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blarty-fargo
Former Member
Message 51 of 263

Re: Files that are required for Windows to run properly have been replaced by unrecognised versions. To maintain system stability Windows must restore the original versions of these files.

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Hi snaffle - I feel your pain mate.

The reason I ditched McAfee straight away is because I need my PC to function correctly for my work. I need a working system, and files being replaced by WFP (due to an underlying McAfee issue) does not make for a stable system.

Like you, I had serious ATI problems due to McAfee.

In your case - you may be correct that an essential system file has been zapped, which prevents the Catalyst Control Centre (CCC) from pruning correctly. If it is a .net file or installation issue - you have some real problems. This is what McAfee need to address - XP SP3 systems are being corrupted by WFP and folks may not realise that McAfee is the root cause.

May I suggest you hope that your .net and system files are OK, and attempt a reinstall using this sequence...

1) Goto folder "C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\UninstallAll" and locate "AtiCimUn.exe" - this is the ATI uninstall program - take a copy of it

2) Do an ATI uninstall via "Control Panel | Add or remove programs | ATI - Software Uninstall Utility" - then reboot

3) Then, run the "AtiCimUn.exe" program that you saved in step (1) - and reboot again

4) Before you re-install - goto folder "C:\WINDOWS\system32" and do a search for "ati*" - you should then manually delete any ATI files you find located in "C:\WINDOWS\system32" and "C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers". Those files should have been deleted by steps (1) and (3). For your ref - a snapshot of my system is enclosed.

5) Now do an ATI reinstall

Hopefully, that will do the trick - it worked for me.

If not, then I think you are correct in saying that WFP has zapped a .net or system file preventing the correct running of CCC. Your problems start at that point.

I feel really sorry for the less tech savvy folks who will not find this thread and think their PC is broken because of McAfee software.

I am done with McAfee and will never be a customer again. I am loving the stability and user-friendlyness of Kaspersky software, but I am still bitter that I have 7 months left on a useless McAfee subscription.

I note the excellent mods on this forum are still posting - but not a single word from anyone working for McAfee. They should be ashamed of themselves.

blarty-fargo
Former Member
Message 52 of 263

Re: Files that are required for Windows to run properly have been replaced by unrecognised versions. To maintain system stability Windows must restore the original versions of these files.

Jump to solution

Here is my ATI snapshot...

ati.png

snaffle
Contributor
Message 53 of 263

Re: Files that are required for Windows to run properly have been replaced by unrecognised versions. To maintain system stability Windows must restore the original versions of these files.

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Hi BF,

Well, it was complicated but before I even saw your message, I have fixed my system and successfully got my ATI Graphics card working properly including finally getting CCC to work!. A security update to MS Net Framework 2.0 popped in tonight, as it installed, it showed complete corruption of my registry for the 2.0 framework (string tables) and during the process, it appears windows repaired my net framework 2.0 as part of the update.

I then uninstalled JUST the CCC software (not my graphics drivers). Then I reinstalled CCC by itself and it finally installed. Then I ran it and WOW, it launched and I was able to finally adjust my card to properly operate with my monitor at proper 75HZ. So I am back in business with a full screen.

Meanwhile I used the windows hardware wizard to restore my graphics drivers last night by pointing it to the INF files in the ATI install package I saved to my hard drive from the install CD. (instead of running the whole install application.) By doing it a step at a time I was able to get everything working.

It will still be interesting to see if Mcafee even acknowledges the issue in this thread, but it appears to me that in my case I was able to repair the damage done my Mcafee's bug with WFP file replacements. Interesting thing is that all the WFP error messages earlier generated relating to other files besides my graphics drivers in my event log when I had Mcafee running were the exact same files that windows said were corrupt or missing when the security update tried to initialize tonight.

Now that Mcafee is not installed on my system, I rebooted many times and no WFP errors or file replacements have occurred. Plus windows has seemed to repair itself as part of having the new security update to net framework 2.0 which CCC must have working in order to install and run properly.

So I am finally running OK with MS Security Essentials as my AV solution for now!

BTW I did earlier try your suggestion of manually deleting old ATI files (after the ATI uninstall) in the sys32 subfolder so I would have a clean install, but WFP replaced them, even with Mcafee not installed on my system. Then again that was when I physically tried to delete them, compared with Mcafee just replacing my current drivers with the older ones when I had RTS scanning on. So WFP in this case was just doing what it was supposed to do, protect the system files when I manually tried to delete them, not randomly replace my new drivers! And even with the older files there, when I installed my new drivers, WFP allowed the new drivers to overwrite the old ones in the sys32 subfolder and other folders.

Anyway, I'm good for now!

Thanks for your ideas at repairing my CCC!

After all this, I do believe I will not be messing around with Mcafee's software anymore.

-Snaffle

blarty-fargo
Former Member
Message 54 of 263

Re: Files that are required for Windows to run properly have been replaced by unrecognised versions. To maintain system stability Windows must restore the original versions of these files.

Jump to solution

Excellent news.

So your problem was corrupt system files caused by McAfee - that's what the big M should be worried about and perhaps why they are quiet on this thread.

As for CCC, sounds like you still had the ATI drivers loaded, which is why WFP triggered when you tried to delete them.

In my case I had total ATI corruption and my system was using the Windows default 640x480 4bit driver, so I was able to manually delete the ATI ones.

Anyway, it's good news and no more McAfee headaches!

dougk_t3
McAfee Employee
McAfee Employee
Message 55 of 263

Re: Files that are required for Windows to run properly have been replaced by unrecognised versions. To maintain system stability Windows must restore the original versions of these files.

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When Tony (Peacekeeper) and Peter (Ex Brit) told me about the ongoing issues being experienced, I did some digging into the status of this bug (that I filed over a month ago).  I was able to determine that there has indeed been activity in identifyng the cause.  I also emailed the guy who is heading up the investigation and he confirms that the issue is under the microscope now.  FWIW, I also updated the bug itself with the current thread count so that Dev will be aware that this problem is plaguing more systems than we initially thought.

I'll update this thread when I get new info.

yippeekaiyay
Former Member
Message 56 of 263

Re: Files that are required for Windows to run properly have been replaced by unrecognised versions. To maintain system stability Windows must restore the original versions of these files.

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Thanks for the update. Please let us know if they have been able to reproduce any of the following issues that appear to be related to the bug:

  1. Windows File Protection warnings
  2. File replacements due to Windows File Protection
  3. Winlogon.exe activity as a result of sfc_os.dll (Windows File Protection) on reboots following McAfee software updates or DAT updates. When this occurs, many of the files in the system32\dllcache folder will show their "Last Accessed" time to be at start-up or after. When winlogon.exe is not active with 0-15% CPU usage, you will see fewer files with very recent "Last Accessed" times.
  4. Disk space decreasing due to WFP activity possibly triggering System Restore to backup accessed system files
    1. You can check this by tracking Local Disk (C:) Properties from "My Computer". Used space increases as winlogon.exe (sfc_os.dll thread) uses CPU "updating" system files in the system32\dllcache. If you have the dllcache folder open and repeatedly refresh while this is occuring, you'll see the files being accessed with a .new replacement.
    2. Disk space isn't decreasing by the same amount when you go into C:\ and select all files and folder and click on Properties. This only decreases proportionally to what you're doing on the PC. I haven't downloaded anything other than Windows updates and haven't generated large files.
    3. If System Restore is already using the maximum space allowed by your settings (max of 12% of hard drive capacity) then you may notice a loss of restore points, but not notice that the Local Disk (C:) Properties from My Computer has decreased.

I've kept a log of #4 (1) in Excel tracking the used disk space for the last few weeks.

Greens
Former Member
Message 57 of 263

Re: Files that are required for Windows to run properly have been replaced by unrecognised versions. To maintain system stability Windows must restore the original versions of these files.

