Mysterious McAfee/LockIt95 Install Problems

Kenn's
Tech
Notes

19990107: Mysterious McAfee/LockIt95 Install Problems

January/1999
Tech Note #7

John S has found an interesting problem with the LockIt95 and McAfee Anti-Virus installers. If you have the wrong version of COMMAND.COM installed on your computer, the installer will not function correctly. It will start normally, with the files copying, and the bar going from 0% to 100%. However, following that, when the configuration routine should begin, instead a windows dialog pops up saying "Cannot find <some file name>" and you click on OK and nothing else happens. This is because DOS mode is disabled. If you try and run COMMAND.COM from Run on the Start Menu, you will get a window which says only "Incorrect DOS version", although you may not be able to read it if the window closes automatically.

Although this problem is quite specific to Windows 9x, similar problems can occur on Windows 3.1x if the hard drive has been "syssed" with the wrong version of DOS. In that case the command interpreter is "right" but all the DOS files in the C:\DOS directory are "wrong". That is to say, you will be able to run a DOS session, but any command requiring a DOS file will return the message "Incorrect DOS version". That includes such useful commands as FDISK, FORMAT, XCOPY, and ATTRIB, to name a few.

Virtually all my installers use a DOS window to perform file decompression, so if DOS is not functional on the system, the installer will not work.

DISCLAIMER: This document is intended for the reference of computer support personnel within Winnipeg School Division No. 1. There is no warranty or liability if procedures recommended here have an adverse affect on any systems. Use them at your own risk. Any trademarks mentioned are the property of their owners, none of whom have certified any information provided here. Opinions expressed here are personal only and do not represent the policy of Winnipeg School Division No. 1 or any other organization anywhere.

Got a Tech Note to share? Submissions are most welcome! [Click here.]
To return to the Tech Notes home page, click here.
To download a copy of all the January/1999 Tech Notes in Rich Text Format, click here.

Click here to visit the Information "Super-Cul-De-Sac". This page was updated
2001 June 9

This page hosted by
Get your own Free Homepage
Check out my neighbours here in Silicon Valley Peaks by clicking here.