Computer will not reboot after 2010 version update (Win7/64)

[user_14617]

-  ....... or is there a recurring problem with McAfee's updates that is causing the problem?  Moxie's isn't a one-off problem and it isn't her fault - simply look at the postings over the last few months to see it coming up again and again.

[Peacekeeper]

MMs is different in that her's had a black screen. Only reported win 7 64 issues were a toshiba issue and a bsod on a firewall file. No black screen on reboot after a working install. We are talking about this tomorrow .

There are several 2010 issues outside this issue though. Mine is stable as it comes on XP win 7 32 and 64 bit. I also run the beta version.

Message was edited by: Peacekeeper on 17/08/10 5:53:39 AM

[bryhy]

Comforting to know that somebody else has had the same problem-although with me it just occurred yesterday. Although I am yet to resolve it. I've tried just removing MacAfee via the uninstall programme but that does not seem to be enough.

There should be a law against this, seducing somebody down an update route only to make it unworkable!

[MoxieMomma]

Hi, Bryhy:

On my way to work now, but:  what type of computer do you have?

Was this an "in place" version update from the "2009" to the "2010" interface?

Can you boot into safe mode, even without networking?

If so:

Unless you want to restore your computer to the factory image (or worse), my advice is to remove all McAfee products via control panel > add/remove prigrams.  Then, if you can, use system restore to get back to a recent point that was working.  That allowed me to boot normally, download the MCPR tool and run it.   (However, despite a "successful completion" of the cleanup tool, reboot and run it again.)

Then install another product (you may need to run both a chkdsk /f and more extensive testing on your HDD, to be sure it is not damaged).

IIWY, I wouldn't bother trying a clean install from your M account -- that gave me the same result as the in-place upgrade.

I was able to boot normally and use my computer, but -- though an extensive hardware test checked out OK -- the McAfee update ended up corrupting the OS (kernel drivers, network drivers, something?) so that the problem recurred, even after a clean install of McAfee and even a clean install of another product.

The M drivers somehow corrupt or crash with Windows system drivers needed to boot the computer.  May also relate to Dell BIOS, but who knows, at this point (no one from M tried to find out...)

After a week of no concrete help from M TS (despite valiant assistance from the volunteer mods here), I spent the weekend with Dell and at computer forums online.

Since we had narrowed it from hardware (working fine) to software (OS), the only safe thing to do was a factory image. Fortunately I had my data backed up on an external HDD (and Carbonite) and the recovery partition worked great, so I did not need to nuke/pave the 1 TB HDD.

Computer is now back to 100% normal, but I am STILL working to reinstall my programs and get everything "as it was" before.   Starting week 2 of trying to clean up this mess.

Needless to say, my new security suite is performing flawlessly.

I could have lived with M software not functioning properly.

However, converting a ROCK STABLE, new, high-end PC with an OEM OS and high-end OEM chipset & GPU, etc  to a paperweight bootable only into safe mode -- not once, but TWICE -- was entirely unacceptable.

Even worse, the lack of technical expertise and repeated requests to install **BETA** software, just to "see what happens" was an enormous cop-out.

Yup, no more "Big Red M" for me...

Hope you get your computer up and running OK.

MM

Message was edited by: MoxieMomma on 8/16/10 6:26:06 AM CDT

[bryhy]

I have a Dell studio XPS. I can start in in safe mode. I was running 2009 Mcaffee fine-but things seemed to go wrong when it requested that I resart the computer after the new programmes.

I had tried removing the programmes via the control panel but that didnt seem to work. I didnt try the MCPR tool though.

It really is crap isn't it? You would have thought Mcaffee would have issued an improved update.

Brian

[MoxieMomma]

As I suspected, my case might have been the "first", but it surely won't be the last.

Now that M is pushing out their version updates to the zillion Dell customers with bundled M software on their zillion Dell XPS systems, all heck is about to break loose.

The troubleshooting and fixes are a bit complicated, though it all makes sense, in retrospect, based on what happened to my computer.

Do you have a support contract with Dell?

If so, my advice is to use it -- the fee-based, premium, North American support (Your Tech Team) is worth every penny (while, like M, their offshore, Tier1 support (phone or chat) in faraway lands is worthless).

They helped me all week to work through the problem and assisted me on the system repair to the factory image and even the installation of the new security product.

In all my years of using PCs, I've NEVER had a mess like this.

If your hardware diagnostics check out OK, you will likely end up needing to do at least a deep repair or factory image or nuke-pave of your OS, as I did, as the only way to resolve the corruption issues.

In the process, be sure your drivers are UTD (mine were) and that both your mobo and GPU BIOS are UTD (Dell coincidentally pushed out a mobo BIOS update for the XPS8100 last week).

There are some other "tricks", "tips" and "pearls" you need to make sure everything goes smoothly to COMPLETELY remove M products, clean and repair your system, and then install a new security product.

Be sure, either in safe mode or with your system at least partially restored to working condition, that you back up ALL FILES, FOLDERS, DATA and (if you want) PROGRAMS and APP DATA.

This saved my butt.

I've been working all week since Monday last, including an exhausting, sleepless weekend.

And I am still not back to normal, in terms of programs and such.  Another week of work (on top of my day job) still to go...

If M TS tries to persuade you to reinstall their software, "gold" or "beta" or any version, my advice is not to do it.

The issue was 100% reproducible not once, but TWICE, for me, and I couldn't stomach a 3rd round, with risk of even more system damage.

There is a fundamental engineering problem here they are unable or unwilling to address.

Good luck!!!

MM

[Former Member]

Hey Moxie,

   Well I've gotta say, I'm really not pleased that you're in this situation. I'm trying to track down the support rep you worked with and sent files to. I'm not going to ask you to replicate this issue again, but I'm really really keen to get my hands on those files and see what happened here.

   I'm also sending your posts and information to management, and I'd really appreciate it if you could private message me your contact information so I can get Customer Service involved here.

[Peacekeeper]

bryhy  was this a black screen on reboot after the install? Can you explain the issue ie what happened exactly.

What are your dell specs

Message was edited by: Peacekeeper on 17/08/10 6:39:44 AM

[bryhy]

Hi,

The problem was as described by Moxie. Happily working away when there appeared a popup from McAfee saying new programmes had been installed, 'restart your computer now'. When I did, the black screen appeared for about 2 secs, apparently doing some sort of dump. Which then went onto another screen, informing me that the PC had shut down incorrectly. The PC did attempt to rebort-but the same black screen reoccurred.

The only way I could get in was in the safe mode. I did restore to a working version, before the McAfee popup. However the pop-up reoccured-and the same problems persisted in that I couldnt restart it properly.

Panic. In the end I took it to an IT specialist.

Whilst the computer was away, I browsed this forum (on a laptop top not running McAfee!) and found the solution. The IT specialist had sorted the problem, seemingly by removing all traces of McAfee and restoring. Obviously though I had to pay for the work!! So a bit cheesed off that I had to spend money undoing the damage caused by a product that was supposed to protect my PC! Perhaps I shouldnt have paniced too quickly and should have found and followed the advice on the forum. before I took the PC away I did attempt to remove McAfee but it made no difference. At the time I didnt realise that you needed this download programme from McAfee to remove all traces.

I have a Dell Studio XPS 8100 intel I7 Processor 860 (8MB)

Memory 6144MB 1333Mhz DDR3 Dual Channel

Windows7

As as been observed, I guess there will be a number of other people tearing their hair out over this. And I didnt have too much of that anyway...

Brian

[Peacekeeper]

Thanks BTW this win 7 64 bit as well.

I have passed this up the line as well.