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ShakesHeadInDis
Former Member
Message 1 of 5

McPreinstall.exe

I had a chat with tech support about receiving a warning during installation saying something like "Not Windows Logo Certified" and not to install the software as it could make the computer unstable or inoperable.  To keep it short, I was sent an email with instructions that directed me to download a file called McPreinstall.exe and that would fix the problem.  As soon as the program started, all desktop icons disappeared except for 6 Microsoft desktop icons, such as recycle bin, my computer etc.  My heart leapt to my throat but I decided to let the program run its course.

Two hours later the program did not appear to have ended.  I decided to see if my programs were still there and it was just the icons gone.  I clicked on start, went up to programs and 90% of everything I had installed on the computer was no longer listed.  I came back for another chat with tech support.  I was told in this chat session that the latest version of McAfee would not work on a dial up connection.  I disagreed as the computer I was using (and am using now) has a dial up connection and has McAfee 2010 installed.  We then had a conversation about my connecting an unprotected computer (the one with the problem) to the internet to chat with support and his claim that the computer would be safe as the McAfee website blocks hackers.  I ended the chat and went back to my problem computer.

I decided to try a system restore and see if everything would magically be back.  I clicked on start, programs, accessories and noticed that system tools was greyed out.  I could not access any system tools this way.  I clicked on start -> Help and Support, searched for system restore and accessed it that way.  I performed a system restore and yes, magically and thankfully, everything was back.  My desktop icons were back, the programs I installed were back in the start -> programs menu and my system tools were back as well.

I don't know what McPreinstall.exe is supposed to do and I will never run it again.  When it ran it minized itself into just a menu bar above the start button.  It never displayed anything about its status as it ran.  Nothing.

Tags (1)
4 Replies
Dinz
Former Member
Message 2 of 5

Re: McPreinstall.exe

Hi,

Some internet session data does not clear from the cookies and temporary internet files causing old data to appear in the McAfee account. When this occurs it does not show the products and suites available for download or you might come across errors while installing McAfee products. Mcpreinstall tools clears all temporary internet files & mcafee cookies so that the browser has no problems in downloading the software. And regarding the issue, that the desktop icons disappeared, it could be caused even due to certain variant of malware which has the nature of disappearing the icons,

Please let us know the exact error you receive while installing mcafee products , so that we could help you in installing mcafee and running a full scan to check for any threats in the computer .

Thanks,
Dinesh K

ShakesHeadInDis
Former Member
Message 3 of 5

Re: McPreinstall.exe

There was no internet session data.

I took the McAfee 2010 disc that I purchased from the Base Exchange at Luke AFB and inserted it into the DVD drive of my desktop computer.  When it started to install I got a warning that the software was not Windows Logo Certified and that installing it could result in an unstable platform or cause the computer to become inoperable.  I stopped the installation, got on my laptop (different computer), got on the internet, chatted with tech support and was emailed a link for the McPreinstall.exe file.  I downloaded only that file (McPreinstall.exe) with my laptop.  I then copied the file onto a usb thumb drive, took it to my desk top computer, copied it to my desk top computer, removed the usb thumbdrive, clicked on start -> run, navigated to McPreinstall.exe on the hard drive of my desk top computer, selected it and ran it.  That is when the icons immediately disappeared.

The exact warning is:

The software you are installing for this hardware:

Antivirus Scan

has not passed Windows Logo testing to verify its compatability with Windows XP.  (Tell me why this testing is important.)

Continuing your installation of this software may impair or destabilize the correct operation of your system either immediately or in the future.  Microsoft strongly recommends that you stop this installation now and contact the hardware vendor for software that has passed the Windows Logo testing.

Note:  The Tell me why this testing is important opens my help center to explain about compatability between software products and Windows.

Several years ago I had McAfee on this computer and had no problems installing it then.  Several months into that subscription, everytime I did an update it would say the update failed and would tell me to reinstall the product.  Since the computer has a 56k modem and I got tired of spending 8 to 10 hours a day downloading all the updates, I took McAfee off, put a competitor's product on and had no problems.  I then stopped using that desktop to browse the internet, turned it off, put it a corner and it sat there until I went to put McAfee 2010 on it.  I did uninstall the competitor's software first.

ShakesHeadInDis
Former Member
Message 4 of 5

Re: McPreinstall.exe

I have solved the problem.

Thankyou.

Peacekeeper
Message 5 of 5

Re: McPreinstall.exe

For the unenlightened can you tell them how you solved it. I hope it is not installed another scanner

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