SOLVED How to delete McAfee icon

[jnscts]

am running Catalina on a MB Air; I thought had deleted the Software, but still have the McAfee icon on my desktop. How do I delete the icon
Many thanks in advance. Attached is a screenshot to help

 

[Cory Cooper]

Hi,

Sounds like you only dragged the application in the Applications folder to the Trash.

Uninstall McAfee security software from your Mac

1. To make sure that the McAfee browser plug-in is removed correctly, close your browsers (Safari and Chrome) during removal.
2. In the Dock, find and open the Applications folder.
3. Double-click the McAfee Internet Security Uninstaller.
4. Click Continue.
5. Type your administrator password and click OK.
6. Click Finish.

You may have reinstall it to uninstall. it, if you don't have the McAfee Internet Security Uninstaller app still.

Hope that helps.

C

 

[jnscts]

Hi,

Sounds like you only dragged the application in the Applications folder to the Trash.

Uninstall McAfee security software from your Mac

1. To make sure that the McAfee browser plug-in is removed correctly, close your browsers (Safari and Chrome) during removal.
2. In the Dock, find and open the Applications folder.
3. Double-click the McAfee Internet Security Uninstaller.
4. Click Continue.
5. Type your administrator password and click OK.
6. Click Finish.

You may have reinstall it to uninstall. it, if you don't have the McAfee Internet Security Uninstaller app still.

Hope that helps.

C

Hi C. I will try that and get back to you tomorrow

 

[Cory Cooper]

OK...sounds good.

Let us know how it goes.

C

 

[jnscts]

followed your instructions on how to uninstall McAfee internet security uninstaller - found it in the applications and deleted in the trash;
that worked BUT I still have the icon o my desktop. I did closedown the MB but initially it was not displayed and then it re-appeared. Would be grateful for any other suggestions please kind regards John (aka jnscts)

 

[jnscts]

followed your instructions on how to uninstall McAfee internet security uninstaller - found it in the applications and deleted in the trash;
that worked BUT I still have the icon o my desktop. I did closedown the MB but initially it was not displayed and then it re-appeared. Would be grateful for any other suggestions please kind regards John (aka jnscts)

 

[Cory Cooper]

Hmmm...sounds like it isn't uninstalling the agent.

Maybe follow these steps: How to remove McAfee Endpoint Security from your Mac

Some may not uninstall anything, since you already ran the uninstaller. The launch agent section at the bottom is probably the culprit.

C

 

[jnscts]

hi to you C,
I tried to uninstall the link you gave me (McAfee endpoint Security for Mac (version 10.55.6 (100) McAfee Agent Version 5.5.1.374
without success.
1) The first line :- sudo /usr/localMcAfee/uninstall EPM Is excepted (note) some the time depending on my input; which then prompts
me for my password ( the password I put in relates to my MacBook PW. (not the McAfee password - not certain but I am sure the McAfee info was disposed of. I will give you an attachment of my inputs hopefully you can help

Some may not uninstall anything, since you already ran the uninstaller. The launch agent section at the bottom is probably the culprit.

Below was my last input attempt (had to Copy & paste the below information)
Last login: Thu Jan 7 13:29:52 on ttys000

The default interactive shell is now zsh.
To update your account to use zsh, please run `chsh -s /bin/zsh`.
For more details, please visit https://support.apple.com/kb/HT208050.
Johns-MacBook-Air:~ xxxxxx sudo /usr/local/McAfee/uninstall EPM
Password:
sudo: /usr/local/McAfee/uninstall: command not found **
johns-MacBook-Air:~ xxxxxxx sudo/usr/local/McAfee/uninstall EPM
-bash: sudo/usr/local/McAfee/uninstall: No such file or directory
johns-MacBook-Air:~ xxxxxx sudo /usr/local/McAfee/uninstall EPM
sudo: /usr/local/McAfee/uninstall: command not found


xxxxxx = this relates my MB details my questions are ?? sudo/ or a space/

also when I enter my laptop PW it comes back with “command not found?” as in above **

ps sorry for not getting back to you yesterday

 

[jnscts]

Hi C,
Found the expired McAfee with serial no plus the unique 25-digit product key. Would appreciate if there is away forward having found this information; The Mcafee icon is still on my desk top. Dare I say thanks in advance

 

[jnscts]

Have still not proceeded since my last input - Have not inputted any further in terminal mode. My last input being
that there is still an uninstall agent present. I have just had a McAfee email warning me that I am unprotected; please advise. Would using time machine be advisable - I am retired and don’t have important docs on my Mac

 

[Cory Cooper]

Sorry...life gets in the way sometimes.

