McAfee Update Glitch Takes Down Windows XP Computers

A bad McAfee update on Wednesday created some problems for users running computers with Windows XP.

The incorrect malware alert, issued today at 9am Eastern, resulted in computers with Windows XP Service Pack 3 to shut down and start on a continuous reboot cycle. "McAfee is aware that a number of corporate customers may have incurred a false positive error due to incorrect malware alerts," McAfee said in a statement.

"McAfee is working to address the problem with continuous customer communication and a new signature update. McAfee apologizes for any inconvenience to our customers."
The update has since been removed from McAfee download servers for corporate users, and issued a fix.

www.pcmag.com...

Not sure whether this is funny that it thinks Windows itself is a virus or a testament to why McAfee has been rated so low among the top AV's out there lately.

Either way, I'm sure this is making for a huge mess.

[edit on 21-4-2010 by webpirate]

This happened to my work computer today along with at least three other co-worker's computers. Our IT department was baffled lol. So were we.

Wow Glad I use Ubuntu.
Yepper.

And this is why you should not use their crappy program.

The big name anti-virus programs are horrific to computers. They actually destroy your machine slowly over time.

Anyways, this is why I never allow mcafee or norton on my PC. Ever.

They are the devil. lol

Also I have had many theories about those companies and how they could easily be involved in the spreading of virus in the first place.

The more viruses out there destroying computers, the more business these companies will get.

So they have a huge incentive to be spreading tons of viruses secretly in the shadows.

[edit on 21-4-2010 by muzzleflash]

dang guys & gals in thePC universe
go download /copy to disc, made at home, from this site:

www.malwarebytes.org...

Originally posted by ohioriver
Wow Glad I use Ubuntu.
Yepper.

Hah, I came here to say the same thing.

I wondered if this applied to McAfree Site Adviser as well. I don't use their AV but I find the site adviser helpful but disabled it today anyway.

On my laptop now with XP but I will also give a huge thumbs up for Ubuntu which I have running on my desktop.

McAfee really screws with the internet speed. That's one reason I don't use it anymore... the second is that it lets malware get through.

I've been using Linux so long, I don't even remember what it's like to have my system lock up.

Those poor, poor people too scared to try a new OS. I truly feel for them and their bloated, tracked, infected, compromised, and hacked PCs.

In the world of computers, I guess you get what you pay for. Pay nothing and you don't get the extras.

Root This

Xubuntu user here, too. Xp is slow, it gets buggy WAY too fast, I am constantly wondering what's infected it- and I have to run all sorts of programs to even keep the thing at halfway operating condition. It's on my slower 2.8 ghz machine thanks to Netflix and Photoshop Elements, and NOTHING else.

For AV, it's Avast, Malwarebytes, and Spybot. I dealt with Norton and McAffee on others' computers, and have seen the carnage they are capable of.

My Xubuntu machine... other than 2 glitches (one I am looking into (driver software), the other, Blender 2.5 in it's test state seems to botch up stuff- but hey, it's an ALPHA release- not even into beta yet!), this computer moves like the wind. I use it primarily as a 3d computer, and occasionally for IMing if I am watching movies on the xp machine. It's all free, and performs like it should cost 3 times what Windblows costs.

The day Netflix can be run on Xubuntu with little to no problem or too much workarounds, I am GONE. G. O. N. E. Buh Bye. Splitsville. I am Bailing the Organa OUT (See Star Wars for the reference. ).

[edit on 22-4-2010 by wylekat]