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Thread: McAfee and Win Temp folder...

  1. #1
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
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    139

    McAfee and Win Temp folder...


    This could be in the MS security forum as well, but I thought of posting here first, since it really was about the AV not getting updates anymore.

    Well, I ran the McAfee AV and noticed that it was stuck in the update process. At first I thought that it may have to do with the web-site being too busy, but I could access the site
    directly thru IE with no problem. OK, maybe a corrupt dll, so I tried to repair the program with the CD. I got an error message that said I had a problem with an installer file. and a path to an AV executable not being there..???

    I just could not uninstall the program. This got to be irritating since it was a bad variable to have on the box. Fortunately "Korpdeath" had shown me how to create a ghost image of my harddrive, and after backing up some files that I had created recently and transferring them to the backup drive I copied the image over the C:/ drive. Rather painless and fast. That image didn't have the AV installed yet, so I reloaded McAfee AV, got the updates, and went on a hunt.
    Not much of a hunt, since serendipity offered an explanation. I had been investigating my Temp folders in 'Local Settings' and came across a possible explanation....

    C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Local Settings\Temp\"144903.msi"

    This is the Windows Installer Package for McAfee Virus Scan and I remember having emtied out
    all my Temp folders just recently....so maybe this had something to do with it.

    I am still not certain, so maybe someone may have a bit of info on the ins and outs of deleting items in that particular folder. It would be much appreciated. I know I was clean in regards to any nastiness on the box. This was more or less expected by myself, since I'm constantly trying to break the box, just hacking away at all kinds of things. Break it, fix it, break it, fix it...
    Truly a kid in the sandbox.

  2. #2
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Posts
    139

    McAfee and Win Temp folder...


    This could be in the MS security forum as well, but I thought of posting here first, since it really was about the AV not getting updates anymore.

    Well, I ran the McAfee AV and noticed that it was stuck in the update process. At first I thought that it may have to do with the web-site being too busy, but I could access the site
    directly thru IE with no problem. OK, maybe a corrupt dll, so I tried to repair the program with the CD. I got an error message that said I had a problem with an installer file. and a path to an AV executable not being there..???

    I just could not uninstall the program. This got to be irritating since it was a bad variable to have on the box. Fortunately "Korpdeath" had shown me how to create a ghost image of my harddrive, and after backing up some files that I had created recently and transferring them to the backup drive I copied the image over the C:/ drive. Rather painless and fast. That image didn't have the AV installed yet, so I reloaded McAfee AV, got the updates, and went on a hunt.
    Not much of a hunt, since serendipity offered an explanation. I had been investigating my Temp folders in 'Local Settings' and came across a possible explanation....

    C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Local Settings\Temp\"144903.msi"

    This is the Windows Installer Package for McAfee Virus Scan and I remember having emtied out
    all my Temp folders just recently....so maybe this had something to do with it.

    I am still not certain, so maybe someone may have a bit of info on the ins and outs of deleting items in that particular folder. It would be much appreciated. I know I was clean in regards to any nastiness on the box. This was more or less expected by myself, since I'm constantly trying to break the box, just hacking away at all kinds of things. Break it, fix it, break it, fix it...
    Truly a kid in the sandbox.

  3. #3
    Senior Member nihil's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    United Kingdom: Bridlington
    Posts
    17,188
    Hi Mr. Sniffer Dog

    A bit of a guess here, but probably an update had not finished properly? I run McAfee home 7.0 on a Win98se box and have not had problems with it, and I do clear out temp files regularly...........it is an old ex-corporate box with a small hard drive.....

    My view is that you should be able to clear out temp files provided that they are finished with.

    I did come across a box where the AV needed to be turned off, then on again to complete an update, so an "unfinished" file must have been on it.............I had to do a lot of updates anyway, and at the end the problem just went away............never did work out what caused it

    I would check your AV after an update and see if it is using the latest pattern/signature files, then re-boot and see if there is a difference?

    Just a thought

  4. #4
    Senior Member nihil's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    United Kingdom: Bridlington
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    17,188
    Hi Mr. Sniffer Dog

    A bit of a guess here, but probably an update had not finished properly? I run McAfee home 7.0 on a Win98se box and have not had problems with it, and I do clear out temp files regularly...........it is an old ex-corporate box with a small hard drive.....

    My view is that you should be able to clear out temp files provided that they are finished with.

    I did come across a box where the AV needed to be turned off, then on again to complete an update, so an "unfinished" file must have been on it.............I had to do a lot of updates anyway, and at the end the problem just went away............never did work out what caused it

    I would check your AV after an update and see if it is using the latest pattern/signature files, then re-boot and see if there is a difference?

    Just a thought

  5. #5
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Posts
    139

    Hi Sir nihil,

    I did a bit more research on this and came up with this...

    http://hardwarehell.com/articles/bootclean.shtml

    "Some program installations that require a reboot, may be using the temp folder to store files needed to complete installation upon the reboot".

    This probably explains why I found the installer in the Temp dir.

    As for the problem I had, I'm still at a loss. I did close the AV (McAfee 7.03), started it up again, and yet is was still in the state of updating. The issue is mute now, since I have a new image on C:/ .....everything is running well. In the meantime I'll be figuring more ways how to brake my box. It's only 1's & 0's...LOL- until the day I loose important data, knock on wood.

  6. #6
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Posts
    139

    Hi Sir nihil,

    I did a bit more research on this and came up with this...

    http://hardwarehell.com/articles/bootclean.shtml

    "Some program installations that require a reboot, may be using the temp folder to store files needed to complete installation upon the reboot".

    This probably explains why I found the installer in the Temp dir.

    As for the problem I had, I'm still at a loss. I did close the AV (McAfee 7.03), started it up again, and yet is was still in the state of updating. The issue is mute now, since I have a new image on C:/ .....everything is running well. In the meantime I'll be figuring more ways how to brake my box. It's only 1's & 0's...LOL- until the day I loose important data, knock on wood.

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