cleaning the registery before re-installing Mcafee products

I'm attempting to uninstall problematic software before re-installing it(Mcafee products). Their advice is to uninstall software, backup registery in the desktop, and remove from the registery:

HKLM>Software>McAfee
HKLM> Software>Network Associates

Two questions
1) How do I find and remove the above 2 lines in REGEDIT?
2) When I start REGEDIT, I get the following:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT
HKEY_CURRENT_USER
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
HKEY_USERS
HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG
HKEY_DYN_DATA

Looking through some of these subdirectories, it appears that they all contain McAfee folders/ lines. Should I erase all references to the programs I uninstalled throughout ALL these directories?? Thanks for your pro tech advice!!

 

Click on the plus sign next to HKLM and then click on the plus next to software. Scroll until you see the McAfee folder and right click on it and choose delete. The procedure is the same for Network Associates. As for whether or not you should delete the rest of them, I'd wait and give this a try first.

 

Your question really is a bit broad. You do not tell us the actual problem and who the "they" is who is giving the advice.
If McAfee's own instructions say to remove certain keys in HKLM that means to click the + signs on HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Mcafee or \Network Associates. Then right click the keys and click Delete.
Removing keys in the Registry should usually be done only after you have backed those keys up so you can restore if necessary. (Click Registry|Export.)
However, maybe you will want to learn a little more about the Registry first.
http://www.winguides.com/article.php?id=1&guide=registry
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/tr...Net/prodtechnol/win98/reskit/part6/wrkc31.asp

 

In win98 you already have the best Registry back up buitl in.

But two things must exist.

1---Scanregistry must be loading at startup
2-- Windows must be restarted in some way at least once per calender day.

This makes the RB00x.cab files that reside in the C:\Windows\Sysbckup folder.

If you do too good a job of cleaning you can boot to the command prompt at startup and do a SCANREG /Restore. Then you can pick one fo 5 that you thinks is best.

But, before doing anything check that the rb00x.cab files do indeed exist and check the dates on them.

As to cleaning out McAfee YES. remove every instance that you shows.

Same for any other software that you are sure has been removed.

BillyBob

 

Landis

See this thread especially read my post scroll down to #5.

http://windowsbbs.com/showthread.php?s=&postid=71590#post71590

As I have done this many times for Norton, I have also done it for Mcafee.

You would search the registry for

mcafee

then

network associates

You should also search the HD for these mcafee*.* network*.* you should delete all mcafee but watch the network items for only network assocaites other items named network should be left alone.

You may want to read this entire thread seem to apply to your problem.


Mike

 

Regarding registry backups, it never hurts to export the entire registry or just the Keys you are working on before making changes with Regedit. I do that (export individual keys) and I also use Win95's ERU to make periodic backups of the entire registry.

You didn't say what version of McAfee's software you are trying to remove. They have online products (McAfee Clinic.. ActiveShield, VirusScan Online) as well as traditional software like VirusScan. If you go to http://www.mcafee.com/support/default.asp you will find samples of the different system tray icons. For example a red "M" indicates an online product. You can go to http://www.mcafeehelp.com/ and select your product, for example, "VirusScan Online" select the "Install/Uninstall" category and choose the Uninstall faq to find detailed instructions including registry backup and editing.

Here are the instructions I found for uninstalling VirusScan Online:

Here is what I used to successfully remove the McAfee "ActiveShield" online scanner that was preinstalled on my sister's HP Pavilion so that I could install Norton AV. The online version of these instructions is here:
http://www.mcafee.com/support/cust_serv/faqs/tech_support/faq_tech1.asp
How do I install or uninstall ActiveShield?
... but it didn't include registry editing.

Even if you have a different McAfee product you might find the detailed registry backup and registry editing instructions helpful. Just make sure you have uninstalled the program using the uninstaller in the Start Programs menu or in Add/Remove Programs first.

==============copy/paste=============

From: pcbutts1 (pcbutts1@yahoo.com)
Subject: Re: Mcafee Clinic
Newsgroups: 24hoursupport.helpdesk
Date: 2001-08-05 12:12:35 PST

I had the same problem this is how I fixed it. After you follow these steps log back in to http://www.mcafee.com/anti-virus/default.asp? and click on the update active shield. It will reinstall correctly.

