Remove 4 yr old McAfee VShield?

Windows ME: Having downloaded AntiVir Personal Edition - Guard, do I need to
keep the 4 yr old, factory loaded McAfee any longer?
Thanx

 

It is best to remove the McAfee before installing the new anti-virus program. Some anti-virus programs will conflict with each other, so by all means remove McAfee.

 

If you find that you cannot get rid of the old McAfee using uninstaller, try using these instructions, but back up your registry first. Had this issue before and could not get the program out, so had these instructions sent from McAfee tech support. They no longer support uninstalling certain versions.

Here is the actual documentation for anyone else who has this problem uninstalling old version of McAfee:

1. Here is part I:
Manually Uninstalling VirusScan 3.x for Windows 95, 98, and ME
Summary: This document contains manual removal instructions for VirusScan version 3.x.
Network Associates recommends using VirusScan's uninstall program provided. You can access the uninstaller by clicking Start, going to Programs, then going to McAfee VirusScan and clicking on uninstall McAfee VirusScan.
If you receive error messages or find that McAfee VirusScan was not completely removed then follow the steps below to manually remove the program.

Remove VirusScan from the AUTOEXEC.BAT File
1. Click on Start, then click on Run.
2. Type SYSEDIT Open field and press Enter. This opens the System Configuration Editor Window with several smaller file windows inside it.
3. In the first window, AUTOEXEC.BAT, delete the line ending in SCAN.EXE and the @IF ERRORLEVEL 1 PAUSE line if it's there.
4. Save the changes and close the System Configuration Editor window.
Remove VirusScan Icons
1. Click on Start, go up to Settings, then Click on Taskbar & Start Menu.
2. Click on the Start Menu Programs tab.
3. Click Remove.
4. Highlight the VirusScan folder.
5. Click the Remove button to remove the icons.
6. Click OK.
Backup the Registry
McAfee recommends that you make a backup of the registry before making any changes. Click here for instructions.
Edit the Registry
Delete the following Keys and Values while still in the Registry Editor window.
1. Delete the Key HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ comfile\ shell\ VirusScan.
· Double click on HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT
· Double click on comfile
· Double click on shell
· Single click on VirusScan so it is highlighted then press the Delete key on the keyboard to remove this entry.

2. Delete the Key HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ Directory\ shell\ VirusScan.
· Double click on HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT
· Double click on Directory
· Double click on shell
· Single click on VirusScan so it is highlighted then press the Delete key on the keyboard to remove this entry.

3. Delete the Key HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ Drive\ shell\ VirusScan.
· Double click on HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT
· Double click on Drive
· Double click on shell
· Single click on VirusScan so it is highlighted then press the Delete key on the keyboard to remove this entry.

4. Delete the Key HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ exefile\ shell\ VirusScan
· Double click on HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT
· Double click on exefile
· Double click on shell
· Single click on VirusScan so it is highlighted then press the Delete key on the keyboard to remove this entry.

5. Delete the Key HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ Excel.Addin\ shell\ VirusScan.
· Double click on HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT
· Double click on exefile
· Double click on shell
· Single click on VirusScan so it is highlighted then press the Delete key on the keyboard to remove this entry.

6. Delete the Key HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ Excel.Chart.5\ shell \ VirusScan.
· Double click on HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT
· Double click on Excel.Chart.5
· Double click on shell
· Single click on VirusScan so it is highlighted then press the Delete key on the keyboard to remove this entry.

7. Delete the Key HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ Excel.Chart.8\ shell \ VirusScan.
· Double click on HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT
· Double click on Excel.Chart.8
· Double click on shell
· Single click on VirusScan so it is highlighted then press the Delete key on the keyboard to remove this entry.

8. Delete the Key HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ Excel.Macrosheet\ shell\ VirusScan.
· Double click on HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT
· Double click on Excel.Macrosheet
· Double click on shell
· Single click on VirusScan so it is highlighted then press the Delete key on the keyboard to remove this entry.