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I stumbled across this thread and don't know if it's related to my problem or not but here goes. .......  I received a security update from McAfee on August 10.  On August 11 as I was running a Malwarebytes scan I got the WFP message.  I didn't know what to do so I restarted the computer with the warning box still opened and started another Malwarebytes scan which ran successfully and found no problems.  Thinking it could be a virus, I ran a McAfee scan and found nothing.  After that, I ran a SuperAntispyware scan and got the dreaded WPF message again while it was running.  I let the scan continue and it found nothing.  Next, I rebooted the computer and checked the event log.  I've got 64008 errors in a msstyles file that was noted in an earlier post on this thread, plus one for ehtray.exe and one for kbdus.dll.  I ran the sfc /scannow and got several messsages about dll files needing to be replaced and asking for the Windows XP Professional Service Pack 3 CD to be insterted. I skipped them all.   Well, now I'm in over my head.  Mine is a Media Center Edition of XP with SP2 provided by Dell when I bought the computer.  From what I've read elsewhere, I need to steamline SP3 onto my disk and even if I did manage to do that I still wouldn't know what to do with the disk after I put it in the drive as asked.  I did a system restore to August 9.  McAfee has updated itself and I am holding my breath.  So far, for me, the WFP message has only happened when running the other scans.  Everything seems fine otherwise.  I'm wondering if, for myself, if I could just leave things as they are and restart after the MWB and SAS scan run.  Of course, if I get more errors doing other things, I will have to call in a pro and pay the bucks.  If McAfee does come up with a fix (assuming my problem is related to others on this thread), do you think they will actually take care of the bad files they gave us or will we still have to figure that out for ourselves?  I've reached the limit of what I'm able to do on my own.

exbrit
MVP
MVP
Message 58 of 263

Re: Files that are required for Windows to run properly have been replaced by unrecognised versions. To maintain system stability Windows must restore the original versions of these files.

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I can't help with the McAfee technical side of the problems listed in this thread as I don't have the answers but I can help with your XP SP2 update issue...I hope 😉

How to Slipstream SP3 On To Your XP Installation Disk:  http://lifehacker.com/386526/slipstream-service-pack-3-into-your-windows-xp-installation-cd

(Note that you most likely already have .net 2.0 that it requires, check your updates list, and you can ignore the last item it says you need WinUpdatesList - you can install updates afterwards in the normal way)

A possibly easier method:  http://www.winsupersite.com/article/product-review/slipstreaming-windows-xp-with-service-pack-3-sp3

How to do a Repair Install of XP (once you have your XP SP3 disk): http://www.dougknox.com/xp/tips/xp_repair_install.htm

and, if your simply want to install SP3 yourself separately: 

Help with installing SP3:  https://community.mcafee.com/thread/2007

Either way you should be at SP3 as SP2 is no longer supported by Microsoft (since July 13/2010) therefore you are missing a lot (& I mean a lot) of security and possibly other updates.

More info on support here: https://community.mcafee.com/docs/DOC-1315

.



Message was edited by: Ex_Brit on 13/08/11 9:44:01 EDT AM
exbrit
MVP
MVP
Message 59 of 263

Re: Files that are required for Windows to run properly have been replaced by unrecognised versions. To maintain system stability Windows must restore the original versions of these files.

Jump to solution

Greens, I see that you are online so note that I made several changes to the above post in the meanwhile.

Greens
Former Member
Message 60 of 263

Re: Files that are required for Windows to run properly have been replaced by unrecognised versions. To maintain system stability Windows must restore the original versions of these files.

Jump to solution

Thnka Peter.  I do have SP3 on my computer and all is updated (just got more updates from Windows last night).  It's just a matter of streamlining SP3 onto my SP2 disk.  The dougknox site says that it will not work for Windows Media Center edition.  I didn't notice that on the lifehacker link.  Do you know if I will be able to streamline SP3 onto my MCE SP2 disk, supplied by Dell using the lifehacker link? 

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