Manual Uninstall of McAfee ActiveShield

Remove the Agent

1. Click Start and highlight Programs.
2. Highlight McAfee.com Agent and click Uninstall McAfee.com Agent. Click Yes to confirm the uninstallation.
3. When the uninstallation is complete, click Close.

NOTE: Some of the following entries may have already been removed by the steps above.

IMPORTANT: Before beginning to manually remove this program from your computer make sure to backup the registry. This will safeguard your Windows 95 or Windows 98 installation. You can recover your Windows 95 or Windows 98 configuration by restoring the backup in the case that an error occurs after editing the registry.

Backup the Registry

1. Click on the Start button, then on Run.
2. Type in REGEDIT and click the OK button. The Registry Editor will then appear.
3. Click on the Registry pull-down menu.
4. Click on Export Registry File. The Export Registry File dialog box will then appear.
5. In the line entitled File Name type "Backup" (without the quotation marks).
6. In the line entitled Save In be sure that Desktop is selected (if it is not, click on the down arrow next to the Save In line and select 'Desktop.')
7. Select "All" in the Export range groupbox by clicking on the corresponding radio button.
8. Click on the Save button.
9. Close the Registry Editor by clicking the X in the top right corner.

You now have a backup of your registry saved as "Backup" on your desktop. If an error occurs and you need to restore the registry you can double-click on the new file entitled "Backup" located on the desktop and the registry will be restored.

NOTE: When you are completely finished with this document restart your computer by clicking Start, Shutdown, Restart, then OK. Once the computer has restarted verify that your computer is working properly by opening various programs and doing familiar functions. When you can tell that all is running properly delete the Backup registry file you created earlier to avoid restoring the old registry by mistake. To delete the Backup registry file right-click on the "Backup" file on your desktop then click on Delete.
Be careful not to double-click this file since that would restore the old registry entries you will have removed. If you accidentally double-click the file, you will need to follow the instructions on editing the registry again.


Remove the Files

1. Double-click on the My Computer icon on the desktop.
2. Double-click on the C: drive.
3. Double-click on the Windows folder.
4. Locate the MCBin folder and single-click on it so it is highlighted.
5. Press the Delete key on the keyboard to remove this folder.
6. Double-click on the Downloaded Program Files folder.
7. You will then see a listing of various components. Remove any components that begin with the word "McAfee" by individually right-clicking on the McAfee components, then left-clicking on Remove. Answer Yes to any prompts about removing these components. If you receive any error messages click the OK button then continue.
8. Delete IEFullHTMControl Class and BrowserFolderPopUp Class if they exist.
9. Click on the Back Button, or push the Backspace button on your keyboard.
10. Double-click on the Temporary Internet Files folder
11. Highlight the following files by single clicking on them, and delete them by right clicking on them and selecting delete: Clinic; <username>@mcafee.com, <username>@www.mcafee.com; <username>@clinic.mcafee.com
12. Close down all open windows until you are back on the desktop.
13. Double-click on the My Computer icon on the desktop.
14. Double-click on the C: drive
15. Double-click on the Program Files folder
16. Locate the McAfee.com folder and single click on it so it is highlighted.
17. Press the Delete key on the keyboard to remove this folder.
18. Close down all open windows until you are back on the desktop.

Edit the Registry

1. Click on the Start button.
2. Click on Run.
3. Type in REGEDIT then click the OK button. The Registry Editor will then appear.
4. On the left side of the screen double-click on HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE.
5. Then, double-click on SOFTWARE.
6. Locate the McAfee.com folder under SOFTWARE and single-click on it so it is highlighted.
7. Press the Delete key on the keyboard to remove the McAfee.com folder.
8. Double-click on the Microsoft folder.
9. Double-click on the Windows folder.
10. Double-click on the CurrentVersion folder.
11. Locate the Run folder and single-click on it so it is highlighted.
12. On the right side of the screen locate mgavrtclexe and single-click on it so it is highlighted.
13. Once mgavrtclexe is highlighted press the Delete key on the keyboard to remove this entry.
14. Repeat steps 12 and 13 for McAgentExe and McUpdateExe
15. On the left side of the screen locate the RunServices folder and single-click on it so it is highlighted.
16. On the right side of the screen locate mgavrtclexe and single-click on it so it is highlighted.
17. Once mgavrtclexe is highlighted press the Delete key on the keyboard to remove this entry.
18. On the left side of the screen locate the Uninstall folder and double-click on it.
19. Locate the mgavrt folder under the Uninstall folder and single-click on it so it is highlighted.
19. Press the Delete key on the keyboard to remove this folder.
20. Close the Registry Editor by clicking the X in the top right corner.


