Before you even ask:
Yes, I have reinstalled McAfee many, many times.
Yes, I ran McAfee Virtual Technician.
Yes, I ran the MSCPRXFIX.
Yes, I talked to customer service.
Yes, I used the tool that customer service gave me to completely erase the program from my computer and then proceeded to download/reinstall from the internet.
I have a DSL connection. I have no Spyware, Adware, Worms or viruses infecting my computer. I am running Windows XP which is routinely updated. The date/time of my computer is correct and there is nothing barring McAfee access to its main server.
Now, to the problem:
McAfee does its usual thing of checking for updates. I then get a little banner (if I hover over the Security Centre icon) which tells me that these updates are "DOWNLOADING".
Then:
"DOWNLOADING
MCAFEE VIRUSSCAN: x% COMPLETE"
I watch as the percentage point goes ever higher, until eventually it hits 100% and proceeds to:
"INSTALLING
MCAFEE VIRUSSCAN: STARTED"
Only, by now I'm sure you can guess, that the installation never finishes. I get a lovely little box which tells me that there's been an "UPDATE ERROR. REINSTALL MCAFEE 3-USER TOTAL PROTECTION".
This happens on a regular basis.
Ever since I purchased my McAfee Program (3-User Total Protection) last December from the website, I have been having this problem. Once a month, maybe once every two, I get a cheery orange exclamation mark over my Security Suite icon (indicating that, of course, my registry files are between 8 and 29 days old).
As I might have mentioned, I would do as I was told and reinstall the McAfee program - which would appear at first to have worked, for everything would be running smoothly for a week or so before the UPDATE ERROR message would sound.
Now, it used to be that if I left everything well enough along the problem would work itself out.
The last time this happened to me, on 30 August, I talked to Customer Service. At the end of this chat (during which I was told that the reason for my problems boils down to McAfee not connecting with the McAfee server on my computer (which is queer, seeing as how 99.99% of the updates are downloaded and installed without a hitch, but the error is in installing just this single update for VirusScan)) - I was given the tool to completely remove all of McAfee from my computer. While I had to receive the tool twice (because the first removal was incomplete), I eventually was able to get rid of the programing absolutely.
I then went over to my account and downloaded my 3-User Total Protection program from the McAfee website.
Everything was going perfectly - the updates downloading and installing correctly - until Friday, 4 September.
Nothing works. I am frustrated beyond what words can tell.
Never again am I purchasing McAfee from the internet. While it might have been twice the price, every program I ever bought from the store went 365 days without a single problem.
Heck, if Norton wasn't so atrocious, I would never buy McAfee again.