Problems with Mcafee antivirus after WXP reinstallation

Question

I have reinstalled WXP home on my medium aged Dimension 4550 using the original DELL reistallation disk (with SP1) slipstreamed with SP2. All fine, but I am experiencing a problem with the antivirus Mcafee Enterprise 8.0.0 (the same that was running since a lot of time on the same computer before the new installation of WXP): the installation went OK, but the on-access scan goes sistematically disabled after two or three second the computer is switched on. This happens only if I udpdate the virus definition on line or runnning  the appropriate sdat.exe downloaded from Mcafee site. I tried also to re-install the very original disk with SP1 only (and without installing the SP2 update) but again no success. This seems to be the only problem for now of this installation. The only other small concern: is correct that the the second hard physical disk (with partition D) run in ULTRA DMA mode 2 and the first one in ULTRA DMA mode 5 ? I honestly  don't remember the situation before. I made a clean installation , reformatting also C partition  and all external devices disconnected (excluding monitor, keyboard and mouse). I don't really what to do to fix these problem and I don' riosk to connect to Internet with thi at computer. Last question: is there any need to activate the operating system or not? I have used the original DELL reinstallation disk.   Can anybody be of help? Thanks and regards Giampaolo

RoHe · Answer

If you used an authentic Dell XP Installation CD, it shouldn't ask you to activate the freshly installed operating system. Though the Microsoft update site will force you to download/install their Genuine Advantage software which checks that the OS is legal before it allows you to download any updates. You did install all the updates, didn't you?

If this is a legal version of McAfee and your subscription hasn't expired, go to their website and use their free online chat to figure out what that problem is. You should be fine going on line without McAfee working, as long as your firewall is running AND you do not open any emails until after McAfee is fixed. Is it possible that McAfee is looking for a (missing) XP update to run correctly?

Whether the D: drive is using Ultra DMA 2 or 5 depends on the drive. So unless it's capable of mode 5, it'll use mode 2. If it's identical to drive C:, then you would appear to have some kind of problem with the IDE channel.

Ron

giampaolo · Answer

Both WXP and Mcafee are quite legitimate (The OS  is on the original DELL disk). I can add that I downloaded some trials antivirus from Mcafee and Norton and all of them stopped  operations after a few seconds  of activity. Furthermore I receive randomly an error for failure of a 'generic host process for Win32 services' and then the connection to Internet quits. Any further Help appreciated. (No useful suggestion from Mcafee forum) Thanks Giampaolo

RoHe · Answer

When was last time you scanned this system for malware using Adaware, Spybot Search & Destroy, etc?

Try running a windows system file check:
click start>run
type in: sfc /scannow
(space between sfc and /)
click ok
Insert XP CD if sfc requests it and reboot when it's done.

Ron

giampaolo · Answer

Dear Ron, performed all you have suggestet (with Lavasoft and the Mcafee, that works normally if a scan is required manually) and  and no virus, no Troyan ,etc. Still I don't know what to do Kind regards Giampaolo

RoHe · Answer

Did you run the system file check (sfc)?

Go here and download mcpr.exe from McAfee to the desktop. Double-click it to completely remove Mcafee software:

http://download.mcafee.com/products/licensed/cust_support_patches/MCPR.exe

Reboot when it's done. (Some people claim you may have to reboot twice to complete the removal.) Then start the Mcafee reinstall all over again.

Ron

Windows General

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