System Changes and “An Error Has Occurred” Starting Custom Scan

[exbrit]

Excuse the spelling/grammar errors.

Message was edited by: Ex_Brit on 04/07/14 6:31:46 EDT AM

[exbrit]

Just heard from my support contact on the question of MCPR doing it's job (or not).  He has been corresponding with the developers:

Dev insists that the sole purpose of MCPR is to facilitate reinstallation of our suites, and they don’t feel it’s necessary to remove any file or reg key that doesn’t inhibit reinstall (although I would agree that the FW service reg key is probably one that does).  I’m pushing back against this viewpoint; IMHO, a removal tool should remove all traces of our products.  Period.
As for the “McAfee Casper Installer”, “Casper” is the core of new VS version (where they combine Engine and DATs).
I agree that (Product) Ideas is the place to put his suggestion (to improve MCPR) and yes, he’s welcome to apply for a job.  
As I mentioned, we’re more than willing to look at his suggestions for improving MCPR if he can provide a list of residual files and reg keys.  Feel free to pass this onto him.

So from that I gather that in its current form, MCPR wont remove every last trace of McAfee by design as there is no perceived need for it to do so.

Edit:  It seems he agrees with you.

Message was edited by: Ex_Brit to add last line on 04/07/14 1:28:37 EDT PM

[dmurphy]

Thanks for the helpful replies. I was unaware that it would be nessesary for me to uninstall then install what; to me; seemed like a new or update program but I will give it a go.

I'm a bit of a novice at this sort of thing and always hope an installation could do this sort of stuff for me. Incidentally there is no way I would attempt to re-install my operating system. I will let you know how I (a pretty basic user) gets on with this.

Before I do so I would like to say that I am not directly a McAfee client but have recently changed my ISP to the UK company BT (www.bt.com) and part of the package is internet security called "BT Net Protect Plus" which when installed proclaims itself to be McAfee. Thus when I googled my problem I ended up here. Although BT has posted some solutions for some problems I cannot find that they address this one.

Incidentally when I installed the "BT Net Protect Plus" version of McAfee it did a very long (in time) pre-installation check up of my computer and proclaimed something like (I cant exactly remember the terminology) "there is nothing remaining on this computer that will threaten the correct installation". But it seems there was! so the pre-install check (If it is part of McAfee) needs a tweek.

I will wait a day to see if anyone thinks there is any further complecation related to my install being via BT then go for it. I don't expect any problem with the licence to use it as BT has allowed me to install it on all my computers.

[exbrit]

That long check is usually when it is looking for competing software that may interfere with it's operation.   At least it got beyond that eventually.   I agree it shouldn't take so long.

Try the uninstall, MCPR (a fresh download), reboot and reinstall if any problems, then  if it continues open a case with Technical Support.  It's free of charge and linked under Useful Links at the top of this page.

Message was edited by: Ex_Brit - spellcheck on 05/07/14 9:28:08 EDT AM

[exbrit]

Moldyjacket, has the original problem been fixed?   If not has support started working on it?  Sorry no time to read the entire thread..

moldyjacket wrote:
All attempts to run any Custom scan returns the following error:
 
I’m using Windows XPP with McAfee SC 12.8.944, AV 16.8.708 and VS 2.8.716. A fresh downloaded MVT reports no problems found. This is a very recent complete reinstallation using these official procedures: http://service.mcafee.com/FAQDocument.aspx?lc=1033&id=TS101331 
I have another freshly built system XPP machine with all final updates applied and only McAfee (same MMI/version/features) installed. Custom scan exhibits the same “98% hang on rootkit stage” I see is well documented and being researched.
I believe the reason for different results is because McAfee does not completely and accurately remove itself. I have already demonstrated this in another thread (don’t have print screens anymore): https://community.mcafee.com/thread/66234?tstart=0
McMPFSvc appears to be a McAfee firewall service; God only knows what else is leftover. When I finish migrating to my newly built system I plan to test the difference between a virgin system preinstall and after McAfee removal, then post the results. Of course this will not reveal obsolete and/or broken leftovers from many years of using McAfee.  
Some may question, “Why should this be investigated and remediate”? I believe it is important because McAfee customers may experience this same error and/or further impact even after carefully following the official removal procedures. Some may move on to a different product or use none at all, but McAfee’s leftover changes will remain…however that may or may not affect their system. 
Only a clean system and registry without McAfee ever being previously installed (which normally entails rebuild or restore) can guarantee consistent results at this point. 
All of this and more indicates a clear lack of best practice development structure. As an assumed trusted and responsible company, McAfee must insure any and all changes made to the customer’s system (including the registry) is completely restored using their official removal process, even obsolete leftovers from years of use. This is the kind of behavior bad software often exhibits.
No, I’m not going to open another SR; it’s just plain common sense. If McAfee doesn’t know what they have changed in the past and are changing now, picking through my machine isn’t going to help the situation. I’m in the process of curing my old McAfee changes by migrating to a clean build; its present and future I’m concerned about now.

