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HelpingHand
Former Member
Message 1 of 10

Word & Excel Files Won't Open After Virus Scan Install

Hello. I am trying to help someone with a computer problem. Since she recently installed McAfee Virus Scan she has been unable to open any Microsoft Word or Excel files. She can get into the programs without any problem, but the files themselves won't open.

She gets the message that the file is not available when trying to open it from within Word/Excel or through My Computer. I can open her files without any problem on my computer, and the files scan as clean using ZoneAlarm on my computer. Everything was working fine before she installed the McAfee program.

She has uninstalled/reinstalled the McAfee program and Microsoft Word -- several times, I believe. This has not resolved the problem. She still cannot open the files.

She uses Windows XP. She previously had Norton Antivirus on the computer and says she had uninstalled that before installing McAfee.

I would appreciate your help! She has some important Word files that she needs to work on for school projects.

Thanks!
9 Replies
exbrit
MVP
MVP
Message 2 of 10

RE: Word & Excel Files Won't Open After Virus Scan Install

Is your XP fully patched with updates for both Windows and Office using Microsoft Updates?
You should try it for both critical and non-critical updates.

Please go to Start/Run and type in winver then click the Enter key and post what it says.

Did you use the Norton Removal Tool after uninstalling Norton products?

Please post your McAfee product versions, found by opening Security Center (right-click or double-click the taskbar icon) and then going to "About" in the lower right-hand corner of the open window.
HelpingHand
Former Member
Message 3 of 10

Thank You!

Hello Ex_Brit,

When she told me that her previous antivirus program was Norton, alarm bells went off in my head. Knowing that Norton isn't easy to remove completely, I suggested to her that she needed to download and run the Norton Removal Tool.

After I posted the problem on this forum, but before receiving your reply, she ran the Norton Removal Tool. Everything is fine now! McAfee VirusScan works, and she can open both Word and Excel files.

Thanks so much for your assistance. You came up with the key to solving her problem -- something several McAfee techs had not caught!

Best wishes to you.
exbrit
MVP
MVP
Message 4 of 10

RE: Thank You!

I figured it was Norton because a Google search of the problem mentioned Norton several times.

Good luck.
steve_can
Contributor
Message 5 of 10

Re: Word & Excel Files Won't Open After Virus Scan Install

I have the same problem using Windows 10 and Excel (2013). I installed and uninstalled LiveSafe and LiveSafe is definitely the problem. I was udating my subscription so I had LiveSafe before the re-installation with no problems with that previous install. My version of LiveSafe before the Monday update also ran fine alongside my Malwarebytes software. Not getting any response from McAfee Support since Monday when I flagged this problem.

 

Thank you for contacting McAfee Consumer Support. 

We have recently opened a Service Request for support based on the information you provided us at our support website. Below you will find the details of this request for your reference.

-       Service Request #: 2492615911
-       Created Date: 08/13/2018 08:15:09
-       Description: Renewed my LiveSafe subscription, downloaded latest version and straight afterwards I cannot open Excel files that I was working on just before update. Excel message is below.

sanjay
McAfee Retired
McAfee Retired
Message 6 of 10

Re: Word & Excel Files Won't Open After Virus Scan Install

@steve_can

I have sent a private message to you. Could you please check and respond. Thank you.

Cheers

Sanjay

If this information was helpful in any way or answered your question, please mark it as the accepted solution and give Kudos if appropriate.
PaintedQuail
Contributor
Message 7 of 10

Re: Word & Excel Files Won't Open After Virus Scan Install

I have kind of the same problem.  Word, etc. worked fine up until last month when I renewed McAfee.  Now, when I try to open an MS Word document, it hangs with the message "Requesting virus scan..." at the bottom, and then the program closes.  This never used to happen.  Have never had Norton, so probably not the same exact issue as above.   Office 2002 XP running on Windows10 on a Dell desktop.  Thoughts?  Thanks!

sanjay
McAfee Retired
McAfee Retired
Message 8 of 10

Re: Word & Excel Files Won't Open After Virus Scan Install

@PaintedQuail

Does disabling Real Time Scanning / Firewall help in eliminating the issue? Please note the version of Office software compatible with Windows 10 in the link below:

https://support.office.com/en-us/article/which-versions-of-office-work-with-windows-10-0fc85c97-da69...

Cheers

Sanjay

If this information was helpful in any way or answered your question, please mark it as the accepted solution and give Kudos if appropriate.
PaintedQuail
Contributor
Message 9 of 10

Re: Word & Excel Files Won't Open After Virus Scan Install

thank you, turning off Real Time scanning worked.  Appreciate the response.

sanjay
McAfee Retired
McAfee Retired
Message 10 of 10

Re: Word & Excel Files Won't Open After Virus Scan Install

Locking the thread as it's old and no longer relevant to the current version of McAfee products.

If this information was helpful in any way or answered your question, please mark it as the accepted solution and give Kudos if appropriate.
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