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Windows 7 won't reboot after installing McAfee AntiVirus 2010

Hi,

I am running a Dell XPS M170 Laptop (Intel M 780 2.2GHz, 2Gb RAM, 256MB NVIDIA<sup>®</sup>  GeForce<sup><small>TM</small> </sup>  Go 7800), and have been runing Windows 7 for the past few months relatively problem free.

I just installed McAfee Antivirus 2010 and then windows would not boot.  It would continually go into Recovery Mode.  None of the available system restore points would work, and I could not boot into safe mode. I tried to do a windows re-install, but this just made things worse as I somehow ended up with 3 different versions of windows on my hdd and none of them would load.  I ended up formatting the hdd and re-installing windows.

After the clean install and allowing windows to install all of the latest updates I tried to install McAfee again.  Same problem occurred and I again ended up having to do a clean install of windows before my computer would boot again.

Any advice on how I can get McAfee to work with Windows 7 would be appreciated.  Let me know if there is any further information you might require to diagnose the problem.

Thanks,

Mike

Answer
Answer

Did you pay for McAfee yet? Can you get your money back? IMO it is garbage and second only to Norton with incompatibility issues with all Windows versions.

My suggestion:

  1. Download MSE to your Desktop.
  2. Download the McAfee Removal Tool to the Desktop.
  3. Work Offline.
  4. Follow the instructions for the McAfee Removal Tool.
  5. Reboot
  6. Install MSE
  7. Check for updates.
  8. Reboot.

Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE)
http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/default.aspx

McAfee Consumer Products Removal Tool three-step fix
http://service.mcafee.com/FAQDocument.aspx?lc=1033&id=TS100507

Bruce Hagen ~ MS-MVP [Mail]
===== ===== ===== ===== ===== ===== ===== ===== ===== =====
☞ Avoid a post. Backup your data. ☜

Bruce Hagen
MVP: 2004 ~ 2010
2014 ~ Present
Imperial Beach, CA

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Hi,

Here is what I use and recommend : (These are all FREE versions and very effective.)

Avast and Prevx have proven extremely reliable and compatible with everything I have
thrown at them. Microsoft Security Essentials and Prevx have also proven to be very
reliable and compatible. Use MSE and Prevx or Avast and Prevx however not all 3.

Avast Home Free - stop any shields you do not need except leave Standard, Web, and
Network running.

Prevx - Home - Free

Windows Firewall

Windows Defender (not needed if using MSE)

IE - Protected Mode

IE 8 - SmartScreen Filter ON  (IE 7 Phishing Filter)

I also have IE to always start with InPrivate Filter active if IE 8.
(You occasionally have to turn it temporarily off with the little Icon on LEFT of the + bottom
right of IE)

Two versions of Avast are available 5.x and 4.8x

Avast 5.x - Home - Free - Stop the Shields you do not use (except File, Web, Network, &
Behavior) - double click the Orange Icon in Notification Area - Real Time Shields - click the
Shield you want to stop - STOP. To stop the Orange Icon from showing an error indicator -
click the Orange Icon - Upper Right - Settings - click Status Bar - uncheck the Shields you
disabled - click OK
http://www.avast.com/free-antivirus-download

Avast 4.8x - Home - Free - stop any shields you do not need except leave Standard, Web,
and Network running. (Double Click Blue icon - details next to OK. - upper left Shields -
Terminate those you do not use.)
http://www.avast.com/free-antivirus-download#tab4

Or use Microsoft Security Essentials - Free
http://www.microsoft.com/Security_Essentials/

Prevx works well along side Avast or MSE

Prevx - Home - Free small, fast, exceptional CLOUD protection, works with other security
programs. This is a scanner only, VERY EFFECTIVE, if it finds something come back here
or use Google to see how to remove. 
http://www.prevx.com/   <-- information
http://info.prevx.com/downloadcsi.asp  <-- download

PCmag - Prevx - Editor'a Choice
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2346862,00.asp

Also get Malwarebytes - free - use as scanner only. If you ever suspect malware, and that
would be unsual with Avast and Prevx running except for an occasional low level cookie
(no big deal), UPDATE it and then run it as a scanner. I have many scanners and they
never find anything of note since I started using this setup.

http://www.malwarebytes.org/

Hope this helps.

Rob Brown - MS MVP - Windows Desktop Experience : Bicycle - Mark Twain said it right.
Rob Brown - past Microsoft MVP - Windows Insider MVP 2016 - 2021
Microsoft MVP Windows and Devices for IT 2009 - 2020

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Last updated December 1, 2020 Views 1,879 Applies to: