McAfee update crashed my computer!!

[ChrisRobt]

Peacekeeper, thanks for the reply; the Windows site you gave me was for XP and I am running Vista.  Is there a similiar site for Vista?  I tried calling Dell again and they are quite sure this is a software problem and that I need to restore the computer to the original factory settings; since I cannot do an automatic backup (message that I need to repair the disk errors before a backup can be done), I guess I need to drag and drop my files...

Chirstine

[exbrit]

This is from one of the many explanations online...you need to run the /R one... as in chkdsk C: /r

(WITH the spaces as shown and use the correct disk letter, in this case it's shown as C: but yours may be different. it doesn't matter whether letters are capitals or small case)

Using the Command Line Interface

Check Disk can also be run using the command line (DOS) prompt.

   1. Open the command prompt with administrative privileges by typing cmd in the search box in the Start Menu and right-click cmd.exe in the search results and then select Run as Administrator.

   2. Type chkdsk followed by one or a combination of switches listed below in the command prompt.

If you run the check disk (chkdsk) command from the command prompt by typing just chkdsk check disk will run in read only mode. All it does is check for errors. It will not fix any errors it finds unless told to do so. This is done by adding switches when typing chkdsk in the command prompt.

A switch looks something like chkdsk /F. Notice the switch /F after the chkdsk command.

Below is a list of most of the switches used with the check disk command. You can use one or a combination of switches with the check disk command.

😧 If you want check disk to scan a drive other than the C: drive, add the drive letter after chkdsk to tell it to scan that drive. If the drive is called X: on your computer it would look like chkdsk X:.

/F: The /F switch is the most common of the chkdsk switches. It tells chkdsk to fix any errors it finds. Chkdsk can’t fix errors on a disk that has open files. If chkdsk asks you if you want to check the drive next time Windows Vista boots or dismount the drive choose to check the drive next time Windows Vista boots. Never choose to dismount the drive. That option should only be used by a professional.

/R: The /R switch tells chkdsk to attempt to recover any bad sectors of the hard drive if any are found. A bad sector is a spot on the hard drive that can’t hold saved data anymore.

/I: The /I switch tells chkdsk to perform a less detailed but faster disk check.

/C: The /C switch tells chkdsk to skip the checking of cycles within a folder structure which reduces the scan time. Don’t ask me what this means.

An example of an exhaustive disk check using the command line interface is:

chkdsk 😧 /F /R

The check disk command shown above will fix any errors it finds and also attempt to recover bad sectors of the 😧 drive if any are found.

[exbrit]

Moved from Other McAfee Products to SecurityCenter 10 assuming this is the version you have.

2010: taskbar icon is shield-shaped

2009: taskbar icon is square

[exbrit]

By the way I trust that this is Vista SP2 and fully updated with ALL updates otherwise it could be causing issues.

See THIS and THIS for more information and help with installing SP2.

[ChrisRobt]

EX_BRIT, I get the automatic updates so assume that SP2 has been installed; guess I don't pay enough attention to this.

[ChrisRobt]

Ex_Brit, sorry I didn't hook these two replies together.  I tried the chkdsk (running as administrator) you described, but when I reboot the computer, there is no action I can see.  The computer simply boots up to the regular screen/background/icons. 

Thanks for moving this discussion to the proper forum

Christine

[MoxieMomma]

Hi, again, ChrisRobt:

Sounds like Peacekeeper and Ex_Brit are providing excellent & expert help in your troubleshooting, but you are still having issues with both software (Windows backup utility not working, ?Mcafee not working?, etc) and possibly hardware (b/c of the "repair disk errors" message when you try to perform a backup)?

Serious issues with the backup utility (and major display/video/graphics problems, as well as general instability) were one of the primary reasons I gave up on Vista -- so your problems are not surprising.

If chkdisk went OK (largely excluding bad disk sectors from any major hardware issues), and if your OS (as well as MS Internet Explorer) are fully updated including all available service packs (see the links that Ex_Brit gave you), then it *might* be worth trying to restore to the factory image.

See what Peacekeeper and Ex_Brit say, but I think you may need/want to completely uninstall McAfee before doing so -- you will want to temporarily enable the protection of both Windows Defender and Windows firewall when you do, so that you have some temporary protection until you reinstall McAfee from your online account after the system restore.

As you already know, restoring to the factory image -- assuming it is successful -- will wipe out all your other installed programs and data.

So, you need to be sure you copy all your data to another place -- e.g. an external hard drive -- first.

If you have a lot of photos and videos, it may take several hours to do this over a USB connection.

But it's always a good idea to have your data files backed up anyway.

The simplest way to do this if Windows backup is not working is simply to copy/paste your folders manually.

There are also many 3rd-party backup utilities, e.g. Acronis True Image, but they generally cost a few $.

There is also Carbonite, an online backup service.  It, too, costs $$, but it's an excellent service.

Once you have all your files backed up, you then need to decide if it's worth attempting a factory image restoration, or whether to go with the "nuclear option" of reformatting the HD and reinstalling the OS, either Vista or (assuming your system meets the requirements), Win 7.

Be sure, either way, that you have all of your disks and 3rd-party software license keys and other information you will need to reinstall and reactivate your other programs, too.

I assume that McAfee is still protecting your computer during all this, or that you DO still have *some sort* of Anti-Virus and Firewall (and possibly) additional Anti-Malware software (such as MBAM or SAS or Spybot S&D) running on your machine?

Since your immediate issues may not be directly related to McAfee per se, have you looked at some of the dedicated Vista forums (e.g. www.vistaforums.com or http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/category/windowsvista/), to see if they have anything else to offer? (Just a thought.)

Keep us posted!

MM

[exbrit]

I merely jumped in as I knew Peacekeeper was asleep and I thought it would be a good idea to explain the chkdsk procedure.  I forgot to add however, that if it's the parttion you are currently booted into (say C:) the command should have refused stating that the volume is in use try at next boot Y/N?  You should have keyed in Y and clicked the Enter key and it should have proceeded at the next boot.

Are you saying it didn't?   That is weird.  How many partitions are there on this machine?

[MoxieMomma]

@Ex_Brit:  Indeed. It sounds as if the chkdisk didn't actually run on ChrisRobt's machine?  So, it may still be the case that there are bad disk sectors...

Hardware, software, or both -- sometimes, it's hard to tell.

With Vista, it's anyone's guess.

(Improved hardware on my new system aside, it's AMAZING how much better and more stable Win7 has been...)

Well, hopefully ChrisRobt will get it all worked out.

Cheers,

MM

[ChrisRobt]

I'm still working on this; I was directed to the Vista help area and found this site   http://http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/130824-chkdsk-will-not-run-startup-vista.html

I ran the sfc scannow as suggested and it worked, but when I rebooted (I'd requested a chkdsk at reboot), there was still no chkdsk.  It looks like the next step is going into the registry; am I getting in over my head???

Christine