Newbie Ques re Chest

[LaFemmeMichele]

Hi,
   I recently installed your product which went smoothly. This makes me happy! I have been spending my time since trying to figure out why my Windows Security Center says I have 2 AV/FWs. I really haven't had a chance to get aquainted. Just now I was looking around and pushing buttons on the radio-like interface & discovered in the chest were system files:
                          kernal32.dll, winsock.dll, wsock.dll

   From what it looks like I may have transferred them there this morning (I ran a scan then & was pushing on buttons at the time). Should these be in here? Isn't this chest like a quarantine feature? The scan found no infection. Should & how if so do I remove them?
    Thank you for your help. 

[mauserme]

Hi Michelle,

These are copies of system files avast! puts in a safe place.  You should not try to remove them.

Regarding the Security Center reporting 2 AV/FWs, have you had any other antivirus that might not be completely removed?

[Lisandro]

Discovered in the chest were system files: kernal32.dll, winsock.dll, wsock.dll
From what it looks like I may have transferred them there this morning (I ran a scan then & was pushing on buttons at the time). Should these be in here? Isn't this chest like a quarantine feature? The scan found no infection. Should & how if so do I remove them?

Let them there as mauserme said. They're that for backup purposes.
Yes, Chest is like Quarentine.

About Windows Security Center stop recognizing your antivirus or firewall, see:
http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=23457.msg193534#msg193534

[LaFemmeMichele]

Thank you for your quick response. One less thing to worry about!

I just uninstalled a security suite as a matter of fact.   

[Lisandro]

I just uninstalled a security suite as a matter of fact.

Which one?

[LaFemmeMichele]

Wow! Tech I phoned Microsoft and wasn't given anything close to what you've written! The tech told me running 2AV/FWs wouldn't hurt my PC, he'd double checked! Unbelievable!

I wasn't able to access the internet so I had to rely on McAfee & Microsoft!

McAfee told me I'd destroyed my OS by deleting Network Associates from the registry. (McAfee was Network Associates prior to 2004--he said absolutely not, double checked, & said there was no connection between McAfee & Network Associates!)

My concern is if some component were left behind & I really am running 2 of each how would I tell? Afterall McAfee is where my instructions came from! Is there a way to tell if you have more than one AV/FW? 

[Spiritsongs]

   Hi :

      To increase your chances of COMPLETELY REMOVING
      McAfee, go to www.us.mcafee.com, click the Tech Support tab, provide your version number in Step 1 box, select install/uninstall in Step 2 category box and it will bring up clear instructions & link to vscleanup tool.  Hope it works well and Good luck with it.  You can go to their user forum at http://www.forums.mcafeehelp.com if you should have problems or questions.

[LaFemmeMichele]

Thank you Spiritsongs I've gone that route. And more. You'd think it would suffice, wouldn't you? I appreciate your thoughtfulness.

Tech your fix re Windows Security Center is it possible that it might mask the presence of the old AV/FW? Or would it help to reveal what is present on the PC?

[Spiritsongs]

   Hi Michelle :

      In addition to "uninstalling" from Add/Remove Programs
      AND running a product's "Removal Tool", I usually
      recommend using your computer's "Search > All files and
      folders", putting in the appropiate search "term"
     ( in this case "McAfee" ) and "Delete" all appropiate
       Items it finds .
      Most of the "regulars" here know my view is to "disable"
      the "Windows Security Center" because of : 1)
      unreliable info at times ; 2) the info at :
      www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,1639276,00.asp .

[LaFemmeMichele]

Hello Spirit songs! I did! Thank you. If I ever solve this 2AV/FWs dilemma I may do as you suggest. Microsoft called me tonight & I asked the tech the same thing I asked Tech re his fix & she wasn't trained in the Windows Security Center fix dept. I tried chatting with McAfee again & the tech told me to use their new mega suite tool in normal mode with my new AV/FW what do you think of this? I tried to get him to actually chat with me re the best course of action to no avail--he told me to refresh the page & guess what, the chat window disappeared! Do ya suppose he knew that? Too much! I suppose I have 3 options re McAfee... run another tool (I don't know what to do with Avast while this is going on), recheck the registry again, or do nothing & hope my PC isn't being ruined.

I would love to know if Tech's fix would give me a definitive answer as to whether or not there actually are McAfee products left. The Microsoft tech said if Windows Security Center said they were there then they were. I don't buy this & then again I'm not trained in the Windows fix dept either! 

[Lisandro]

I asked the tech the same thing I asked Tech re his fix & she wasn't trained in the Windows Security Center fix dept.

The solution posted by me, works, I've tried more than once. It works for sure.

I tried chatting with McAfee again & the tech told me to use their new mega suite tool in normal mode with my new AV/FW what do you think of this?

