# McAfee VirusScan Update



## Tipacanoe (Feb 7, 2001)

I have been d/l and installing updates for over 6 months w/o problems. Today, with update #4156, I get "Unable to find any qualifying product" when I try to install.
What is going on here? Anybody any suggestions? Thanks.


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## John Sparkman (Apr 4, 2001)

What version of Virus Scan are you running. Also, which Scan Engine are you using. 

Right click the VShield Icon on your Task Bar and select "About".


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## Tipacanoe (Feb 7, 2001)

Version 4.0.2, Engine 4.0.7, Last update # 4154. Thanks, John.


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## John Sparkman (Apr 4, 2001)

I found this at McAfee support. If this sounds like the problem your having give it a try.

Summary: After installing the VirusScan product this message may come up. The fix follows. 
One or More of the Installed Products Is Not Compatible with the 4xx Series DAT Files 


If you are receiving the above error please check the following: 

Have you downloaded the wrong DAT files? You are using a 4xx version of VirusScan and therefore need to download the 4.x version DAT files. 
If you downloaded the correct DAT files, then VirusScan may not have been upgraded properly to the 4.x version. Please check the following: 
Right click over the VirusScan shield in the System Tray (by the clock). 
Click About. 
What version does it say next to "Scan Engine?" If the version is earlier than 4.0.01, then you should be using the 3.x DAT files. If the version is 4.0.01 or later, then please close everything and follow these steps: 
Click Start. 
Click Run. 
Type REGEDIT. 
Click OK. 
In the registry, locate HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE and click on the plus (+) sign to the left of it. 
Locate SOFTWARE and click on the plus (+) sign to the left of it. 
Locate McAfee and click on the plus sign to the left of it. 
Click Scan95. 
In the window on the right, locate CurrentVersionNumber. 
Right click on the name CurrentVersionNumber and choose Modify. 
Change the value to 4.0.2. 
In the window on the right, locate DATFile. 
Right click on the name DATFile and choose Modify. 
Delete the value. 
Close the registry. 
Shut Down and Restart your computer. 
You will now be able to update your DAT files. 

Let me know what you find.


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## Tipacanoe (Feb 7, 2001)

Thanks, John.

However, that solution didn't work. When I opened the registry, I found the value was already posted as 4.0.2. I deleted the value, shut down and restarted. When I ran 4156xdat.exe, I got the same error message as before.

I downloaded 4156xdat.exe again and tried to install again with just the same result.

Maybe, it's an anomaly in 4156?

Thanks.


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## Tipacanoe (Feb 7, 2001)

I deleted the value for DATfile.

BTW, the message verbatim is SuperDAT Notify - "Unable to find any qualifying product(s)."


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## John Sparkman (Apr 4, 2001)

Have you tried downloading and installing the SDAT file (Super Dat file. This file comes with the upgraded Scan Engine) The latest engine is 4.1.40. The file you need should be sdat.4156.exe.

Beyond that I'm not sure what it might take. 

BTW the version that you are running will no longer be supported after this coming December. You might want to upgrade to the new version 5.21.


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## Tipacanoe (Feb 7, 2001)

Thanks, John.

I only bought this PC less than a year ago. This has been my first experience with McAfee at home and for various reasons, I am not happy with McAfee. No contacts for help unless you pay for it. Even there, the web site lists no customer service contact for Canadians although almost everyone else in the world is there. I have been infected a half dozen times. McAfee didn't detect any except one. I had to react to symptoms. I had to go to Symantec for understandable explanations of how to clean all of them. I will not be upgrading with McAfee. This latest experience is just another piece of crap from McAfee!

But, hey, nice meeting you. I apologize for venting on you. And thanks again for trying to help.


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## John Sparkman (Apr 4, 2001)

I've been known to vent a few times myself. I'm sorry to hear you've had a bad time with McAfee, alot of the people here dislike that program. I've been using it now for a little over two years and have had no trouble at all.

Many of our fellow members here at TSG say that Norton Anti-Virus is the best so you might want to give it a try.

Good Luck
John


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## Max19 (Jul 31, 2001)

You have to download and install the SDAT (superdat). The engine version you have is no longer supported, and the new DATS won't work with it.


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## Tipacanoe (Feb 7, 2001)

Thanks, Max.

I did d/l the Super Dat as you suggested. However, it generated exactly the same message on installation.

As I understand it, the updated engine is supposed to be included in the one package, right, so that it will install along with the virus u/d files.

I have not had to d/l the SuperDat files in the past, ie to accomplish the update.

It does seem to me that there is something else going on here that is preventing update with both the Dat and SuperDat files.
I wonder what it is. (A new virus, perhaps? : - ) )

We had a young visitor in the house a few days ago who asked to use our PC. I trust her and doubt that she consciously would have done something to our PC. But, curiously, after I started up the following day (I shut down at night), it started in safe mode. I fooled around with the troubleshooting hints never really finding anything wrong. When I restarted, it started up more or less as usual. As far as I can tell she was running ICQ and Napster. For what that is all worth.

Thanks. Would be grateful for more suggestions if anyone has any.

Tip


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## John Sparkman (Apr 4, 2001)

You can go to this site and scan your computer for a virus. http://housecall.antivirus.com/

You may have already done this, but have you tried to uninstall McAfee Virus Scan and then re-installing it. McAfee has instructions at their Web Site for a manual un-install so that you are sure you got it all before installing it again. After you reinstall make sure you download and run the latest SuperDat file so that you Scan Engine is also updated.


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## Max19 (Jul 31, 2001)

A company that I work with run McAfee version 4.0.2, same as you do, and the 4156 DATs will not install. They get an error that no qualifying product was found. There may be a problem with the DATs. In any case, McAfee is withdrawing all support for that version of the product at the end of the year. You should definitely upgrade to avoid more headaches.


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## John Sparkman (Apr 4, 2001)

I found the link for the instructions for a manual removal of VirusScan. http://www.mcafeehelp.com/faq.asp?docid=597&CategoryId=106&chat=

If, like Max19 says, the date file is bad you could just wait untill next week and download the next new SuperDat file and all may be well again.


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## Tipacanoe (Feb 7, 2001)

Thanks everyone. I'll try to install the next update and keep you posted.


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## Max19 (Jul 31, 2001)

The final word from McAfee is that the new DATs will not work with version 4.0.2 of their product. You will have to upgrade to the latest release if you want to continue to update your virus definition files.


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## Tipacanoe (Feb 7, 2001)

Call me stupid but do you mean I have to buy the upgrade from them? Thanks.


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## Max19 (Jul 31, 2001)

You don't have to purchase the software directly from them. I'm not even sure they sell it. Go to any store (on-line or other) and purchase anti-virus software. I'd recommend Norton over McAfee. You can purchase this for around $20.


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## RandyG (Jun 26, 2000)

John Sparkman mentioned that a lot of us use Norton. As a previous user of McAfee, I do like Norton better. They charge you for Dat downloads, about $3 per year, but at least they don't force you to buy a new engine!

Their site is more comprehensive than McAfee's, but make your own mind up on it.

BTW, you will get as many people saying to stay away from Norton as you will get from people saying they like it. It's like that old saying about opinions . . .

I truly don't know if there is a single AV solution that *everyone* likes.


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