Running stable Windows 2000 Server system for months Running Server standalone for the additional security, downloaded Comcast McAfee Privacy Service. On Installation, got message that PS did not support W2K and system rebooted. Logged into Windows ok, but could not get to email or the internet. Got a MacAfee login screen. Tried to set up login but would not work. Used Add/Remove programs to remove PS and rebooted. Was able to get to internet launching from toolbar. Could not access email. Reloaded Office and then could access email through Outlook. Could not access Outlook Express email. (I use both systems to keep personal mail separate.) Tried to follow a link from Outlook to IE and got an error message saying IE had to close and did I want to send the info to Microsoft. Tried several times with the same result. Could not get Express to start up at all. Reloaded IE and rebooted. Was able to get Outlook Express to run but all old email was gone. Links from both Outlook and Outlook Express caused error messages. Called Comcast/MacAfee support and was sent a removal tool for privacy service. Ran that and rebooted. Still the same problems. Ran Spyware Doctor, but only the Gator wallet was there. That has been on the sysem for years without a problem.
1. Following a link within an email from either Outlook or Outlook Express attempts to open the IE window.The screen paints and then the error box comes up freezing the screen. When you reply to either send or not send error message, IE closes.
2. If IE opened from the toolbar, you can access the internet. If you open a second window you can access the internet, but if you close one window, both close.
3. When you close a window, you get the error message box and IE restarts unless you check the box to not restart.
4. Received one Stack Overflow message among the many times the system died.
5. The dump appears to have a problem with SHGetInstanceExplorer.
How do stabilize the system without reloading the entire operating system and all of the programs? I have been working on this for a week. And although comcast strongly wants you to load the software, they take a step back and say you are on your own. The MacAfee person says there are no problems and although they did email additional removal tools, they have not been able to address the problem. Out of several MacAfee people I have talked to, only one was really good but I haven't been able to get back to him.
ANY SUGGESTIONS SHORT OF RELOADING THE ENTIRE SYSTEM????? There has to be some patch, fix, etc. that I am missing. I have seen a lot of horror stories about PS on the net, but none are exactly the same as mine.
My best guess is that PS modified some dll or something in the kernel and removing it did not reinstall the original routine. I just don't know which routines to try to patch.
Thanks for the help.
Connie Kelly