Well, this does not seem to be the support area but the sales department of McAfee 

Too much! I suppose I have 3 options re McAfee... run another tool (I don't know what to do with Avast while this is going on), recheck the registry again, or do nothing & hope my PC isn't being ruined.

Never use two antivirus at the same time.
Uninstall avast will make uninstalling McAfee better and easier.
Check http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=20560.msg172602#msg172602 also.
You can find many free versions of these registry cleaners here: http://www.snapfiles.com/Freeware/system/fwregtools.html
Mcafee has a uninstall tool that might help. http://download.mcafee.com/products/licensed/cust_support_patches/VSCleanupTool.exe

The solution I've posted about the Windows Security Center was already tested. It works for sure 

[LaFemmeMichele]

Thank you for your heip. I wanted to share the manual uninstall instructions I got from McAfee. These are to remove all things McAfee from your PC!

============================================================ Disabling McAfee Startup entries. 1. Click "Start" >> "Run" >> Type msconfig in the "Open box" >> Click "OK". 2. In System Configuration Windows, Click "Startup" tab. 3. Scroll down and uncheck all "McAfee" entries starting with "MC". 4. Click "Apply" and "Close". 5. On prompt to restart, Click "Exit without Restart". Ending McAfee tasks. 1. Right click the "M" icon in your system tray and click EXIT. 2. Then press Ctrl+Alt+Del ---> Task Manager ---> go to Process tab and End Task all the McAfee process. (Mostly Starting with Mc or mc or mpf) Backing Up Registry. Before beginning to edit the registry be sure to back it up. This will safeguard your Windows installation. You can recover your Windows configuration by restoring the backup if something goes wrong. 1. From the Taskbar, click Start --> Run --> type REGEDIT and click OK. The Registry Editor appears. From the menubar, click Registry. Note: If using Windows XP, click File 2. Click Export. 3. The Export Registry File dialog box appears. In the 'Save in' drop-down menu, select Desktop. 4. In the 'File Name field, type backup. 5. In the 'Export range' section, select All. 6. Click Save. Note: To restore the registry, double click on the backup file you just created and follow the prompts. After completing all of these steps and verifying that everything is working properly, delete this file to avoid restoring the old registry. Deleting McAfee entires. 1. Click (+) next to HKEY_CURRENT_USER. 2. Click (+) next to Software. 3. Under Software look for any entries like McAfee, McAfee.com and Network Associates if found delete them. 4. Click (+) next to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE. 5. Click (+) next to Software. 6. Under Software look for any entries like McAfee, McAfee.com and Network Associates if found delete them. 7. Then click (+) next to Microsoft. 8. Click (+) next to Windows. 9. Click (+) next to CurrentVersion. 10. Under CurrentVersion select the Run folder, now on right hand side look for any McAfee entries if found delete them. 11. Then under CurrentVersion look for Uninstall folder, click (+) next to Uninstall. 12. Under Uninstall look for all McAfee entries if found delete them. 13. Now close registry editor. 14. Then click Start-->Run-->type "C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data" and click OK and delete McAfee.com folder if it does not allows you to delete, restart your computer and then try to delete it. Check Add / Remove program for McAfee products and if listed. Uninstall them and restart your computer for changes to take effects.

[mauserme]

Don't do all that manual registry editing unless there's no other choice.

After uninstalling McAfee in Add and Remove Programs run a registry cleaner like Tech said.

[LaFemmeMichele]

I removed each component of the McAfee Security Center from add/remove programs & ran the removal tool for each version of the suite products I'd chosen, (4 of them in my case), in the proper order, (security center last), in safe mode, rebooting in between each step. I looked for leftover files, used a cleaner, a registry mechanic, & upon completion of these steps, took a look at the registry. I then followed the manual uninstallation instructions. They make their stuff to stay. And their tech support & forum & site are pretty worthless! I think it is important for persons to have these steps as a guideline. If not for themselves for a technologically adept friend to follow. It was like pulling teeth to get them. They don't want to be responsible if you make an error. However, they don't seem to train their techs to be competent at removing their products. In other words, my impression is that they don't care a whole lot about our PCs. And I believe there to be many computers out there full of McAfee remnants whose owners may believe the fault of any subsequent problem lies with the new AV/FW they've chosen. This isn't the case at all. It may be a major factor in quitting the new products & returning to McAfee! I think these steps should be stickied. Along with the Windows Security Center fix for not recognizing the correct information under a section on Installation of Avast. 

[Spiritsongs]

   Hi Michelle :

     Perhaps experiences similar to yours is WHY some call
     McAfee "Bloatware #2" !? However, since Norton has a
     more easily found "Removal Tool", perhaps they should
     move up to #1 !?

     By the way, by doing a "Search" on the McAfeehelp
     Support Forums, I did read a post there that the
     "Removal Tool" for their 2007 Product Line is at :
     http://download.mcafee.com/products/licensed/cust_support_patches/MCPR.exe .

     Quite a long URL !?