9. Delete the Key HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ Excel.Sheet.5\ shell\ VirusScan.
· Double click on HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT
· Double click on Excel.Sheet.5
· Double click on shell
· Single click on VirusScan so it is highlighted then press the Delete key on the keyboard to remove this entry.

10. Delete the Key HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ Excel.Sheet.8\ shell \ VirusScan.
· Double click on HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT
· Double click on Excel.Sheet.8
· Double click on shell
· Single click on VirusScan so it is highlighted then press the Delete key on the keyboard to remove this entry.

11. Delete the Key HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ Excel.Template\ shell\ VirusScan.
· Double click on HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT
· Double click on Excel.Sheet.5
· Double click on shell
· Single click on VirusScan so it is highlighted then press the Delete key on the keyboard to remove this entry.

12. Delete the Key HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ Excel.Workspace\ shell\ VirusScan.
· Double click on HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT
· Double click on Excel.Workspace
· Double click on shell
· Single click on VirusScan so it is highlighted then press the Delete key on the keyboard to remove this entry.

13. Delete the Key HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ Excel.XLL\ shell\ VirusScan.
· Double click on HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT
· Double click on Excel.XLL
· Double click on shell
· Single click on VirusScan so it is highlighted then press the Delete key on the keyboard to remove this entry.

14. Delete the Key HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ WinZip\ shell\ Virus Scan.
· Double click on HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT
· Double click on WinZip
· Double click on shell
· Single click on VirusScan so it is highlighted then press the Delete key on the keyboard to remove this entry.

15. Delete the Key HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ Word.Document.6\ shell\ VirusScan.
· Double click on HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT
· Double click on Word.Document.6
· Double click on shell
· Single click on VirusScan so it is highlighted then press the Delete key on the keyboard to remove this entry.

16. Delete the Key HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ Word.Document.8\ shell\ VirusScan.
· Double click on HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT
· Double click on Word.Document.8
· Double click on shell
· Single click on VirusScan so it is highlighted then press the Delete key on the keyboard to remove this entry
.
17. Delete the Key HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ Word.Template\ shell \ VirusScan.
· Double click on HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT
· Double click on Word.Template
· Double click on shell
· Single click on VirusScan so it is highlighted then press the Delete key on the keyboard to remove this entry

18. Delete the Key HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ VSConfigFile.
· Double click on HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT
· Single click on VSConfigFile so it is highlighted then press the Delete key on the keyboard to remove this entry

19. Delete the Key HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ VSHConfigFile.
· Double click on HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT
· Single click on VSHConfigFile so it is highlighted then press the Delete key on the keyboard to remove this entry

20. Delete the Value HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ SOFTWARE\ Microsoft\ Windows\ CurrentVersion \ Run\ Vshwin32.EXE.
· Double click on HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
· Double click on SOFTWARE
· Double click on Microsoft
· Double click on Windows
· Double click on CurrentVersion
· Double click on Run
· Single click on Vshwin32.EXE so it is highlighted then press the Delete key on the keyboard to remove this entry.

21. Delete the Value HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ SOFTWARE\ Microsoft\ Windows\ CurrentVersion \ Run\ VSCHED.EXE.
· Double click on HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
· Double click on SOFTWARE
· Double click on Microsoft
· Double click on Windows
· Double click on CurrentVersion
· Double click on Run
· Single click on VSCHED.EXE so it is highlighted then press the Delete key on the keyboard to remove this entry.

22. Delete the Value HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ SOFTWARE\ Microsoft\ Windows\ CurrentVersion \ Run\ VSECOMR.EXE.
· Double click on HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
· Double click on SOFTWARE
· Double click on Microsoft
· Double click on Windows
· Double click on CurrentVersion
· Double click on Run
· Single click on VSECOMR.EXE so it is highlighted then press the Delete key on the keyboard to remove this entry.

