Avoid McAfee- like you haven't heard that before...

[Randy G.]

DO NOT under ANY circumstances install a McAfee anti-virus product.

I have been installing, testing, and writing reviews of software for
some nine years now. I am NOT an expert, but am very experienced. In
my depleted memory banks, the only application I can remember being
worse than McAfee AntiVirus Professional 8.0 was an IE update back
about four or five years ago. I tried to uninstall it, and it took me
two days just to get my computer to reboot!

I wanted to test the full version of AVG and so my plan was to remove
the McAfee app (version 8.0 pro) and possibly reinstall it later. BUT
Noooooo! McAfee no longer will uninstall from what I can tell, and
other messages all over the internet (which I read too late) say the
same thing. Yes, I went to the "ADD/REMOVE" in XP but it doesn't
work.. Trust me. I manually stopped every running process in task
manager I could (and a few I probably shouldn't have had to), and
tried Add/Remove, but still the same thing. I have probably added and
removed more software than you and three of your friends combined over
the years (on an average), and this is the second worst thing I have
ever come across, and THE worst paid-for app I have ever possessed. As
soon as I get this infect-ware off my computer I will begin a scathing
review of McAfee, I can assure you of that! It said it was the
"Professional" version but it had fewer user options than the "Home"
version it replaced.

Fortunately I was able to remove it this way- you can too (the
following was for XP, but should work fairly similarly for 98 et.al.):

-Get a copy of AVG Free (or any other anti-virus application you can
TRUST), and install and update it. When you are sure it is working,
continue.

-Stop as much of McAfee as you can with Task manager (ALT/CTRL/DELETE,
then close everything that looks like Mcxxx and AVxxx sorts of things.
if you are not sure, close it. If the system reboots or crashes, try
again. Most of the time it just tells you it can't remove that, etc.,
and allows you to continue).

-Delete as much of it as you can from the Hard drive (one or two
McAffee folders for the "Pro" version in XP).

-Open Regedit and (after saving a backup copy of the registry) do a
search for "McAfee" and delete every entry you find including any
McAfee folders.

-Close Regedit and Reboot, then delete the remainder of what was
undeletable on the hard drive from before, then run "RegScrub XP" or
similar to clean out the remaining bits and pieces of this infection.

Beware, I am not a doom sayer, and I have reviewed some GREAT software
in the past. Want a GREAT and FREE firewall that works flawlessly? Get
ZoneAlarm. It is amazingly effective! I am currently beginning a test
of AVG antivirus, and even their free version looks great (I have been
using that for about a week). At least it can be uninstalled!


From Randy....  AKA "-ED" at the....
Feather River Canyon News - "Fruit Of The Plume"
http://www.quiknet.com/~frcn

 

[Jan Il]

DO NOT under ANY circumstances install a McAfee anti-virus product.

[snip explanation and removal]

I stopped using McAfee 2 years ago after my subscription ran out. I decided
to get AVG6 Free.

I had basically the same problem, with there being such a extensive amount
of McAfee files and residue all over the system. While I didn't have a
problem uninstalling from the Add/Remove, the rest of the stuff was a
seemingly endless effort. No matter how many time I thought I had
everything, something else McAfee would show up someplace else. Finally,
after several Searches and several various Register searches, I was finally
McAfee free. I would never use it again as it I got numerous viruses during
the 3 years I had it. That is why I dropped it. The only other programs I
have had that much problem with is Norton and Mozilla.

Jan

 

[Sam]

Sometime on, or about Sat, 15 May 2004 01:16:26 -0700, Jan Il
scribbled:

DO NOT under ANY circumstances install a McAfee anti-virus product.

[snip explanation and removal]

I stopped using McAfee 2 years ago after my subscription ran out. I decided
to get AVG6 Free.

