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Reader Max Buser's company was hit by the bad McAfee update earlier today. Here's how they got everything working again:

McAfee Update Shuts Down XP Machines McAfee corporate customers across the globe using Windows XP experienced massive shutdowns today as Read more


UPDATE: McAfee has also released their official fixes here.

This is the fix we have been using on machines that were hit to get them back online; your mileage may vary, but it's worked for us:

1. If your computer is forcing you to shutdown (you are getting an error with a countdown), go to Start - Run and type cmd. At the command prompt type ' shutdown -a ' without the quotes. [This will abort the Windows shutdown.]


2. Open up the McAfee console (Start -> Programs -> McAfee)

3. Disable Access Protection and On-Access Scanner

4. Double click your Quarantine Manager in that window, and restore the files there (right click on it and select restore).

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5. Go to your services console (right click on My Computer, select 'Manage', and click on the services in the left pane). Make sure both RPC (Remote Procedure Call) services are running.

6. Start (or restart if already running) the McAfee Framework service.

7. Back in the McAfee console, select Tools -> Rollback DATs (If this doesn't work, chances are you need to mess with your network services to get a connection to your corporate repository. If you don't know what I'm talking about, you probably shouldn't try).


8. Reboot and you should be all set.