Can't Delete Registry Key

[b***@yahoo.com]

After two unsuccessful attempts on my own, I was finally able to
remove McAfee Virusscan Enterprise 8.7 by following the 16 steps of
Solution 2 in KB59996 from the McAfee KnowledgeBase. This required
extensive work in the registry. Now, that I'm done, I'd like to clean
up some remaining junk in the registry but there are two keys that I
cannot select, delete, rename, export, or modify permissions: HKLM
\Software\McAfee and HKLM\Software\Network Associates.

When trying to select McAfee, I get this message: "McAfee cannot be
opened. An error is preventing this key from being opened. Details:
The system cannot find the file specified."

When I try to delete it: "Cannot delete McAfee: Error while deleting
key."

When I try to export the branch I get the message: "The selected
branch does not exist. Make sure that the correct path is given."

When I right click on permissions: "The requested security information
is either unavailable or can't be displayed."

Does this indicate a null key? Is it possible to directly edit the
underlying files that make up the registry?

[Tecknomage]

Post by b***@yahoo.com
After two unsuccessful attempts on my own, I was finally able to
remove McAfee Virusscan Enterprise 8.7 by following the 16 steps of
Solution 2 in KB59996 from the McAfee KnowledgeBase. This required
extensive work in the registry. Now, that I'm done, I'd like to clean
up some remaining junk in the registry but there are two keys that I
cannot select, delete, rename, export, or modify permissions: HKLM
\Software\McAfee and HKLM\Software\Network Associates.
When trying to select McAfee, I get this message: "McAfee cannot be
The system cannot find the file specified."
When I try to delete it: "Cannot delete McAfee: Error while deleting
key."
When I try to export the branch I get the message: "The selected
branch does not exist. Make sure that the correct path is given."
When I right click on permissions: "The requested security information
is either unavailable or can't be displayed."
Does this indicate a null key? Is it possible to directly edit the
underlying files that make up the registry?

Actually, you used the wrong method to uninstall McAfee. I know, had
the same problem with McAfee & Norton on my home system, and Symantec
Enterprise at work.

You should have contacted McAfee Support and they would have given you
a link to download their McAfee Cleanup Utility, which is the ONLY way
to FULLY remove McAfee.

The likely issue is the a McAfee service is still running because it
was not stopped then removed during uninstall.



Many antivirus utilities are removed this way. Essentially it admits
that the uninstaller that comes with the software is not very good. In
addition Windows uninstall does not work well when any software
publisher does not provide the needed uninstall information.

[b***@yahoo.com]

Actually, you used the wrong method to uninstall McAfee.  I know, had
the same problem with McAfee & Norton on my home system, and Symantec
Enterprise at work.
You should have contacted McAfee Support and they would have given you
a link to download their McAfee Cleanup Utility, which is the ONLY way
to FULLY remove McAfee.
The likely issue is the a McAfee service is still running because it
was not stopped then removed during uninstall.

Tecknomage,
Thank you for your reply. You have made two assumptions which I
believe are incorrect:

1) "McAfee Cleanup Utility, which is the ONLY way to FULLY remove
McAfee."
The method I used came from the McAfee Corporate KnowledgeBase. One
would reasonably presume that this is an authoritative method to fully
remove the entire application.

2) "a McAfee service is still running because it was not stopped then
removed during uninstall."
The method I used stops the following services and prevents them from
restarting by removing the registry entries. Then the files are
deleted:
common management agent (CMA)
mcavscv.dll
anti-spyware module
vsplugin.dll
virus scan services
McShield
McTaskManager
McAfeeEngineService
mfevtp
mfeavfk.sys
mfeapfk.sys
mfebopk.sys
mferkdet.sys
hidden non-PNP drivers

So you see, the procedure is detailed and thorough. Task manager does
not list anything that starts with mc, nor the engine. I'm pretty
confident that no Mcafee components are running on my system.

Now, I'm left with a minor anomaly in the registry that I'd like to
remove just to prove that I can do it. It's really no big deal but I
thought I'd take the opportunity to learn a little more about registry
internals. Do you have any knowledge of how to directly manipulate
the underlying files that make up the registry?

[Tecknomage]

Post by b***@yahoo.com

Actually, you used the wrong method to uninstall McAfee.  I know, had
the same problem with McAfee & Norton on my home system, and Symantec
Enterprise at work.
You should have contacted McAfee Support and they would have given you
a link to download their McAfee Cleanup Utility, which is the ONLY way
to FULLY remove McAfee.
The likely issue is the a McAfee service is still running because it
was not stopped then removed during uninstall.

Tecknomage,
Thank you for your reply. You have made two assumptions which I
1) "McAfee Cleanup Utility, which is the ONLY way to FULLY remove
McAfee."
The method I used came from the McAfee Corporate KnowledgeBase. One
would reasonably presume that this is an authoritative method to fully
remove the entire application.

Actually I didn't. I went to their (misleading) KB also. I had to
contact McAfee Support to get the real answer/fix.

Note that the KB article (when I looked) had no link to their cleanup
utility, which is a hint that the KB article is old or misleading.

Same issue with Symantec/Norton, KB articles on removal not providing
link to cleanup tool. Maybe some day they will.

Post by b***@yahoo.com
2) "a McAfee service is still running because it was not stopped then
removed during uninstall."
The method I used stops the following services and prevents them from
restarting by removing the registry entries. Then the files are
common management agent (CMA)
mcavscv.dll
anti-spyware module
vsplugin.dll
virus scan services
McShield
McTaskManager
McAfeeEngineService
mfevtp
mfeavfk.sys
mfeapfk.sys
mfebopk.sys
mferkdet.sys
hidden non-PNP drivers
So you see, the procedure is detailed and thorough. Task manager does
not list anything that starts with mc, nor the engine. I'm pretty
confident that no Mcafee components are running on my system.
Now, I'm left with a minor anomaly in the registry that I'd like to
remove just to prove that I can do it. It's really no big deal but I
thought I'd take the opportunity to learn a little more about registry
internals. Do you have any knowledge of how to directly manipulate
the underlying files that make up the registry?

[b***@yahoo.com]

Actually I didn't.  I went to their (misleading) KB also.  I had to
contact McAfee Support to get the real answer/fix.
Note that the KB article (when I looked) had no link to their cleanup
utility, which is a hint that the KB article is old or misleading.

I see your point.

Can you tell me how you contacted their tech support? When I click on
the "Chat and Email" link, it insists that I first run "McAfee Virtual
Technician". After spending so much time ridding my computer of their
software, I'm pretty reluctant to load any more.