The Cutting Edge!

A customer called me recently to see if I could help him install the latest version of McAfee Internet Security (he previously had version 6 and had just purchased version 8). I asked him if he had tried the Add/Remove program in the control panel to remove version 6 before installing the new version and he replied that that's when he ran into problems. He said he contacted McAfee's technical support, whereupon he got the low down (from Brad) in an e-mail as to how "exactly" the process should go. I was so amazed at the level of complexity that McAfee expects their ordinary home users to understand and the steps that they must take to install a program that I felt I should share it with you. What I want to know is why the McAfee uninstaller that came with version 6 did not attend to all of the items listed in the e-mail that now follows. Read on, this is good!

Dear ******
please uninstall McAfee Internet Security 6 as per the steps below and then install McAfee Internet Security 8.
Uninstall Internet Security 6 from add/remove program in control panel and reboot the computer.
Delete the following folders:
i) C:\Program Files\McAfee
ii) C:\Program Files\McAfee.com
iii) C:\Document & Settings\All Users\Application Data\McAfee
iv) C:\Document & Settings\All Users\Application Data\McAfee.com
PC Medic Note: The Application Data folder mentioned above is a hidden folder - how many home users know that and how many know how to access hidden folders? Not too many is my guess.
Note : iii & iv steps to be followed in case you have Windows 2000/XP
Temp:
http://ts.mcafeehelp.com/faq3.asp?docid=70973
http://ts.mcafeehelp.com/faq3.asp?docid=68085
Start > Run > Regedit
Click OK
Make a backup ----> http://ts.mcafeehelp.com/faq3.asp?docid=68037
Delete following entries:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Installer\Features\
187DD389AD0152C47860E951D2CFFE09
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Installer\Products\
187DD389AD0152C47860E951D2CFFE09
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run\MskDetector.Exe
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run\MISAggregator.Exe
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\McAfee
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\McAfee.com
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Explorer\MenuOrder\StartMenu\Programs\McAfee
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\McAfee
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\McAfee.com
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Network Associates
Close Registry Editor
Reboot
I hope that I've answered your questions effectively. If not, feel free to contact support again. Please include all previous correspondence when replying.
Regards,
Brad
Technical Support Agent
McAfee Online Technical Support

Thanks for that, Brad. It leaves us with a warm fuzzy feeling that we're dealing with real cutting edge software!