I had basically the same problem, with there being such a extensive amount
of McAfee files and residue all over the system. While I didn't have a
problem uninstalling from the Add/Remove, the rest of the stuff was a
seemingly endless effort. No matter how many time I thought I had
everything, something else McAfee would show up someplace else. Finally,
after several Searches and several various Register searches, I was finally
McAfee free. I would never use it again as it I got numerous viruses during
the 3 years I had it. That is why I dropped it. The only other programs I
have had that much problem with is Norton and Mozilla.

Jan

I've uninstalled McAfee before and found that it wasn't nearly as bad
as getting rid of Norton AntiVirus.

Sam

 

[Stuart Gray]

Sometime on, or about Sat, 15 May 2004 01:16:26 -0700, Jan Il
scribbled:

DO NOT under ANY circumstances install a McAfee anti-virus product.

[snip explanation and removal]

I stopped using McAfee 2 years ago after my subscription ran out. I decided
to get AVG6 Free.

I had basically the same problem, with there being such a extensive amount
of McAfee files and residue all over the system. While I didn't have a
problem uninstalling from the Add/Remove, the rest of the stuff was a
seemingly endless effort. No matter how many time I thought I had
everything, something else McAfee would show up someplace else. Finally,
after several Searches and several various Register searches, I was finally
McAfee free. I would never use it again as it I got numerous viruses during
the 3 years I had it. That is why I dropped it. The only other programs I
have had that much problem with is Norton and Mozilla.

Jan

I've uninstalled McAfee before and found that it wasn't nearly as bad
as getting rid of Norton AntiVirus.

I've had a lot of problems with both on customers PCs, usual problem is that
they want to phone home all the time, upsetting the customer who thinks he
has a virus. Getting rid of them is a bitch. I usually recommend AVG 6,
Kerio, Spybot, Adaware.

 

[Spacen Jasset]

Sometime on, or about Sat, 15 May 2004 01:16:26 -0700, Jan Il
scribbled:

<Randy G.> wrote in message

DO NOT under ANY circumstances install a McAfee anti-virus product.

[snip explanation and removal]

I stopped using McAfee 2 years ago after my subscription ran out. I decided
to get AVG6 Free.

I had basically the same problem, with there being such a extensive amount
of McAfee files and residue all over the system. While I didn't have a
problem uninstalling from the Add/Remove, the rest of the stuff was a
seemingly endless effort. No matter how many time I thought I had
everything, something else McAfee would show up someplace else. Finally,
after several Searches and several various Register searches, I was finally
McAfee free. I would never use it again as it I got numerous viruses during
the 3 years I had it. That is why I dropped it. The only other

programs

I

I've uninstalled McAfee before and found that it wasn't nearly as bad
as getting rid of Norton AntiVirus.

I've had a lot of problems with both on customers PCs, usual problem is that
they want to phone home all the time, upsetting the customer who thinks he
has a virus. Getting rid of them is a bitch. I usually recommend AVG 6,
Kerio, Spybot, Adaware.

Here here, heard that often too. Where's user friendlyness gone?

 

[Jan Il]

Sometime on, or about Sat, 15 May 2004 01:16:26 -0700, Jan Il
scribbled:

I've uninstalled McAfee before and found that it wasn't nearly as bad
as getting rid of Norton AntiVirus.

Yeah......I sorta associate it to stepping in a big wad of Bazooka
doublebubble chewing gum on a really hot sidewalk. Gadfry! Trying to get it
off requires 10 hands and 40 boxes of Kleenex!! ;-)

But, both programs are really all-pervading. If I knew then what I know now,
I'd never have used either one of them.

Jan

 

[mzlindyone]

DO NOT under ANY circumstances install a McAfee anti-virus product.

I have been installing, testing, and writing reviews of software for
some nine years now.

And you haven't yet learned to obtain uninstall instructions before
installing.
Amazing.

As malware's attempts to disable security programs escalate, so will
the difficulty in purposely removing these programs.

 

[Randy G.]

And you haven't yet learned to obtain uninstall instructions before
installing.
Amazing.

As malware's attempts to disable security programs escalate, so will
the difficulty in purposely removing these programs.