Maybe try just these commands from the linked article I gave above in Terminal, since you already uninstalled it and received errors:

See if that works,

C

 

[jnscts]

Sorry...life gets in the way sometimes.

Maybe try just these commands from the linked article I gave above in Terminal, since you already uninstalled it and received errors:

View attachment 3795

See if that works,

C

 

[jnscts]

Hi Cory
Sorry to say I am back: Inputted your last information without success. Will attach my result taking out my personal details.

Hope this last screen shot will help - thanks in advance regards

ps after typing in sudo /library/McAfee/cma/scripts/ininstall.sh it doesn't output " stopping agent service etc

 

[Cory Cooper]

OK...

Maybe we could try deleting the agent itself.

1. Navigate to Macintosh HD > Library > LaunchAgents
2. Move anything with com.mcafee in the name to the Trash, authenticate if requested
3. Also check Macintosh HD > Library > LaunchDaemons and do the same as in step 2
4. Restart your Mac

See if it doesn't load then.

C

 

[jnscts]

Thanks just picked this up. Will let you know tomorrow

OK...

Maybe we could try deleting the agent itself.

1. Navigate to Macintosh HD > Library > LaunchAgents
2. Move anything with com.mcafee in the name to the Trash, authenticate if requested
3. Also check Macintosh HD > Library > LaunchDaemons and do the same as in step 2
4. Restart your Mac

See if it doesn't load then.

C

afternoon C
I have navigated as per your above instructions to the point 1. above. I have taken 3 screenshots (before risking going any further:-
1. Launch agents (screenshot 19.34.51) 1) that contains com.McFee.Airhost.plist 2) Com.McAfee.Menulet.plist
3) Com.McAfee.reporter.plist

2. Launch Daemons (screenshot 19.39.16)

3) McAfee that contains !) new.plist 2) old.plist NOTE this is a list separate from 1 and 2 above

I hope this might be the resolution, I just need to be sure ; as i have never attended this before kind regards John

 

[Cory Cooper]

No worries.

Yes, delete all of the com.Mcafee files in LaunchAgents and Launch Daemons, as well as the whole McAfee folder in your third screenshot.

That should do it, but let us know.

C

 

[jnscts]

Thanks 4 the prompt reply - still to take the dive to do this. What I cannot understand is; all the the info in the Launch agent/ launch daemon/ MCAFee just show .plist in every case? So this will do the job ( cannot proceed at
the moment due to my wife on Skype. Await now for this reply and then I will trust your advise
Many thanks. Regards. John

 

[Cory Cooper]

Yes, the plists in those folders are preference/property list files that launch applications/menulets/background processes at startup/login.

I am almost positive that after you delete them and restart, the issue will be resolved.

c

 

[jnscts]

Good Morning C
Cannot thank you enough for ALL the help you have given me on this McAfee deletion task. your last help has now solved the problem once and for all. Going into the HD was something I would not have attempted before; it also gave me the confidence to delete a Dropbox issue (which I thought thought I had got rid of)
The very last 2 questions I have is:
1) The latest upgrade to Big Sur are there any issues there seems to be a question or two from people who have issues ?
2) Any recommendation on M/ware/Antivirus; my daughter had Sophos but got rid of it. Again a very BIG Thank you !

 

[Cory Cooper]

Excellent! Glad that finally resolved it.

Because the last steps I gave can be intimidating to most folks, I wanted to exhaust the less invasive processes first. Deleting things in those folders can cause issues, unless specific steps are followed. As always, it is best to have some form of current backup of your data before proceeding, which you had mentioned Time Machine at pone point.

1) I am running Big Sur on one of my Macs, and don't have any real issues. However, it is not my main Mac. It would depend on what kinds of things you do, what versions of any older software you have, etc.
2) Personally, I don't recommend any antivirus or third-party automatic cleaning utilities. Most of them cause more issues than they are worth. Sophos is used more by business/education to protect their equipment. Symantec/McAfee/BitDefender/Kapersky/etc. do work, but can be a bear to uninstall or disable real-time scanning.

That said, if you really want some:
-Malwarebytes for Mac is great for malware removal - you can just use the free version.
-ClamXAV is the best and least intrusive antivirus I have used - and can be run in manual mode.

I always recommend that Malwarebytes and ClamXAV be run in manual mode, and have any real-time or background scanning disabled, to prevent overall slowness.

Hope that helps.

C