you "lost" the disk. (Maybe after you get yours fixed?) I can't be certain, but I've checked the last McAfee I have on the shelf (and note that NO version number appears anywhere on the packaging, in the manuals, or on the disk labels) I had to "unzip" part of the installation files to find a version 4.0.1 - and it's almost 3 years old. (The package actually says "New for Win98/95.") The McAfee site "sort-of" says that the current version is 7.0. It's hard to tell how old your 4.5 demo might be, but they've apparently made some significant changes - to justify rolling the base ver no from 4 to 7(????). If the "REM" on that line in Autexec.bat lets you boot okay, you can leave it as is or go back and delete it - suite yourself. My autoexec.bat has about 38 "legacy lines" in it, all starting with "REM" so it isn't doing a thing on my machine. According to "Peter Norton's Complete Guide to Windows 98" Win98 doesn't need an autoexec.bat file unless you have hardware or software that isn't really Win98 grade. Your Soundblaster and UK keyboard may qualify, if they came pre-Win98, so don't fix anything that ain't broke. Since McAfee shows in the Control Panel Add/Remove software, that would be the place to "uninstall." The installation apparently didn't "finish," though, so it will try to "complete installation" and isn't going to let you into an auto uninstall until it decides it's done with the install. You'll probably want to do some additional "cleanup," but it will be a lot easier after you know what you've got - assuming you can get a good boot back. John |
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21 Nov 02 - 07:14 AM (#831474) Subject: RE: Tech: McAfee Virus Scan interrupts start-up From: Jim McLean Sibelius, if you do clean up the registry,(and I have found this necessary), by running regedit and FIND from the EDIT menu, delete any reference to McAfee and then go to EDIT again and select FIND NEXT. Do this until you get no more references to McAfee. You should of course back up your registry for safety's sake (which I never do!) Jim McLean |
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21 Nov 02 - 01:18 PM (#831800) Subject: RE: Tech: McAfee Virus Scan interrupts start-up From: Sibelius Jim and John - bingo. Tried both the single quote and REM (on separate start-ups that is, just to satisfy my curiosity), and they both worked. I feel like I've had a thorn removed! I'm going to try out some of the other points of advice you've offered over the last couple of days. Jim, I'm not the most conscientious 'backer-upper' myself; what's the best way to back up the registry? I don't currently have any outboard means of backing up - CD writer or zip drive etc. Would you advise getting one? Come to that, what IS the registry?! I'm most grateful to you both. Let me know next time you're in the Manchester (UK) area, and I'll buy you a pint. |
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21 Nov 02 - 01:56 PM (#831824) Subject: RE: Tech: McAfee Virus Scan interrupts start-up From: JohnInKansas The "Registry" is actually a group of files, but mostly it refers to "what you can change with the 'Regedit' utility. Essentially, it consists of a whole bunch of entries - in a list - that Windows uses to run Windows. It is a sort of 'scary' place to go, since you can really mess up Windows if you screw it up; but it's a necessary place to go sometimes. If you Click "Start, Run" and type regedit and hit enter - you're "in the registry. When you get there, you can click on "Registry" and choose "Export Registry File" and it will put a file, with whatever name you choose and extension ".reg". I usually use the date for the filename - say 021121.reg. If you later double-click on the .reg file, it will automatically copy itself back into your registry, which gives you a "sort of" way to restore things if you get something messed up. The problem is that it will "add-back" anything that's in the backup file, but it won't remove anything else that's there - so it's kind of a "half-way" restore. There's no need to be "very afraid" about working in the registry, but unless/until you're sure of what you're doing, it's usually best to have a "script" for what you want to do in front of you before you go in. The "seat belt" is that you can exit without saving changes, if you get confused. Incidentally - stuff in the registry is case-sensitive so a "dog" is not a "Dog" is not a "doG." Best way to backup is to CD, because Windows stuff is too big for ordinary floppies, and the "superfloppies" like the ZIP drives aren't very reliable (in my experience) and are expensive ($10 for a ZIP100 floppy vs $1 for a blank CD). If you have your Win98 Install CD, it's useless to try to back up what can just be reinstalled, especially since "copying it back" won't work in most cases; but some settings and your data need to be saved somewhere. Whether its a "drop-in" to add a CD-R/W (or DVD) depends a little on what else you've already added; but usually it's not a big deal. John |
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21 Nov 02 - 01:57 PM (#831825) Subject: RE: Tech: McAfee Virus Scan interrupts start-up From: Jim McLean Good news. Personally I would leave the registry alone as it's a bit dodgy to play withbut it can be saved on a floppy. Cheers, Jim McLean |
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21 Nov 02 - 09:12 PM (#832120) Subject: RE: Tech: McAfee Virus Scan interrupts start-up From: JohnInKansas I'd agree with Jim that there's no need to fix things if everything is working, expecially in the Registry. If, perchance, you'd like to look at the "official" answer to your "Come to that, what IS the registry?!" you might try Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry in the "Microsoft Knowledge Base." (This one covers all current systems, and has some info not really applicable to Win98SE.) Anyone else with one of the newer op systems should take a look there, with particular attention to the difference between "regedit.exe" and "regedt32.exe." In Win2K and WinXP, there are registry functions that cannot be successfully changed in regedit.exe. You have to use regedt32.exe for some things. On the other hand, regedt32.exe does not have a "search" function, so you may have to use regedit.exe to find a "key" in order to go back to regedt32.exe to change it. (in the nutshell version of the difff.) Win98 and before don't have a regedt32 - I'm not sure about WinMe. Info more specific to Win98 can be found at HOW TO: Backup, Edit, and Restore the Registry in Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows Me Everybody with Windows of any version should go to Search the Knowledge Base and "bookmark" it (add to Favorites). Lastly, at Start - Control Panel - Add/Remove Software, click on the tab marked "Start Up Disk" and make yourself one (And don't forget to label and date it). Put it away somewhere safe. It will probably never be a help, but you'll feel better knowing you've done it - because you're supposed to. (And it doesn't hurt to make a new one anytime you make any significant changes.) John |
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21 Nov 02 - 09:20 PM (#832128) Subject: RE: Tech: McAfee Virus Scan interrupts start-up From: Tweed Well I usually stay outta these Techy threads but wanted to share this bit of info that I learned tonite. I'd recently created a backup of my files with the McAffee "Safe and Sound" and things went a little crazy on this thing shortly after. Cookies were lost as soon as I left a page, links wouldn't show up as being "viewed" after viewing them, and the response time got slower and slower til the puter finally just shut down. This went on for three or four days til I settled down enough to backtrack and think of what the hell I'd done. It seemed to center on the poorly named "Safe and Sound" and I found that the only way to dump the backup files (a zillion or two at least) was by doing it after hitting the Run Safe and Sound icon and editing after it started. Incredibly, the results were immediate. The puter runs as it should again and my cookie at the "Cat" reappeared by itself as if I'd never gotten lost. Anyhow if any of you McAffee people out there have crappy performance, try dumping the backup files. Mine were stored in drive "E" and really made a mess of things. I've been following this thread for a couple days, looking for pointers and had to share this stupendously clever (for computer dumbass like me at least) discovery. Yerz, Tweed (with a muddcookie...it don't get no better...) |