Part of my apparent naivete is that, over all those years, and
installing the uncountable number of apps I have played with, only two
have given me this problem- Internet Explorer (no surprise ther) and
now McAfee. Removing McAfee never was an issue because all past
incarnations of it were effective, but this last version was a
thrid-rate app compared to the earlier versions. McAfee was a breeze
to get rid of compared to IE.

"Ya live, ya learn, then you die and forget it all." Ray Lum

From Randy....  AKA "-ED" at the....
Feather River Canyon News
http://www.quiknet.com/~frcn

 

[Jan Il]

Part of my apparent naivete is that, over all those years, and
installing the uncountable number of apps I have played with, only two
have given me this problem- Internet Explorer (no surprise ther) and
now McAfee. Removing McAfee never was an issue because all past
incarnations of it were effective, but this last version was a
thrid-rate app compared to the earlier versions. McAfee was a breeze
to get rid of compared to IE.

Have you tried the IEradicator? I understand it will get rid of everything
for all versions of IE. I had occasion to use it this past Feb when I was
having problems with installing the IE6 SP1. I had to uninstall everything
for both the IE5 and the attempted installs of IE6. It wiped out every
trace of both.

Jan

 

[null]

Have you tried the IEradicator? I understand it will get rid of everything
for all versions of IE. I had occasion to use it this past Feb when I was
having problems with installing the IE6 SP1. I had to uninstall everything
for both the IE5 and the attempted installs of IE6. It wiped out every
trace of both.

Not true. IE is too embbeded in the OS to remove "every trace". In
fact, on later versions of Windows it can't be removed at all. Those
who want to permanently eradicate IE for security purposes have to gut
the HTML rendering engine themselves, since IERadictor doesn't. And I
don't recommend using IERadicator on Win ME for a permanent
eradication since several significant portions of Windows are either
demolished or crippled ... HELP, System File Protect, System Restore,
and the JET engine (to name a few). Of course, Windows Update is
creamed as well.

BTW, Jan, you keep on saying that with McAfee you suffered some virus
infestations but with AVG you haven't. You must not realize how silly
that sounds to those of us who don't use any realtime av at all and
never get infected I know that many people are unhappy with McAfee,
but it's well known among those of us who have tracked tests for years
and also do some testing of our own that McAfee has long been one of
the best in terms of detection in a wide variety of categories. It's
based on the former Dr Solomon engine. AVG isn't in the same league
when it comes to being able to detect Trojans, for example. It's not
even the best in terms of detection among the free scanners. So your
anecdotal evidence means nothing at all .. except maybe that your
gradual learning of "safe hex" is paying off and you're nearing the
time when you can just drop the crutch of realtime scanning


Art
http://www.epix.net/~artnpeg

 

[Jan Il]

Not true. IE is too embbeded in the OS to remove "every trace". In
fact, on later versions of Windows it can't be removed at all. Those
who want to permanently eradicate IE for security purposes have to gut
the HTML rendering engine themselves, since IERadictor doesn't. And I
don't recommend using IERadicator on Win ME for a permanent
eradication since several significant portions of Windows are either
demolished or crippled ... HELP, System File Protect, System Restore,
and the JET engine (to name a few). Of course, Windows Update is
creamed as well.

BTW, Jan, you keep on saying that with McAfee you suffered some virus
infestations but with AVG you haven't. You must not realize how silly
that sounds to those of us who don't use any realtime av at all and
never get infected I know that many people are unhappy with McAfee,
but it's well known among those of us who have tracked tests for years
and also do some testing of our own that McAfee has long been one of
the best in terms of detection in a wide variety of categories. It's
based on the former Dr Solomon engine. AVG isn't in the same league
when it comes to being able to detect Trojans, for example. It's not
even the best in terms of detection among the free scanners. So your
anecdotal evidence means nothing at all .. except maybe that your
gradual learning of "safe hex" is paying off and you're nearing the
time when you can just drop the crutch of realtime scanning

You are, or course, entitled to your opinion, as well as anyone else.
However, I am not the only one here who has said that they have had success
with AVG. So....I wonder if perhaps you take exception to the way I part
my hair? I don't consider using an AV in this day and age being 'silly'
at all, although, I realize you and a few others don't for your own reasons,
which is your choice. But, like the majority of other users, I work with a
stock machine and programs. I also use F-Prot as a backup. I run that one
regularly along with the AVG6, and I have not found a virus with that one
yet either. If that makes me even more 'silly' in your opinion.......