Message was edited by: Ex_Brit missing 'to' on 05/07/14 9:30:48 EDT AM

[selvan]

Hi dmurphy,

I have seen this issue in Support here and been working on this to see for the root cause. Most machines had externally connected devices and /or memory card readers connected to the PC which I suspect to be a clue however am still researching.

In the mean time you can try the Temporary workaround of right clicking desired folder/file/drive and select Scan from the context menu which should work normally.

I will get back here If I need further information for progressing.

Regards

[dmurphy]

Thank you Chinthanai you have saved me a load of time. I'm a slow operative when it comes to uninstall etc (I was just about to start when you came to my rescue) and your work round is so efective it will probably become my standard proceedure for virus scan and of course now I don't need to re-install anything. As far as I am concerned the issue is solved.

So obvious: Why didn't I think of that?

It may help your research to know that I have two external hard discs more or less permanantly connected to my PC. One made by Maxtor and the other by WD elements.

As a layman what is needed is for the customise scan window to follow what happens when you right click a folder and select scan. Maybe in programing terms that's not as easy as it looks to someone who knows next to nothing about it.

Anyway Thanks Whoopee

[moldyjacket]

Didn’t occur to me that you’ve never used this before, glad you’re happy with Selvan’s suggestion.

As long as you stick to single files and small directories, don’t disconnect the external drive after any scan of it (safely remove hardware will not normally work) and ALWAYS shutdown gracefully you will be fine. I consistently use this for small quick scans but you should be aware Explorer context scans run under your User Environment so it is much slower, can lock the registry until reboot and even lock the system if too big. Scanning a nearly full 1.5 TB external drive this way is not an option for me.

But this thread is not about Custom Scan, it’s just one symptom of a bigger problem.

[dmurphy]

Yes there are probably a lot of us out here who learn how to do something by route then would rather follow that path time and again (even if its a bit longer) than spend time looking for an alternative approach. Till there is a problem that is. (Like water shrews really). I'm only glad there are people of the opposite persuasion who are willing to help.

Also I realise this thread is about things I am not qualified to get involved in (and I won't) but the "title" of the thread will draw people with the specific problem it denotes here and I couldn't find another discussion that had sufficient experts involved and covered what I wanted to know. I didn't think I could go via McAfee support because I don't have a McAfee product key as I am getting mine via BT.

Anyway as you have guys have the expertise I wonder if you wouldn't mind me branching out in another slightly different direction again. There may be others who are helped as well.

I am the kind of person who switches on his PC for say an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening then the rest of the time it’s turned off. I just don't like leaving it running. However (I suppose; because of my hard drive and too many backups) when McAfee does a schedule check I have to remember to leave the PC on all day and overnight because that’s how long it takes and even then my wife may pop in and turn it off so I have to start again.

So what I am getting to is, if all my stuff has been virus checked once, and McAfee is on all the time live checking any new stuff etc and if I get a new file from somewhere that I know about, I will check it anyway. Is all the double checking brought about by a scheduled scan running through everything for 24hours really worth the bother for someone like me.

My PC is spending more time maintaining itself than the time I am spending using it, I only do emails and photos maybe a video now and then, on-line bank and that’s about it.

So what are the risks if I just do away with scheduled scans?

Thanks

[exbrit]

McAfee Support is your best bet for any insoluble issue and it's free to all customers by phone or online chat, it doesn't matter if you have a key or not.   I never run scheduled scans unless my machine starts acting up and then I run it and several others just in case.

Support is linked via Useful Links (or McAfee Support) at the top of the page or right-click your taskbar icon and select Get Help.   If at first they don't solve something ask them to escalate the issue up the line.