Remove the McAfee ActiveShield Shortcut

1. Click on the Start button.
2. Highlight Settings then click on Taskbar & Start Menu. The Taskbar Properties dialog box will then appear.
3. Click on the Start Menu Programs tab.
4. Click on the Remove button. You will then see a list of several folders and shortcuts.
5. Locate the "McAfee.com Clinic" item and single-click on it so it is highlighted. The McAfee.com Clinic item will probably be listed towards the bottom.
6. Click the Remove button to remove this item.
7. Repeat steps 5 and 6 for McAfee.com Agent
8. Click the Close button followed by the OK button.

Restart your computer.

 

Landis

You should read thu and learn from Alice's excellent post. You will learn much from it.

But if you boot to safe mode and follow the steps in the post I directed you too it will be more thourogh and simpler to do. It removes all and more than what Mcafee tells you about.

Same senario as John had with Norton. He uninstalled he ran their Symclean and their Rnav that they say cleans it all.

Then he did the proceedure I posted and found many many more!

Or and I recommend it if you want to learn, do all the steps as Alice posted but then do the proceedure I reccomend to finish, and there will be more!

Mike

 

And after you get the reg cleaned up.

Make sure any folder(s) that contains the cleaned up program are deleted from the HD and the recycle bin before restarting Windows.

I myself usually delete the folders first.

McAfee and Norton both have a NASTY habit of putting themselves ( or part of ) back in if the files are on the HD.

Also as a suggestion only.

After you get things cleaned up and all seems to be OK.

Go to the C:\Windows\Sysbckup folder and delete all of the rb00x.cab files. Restart Window and let it make a new one.

Otherwise if you ( or if Windows decides to do it for you ) should have to do a scanreg /restore you may be house cleaning again.

Your call on that one.

Mike

Yor are sure correct about Mcafee and Norton leaving tons of trash in the reg. That is one reason I suggest cleaning up the rb00x.cab files also. If it ain't there it can't be put back. Cleaning up after McAfee and/or Norton once is enough.

BillyBob

 

cleaning the registery

I got great advice from several people. Using REGEDIT strip all references to the program worked just fine. I found references in:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT
HKEY_CURRENT_USER
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE

under Software subdirectory. Deleted all references to the McAfee Program including Network Associates files.

Also follow Alice's most through post on this thread for deleting secondary folders/files and BillyBob's post for deleting Cab files in SysBkup !!

More importantly, the program FIXIT 4.0 has a great registery cleaner that found several hundred invalid keys which I auto deleted with no problem- my computer is running more smoothly now.

 

That is good news.

Did you do ( or give some thought to ) making new rb00x.cab files.

I am quite sure you do not care to have all the junk you spent time getting rid of put back in.

Been there. Done that. and do not care to have it happen again.

BillyBob

 

cleaning the registery

cleaning out the Cab files worked, referring to the BillyBob post, deleted the rb00x.cab files in Sysbkup folder under Windows folder. A new cab file is created as stated. I'm wondering about other cab files and also cab files in the folder "Windows update setup files ".

 

I am glad it worked for you. And thanks for letting us know same.

But as to other .cab files I would use some caution.

I would not apply my ideas to any other .cab files.

I say this because as far as I know the ones mentioned are the only ones that get replaced.

There may be others but I am not aware of any.

BillyBob

 

The windows update setup files are the installation files for Internet Explorer. You can delete the folder and all of it's contents if you want but if you ever have to reinstall IE you'll have to download it again. It's up to you. If you look in the folder you'll see a file named "this folder is safe to delete.txt" which explains this.

 

I also "think" that if you delete this folder you will no longer be able to do a Repair on IE, since all the files that it would use to repair are in that folder.
(or if you ever need to replace a DLL or some other IE file, the installed version will be located here)

 

Zander and WhitPhil

Are both 100% correct.

Downloading them once is enough. That folder is also I good one to store over on another Partition so it does not get lost if a format is done.

BillyBob

 

WhitPhil
Thanks for posting that about the repair. Should have thought about it myself but didn't.