Jan

 

[Jan Il]

Not true. IE is too embbeded in the OS to remove "every trace". In
fact, on later versions of Windows it can't be removed at all. Those
who want to permanently eradicate IE for security purposes have to gut
the HTML rendering engine themselves, since IERadictor doesn't. And I
don't recommend using IERadicator on Win ME for a permanent
eradication since several significant portions of Windows are either
demolished or crippled ... HELP, System File Protect, System Restore,
and the JET engine (to name a few). Of course, Windows Update is
creamed as well.

To clarify, I used the IEradicator as instructed by two MS MVP's, Robear
Dyer (PA Bear) MS MVP-Windows (IE/OE), and Noel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2004,
Win9x), who provided me with the website to download the IEradicator and
installation and procedures. It caused no damage to my system at all. I
reinstalled the WinME with the approval of both MVP's in order to
re-establish the IE5 so that I would have Internet access while waiting for
the IE6 CD to arrive and be installed. True, I had to reinstall the
necessary Windows updates, but there was no problems with that either. To
what total extent the IEradicator it removes the IE files from the system:

***************************************************************
From http://www.litepc.com/release_notes/ieradicator.txt

IEradicator disintegrates all versions of Internet Explorer from
version 3 to 6 from an existing installation of Windows 95, Windows 98,
Windows 98SE, Windows Millennium, Windows 2000, Windows 2000sr1.
(Windows 2000sr2, XP not currently supported). The removal process
eliminates 99% of Internet Explorer's files and registry keys
to clear approximately 30MB of disk space. The remaining 1% is left
behind to maintain compatibility with programs that use the MS HTML
layout engine (e.g. Outlook Express)

*********************************************************

Jan

 

[null]

You are, or course, entitled to your opinion, as well as anyone else.
However, I am not the only one here who has said that they have had success
with AVG. So....I wonder if perhaps you take exception to the way I part
my hair?

Never have seen your hair, but I'm sure it's much nicer than your
choices of antivirus

I don't consider using an AV in this day and age being 'silly'
at all, although, I realize you and a few others don't for your own reasons,

You completely missed my point it seems. I didn't say that the use of
av is silly at all. I have several I can use on demand.

which is your choice. But, like the majority of other users, I work with a
stock machine and programs. I also use F-Prot as a backup. I run that one
regularly along with the AVG6, and I have not found a virus with that one
yet either. If that makes me even more 'silly' in your opinion.......

Maybe if you get off your emotional reaction to a criticism and think
about what I actually said and meant, you'll begin to understand what
the criticism was.

F-Prot has long been a very sturdy and respectable product, but it
also leaves much to be desired when compared to the top notch
scanners. While FSI has increased its frequency of def updates, F-Prot
still often lags behind some other scanners. I sometimes scan .SCR
files dumped on newsgroups. In the rare cases where KAV doesn't yet
have detection, I submit the file to them and they react immediately.
F-Prot OTOH often doesn't have detection and my submissions to them
usually takes days for a response, if I get a response at all.
Basically, KAV is a far more reliable product in several respects.

You have to try to understand that an av "not finding anything" says
more about you doing some things right than it does about the av. If I
didn't go out looking for malware for testing purposes (it's a hobby
with me), none of my av _ever_ find anything. And I often try out
various free software and utilities.

I'm not about to quit pointing out fallacies and misinformation. I
suggest that you get off your high horse, thicken up your skin, and
learn to deal with constructive criticisms. It certainly wasn't my
intent to rattle your cage, though I knew it would.


Art
http://www.epix.net/~artnpeg