23. Delete the Value HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ SOFTWARE\ Microsoft\ Windows\ CurrentVersion \ RunServices\ Vshwin32.EXE.
· Double click on HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
· Double click on SOFTWARE
· Double click on Microsoft
· Double click on Windows
· Double click on CurrentVersion
· Double click on RunServices
· Single click on Vshwin32.EXE so it is highlighted then press the Delete key on the keyboard to remove this entry.

24. Delete the Value HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ SOFTWARE\ McAfee\ Scan95.
· Double click on HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
· Double click on SOFTWARE
· Double click on McAfee
· Single click on Scan95 so it is highlighted then press the Delete key on the keyboard to remove this entry.

25. Delete the Value HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ SOFTWARE\ McAfee\ ScreenScan.
· Double click on HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
· Double click on SOFTWARE
· Double click on McAfee
· Single click on ScreenScan so it is highlighted then press the Delete key on the keyboard to remove this entry.

26. Delete the Key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ SOFTWARE\ Network Associates\ McAfee VirusScan.
· Double click on HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
· Double click on SOFTWARE
· Double click on Network Associates
· Single click on McAfee VirusScan so it is highlighted then press the Delete key on the keyboard to remove this entry.
Delete VirusScan Files and Directories
1. Hold down the CTRL + ALT buttons and press the Delete key once. This brings up the Close Programs window.
2. Click on the VSHWIN32.EXE listing and click on End Task. The Close Programs window will close.
3. Double click on the My Computer icon in the upper left corner of your desktop.
4. Double click on the C: drive icon.
5. Double click on the Program Files folder
6. Double click on the Network Associates folder.
7. Click on the McAfee VirusScan folder one time and press delete on your keyboard.
8. Close all open windows.
9. Double click on the My Computer icon in the upper left corner of your desktop.
10. Double click on the C: drive icon.
11. Double click on the Windows folder.
12. Double click on the system folder
13. Find and delete the following files (by highlighting and pressing delete on your computer):
· MCKRNL.VXD
· MCSCAN32.VXD
· MCUTIL.VXD
· VSHIELD.VXD
VirusScan is uninstalled. Reboot your system for the changes to take effect.tall, 3.0, 3.x, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3.x, 3.x, 3.x uninstall, uninstall, uninstall, uninstall, uninstall, uninstall, uninstall, uninstall,

Here is part II, some steps may repeat but you can verify: *you may not need to do this one….


Backup 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. Click on the Registry pull-down menu then click on Export Registry
File.
5. The Export Registry File dialog box will then appear. The top of this
dialog box contains an option entitled Save In. Make sure 'Desktop'
is selected for the Save In option. If it is not, click the pull-down
arrow and select 'Desktop' from the list.
6. In the File Name field type 'Backup' (without the quotation marks).
7. In the Export Range group box make sure 'All' is selected.
8. Click on the Save button.


Delete VirusScan Files and Directories
1. Hold down the CTRL + ALT buttons and press the Delete key once. This
brings up the Close Programs window.
2. Click on the VSHWIN32.EXE listing under the Processes Tab of Windows
Task List and click on End Task. The Close Programs window will
close.
3. Double click on the My Computer icon in the upper left corner of your
desktop.
4. Double click on the C: drive icon.
5. Double click on the Program Files folder
6. Double click on the Network Associates folder.
7. Click on the McAfee VirusScan folder one time and press delete on
your keyboard.
8. Close all open windows.
9. Double click on the My Computer icon in the upper left corner of your
desktop.
10. Double click on the C: drive icon.
11. Double click on the Windows folder.
12. Double click on the system folder
13. Find and delete the following files (by highlighting and
pressing delete on your computer):
MCKRNL.VXD
MCSCAN32.VXD
MCUTIL.VXD
VSHIELD.VXD


VirusScan is uninstalled. Reboot your system for the changes to take
effect.

 

Ace: Thank you for that IN DEPTH solution....