Windows XP SP2 Unable to Connect to McAfee Server or McAfee.com website

[jcavicch]

I've been having problems with Windows XP being unable to connect to the McAfee server to get updates for recently installed Internet Security 7.0 software. I'm also unable to browse the us.mcafee.com website from Internet Explorer 6. I get a server not found message. I am able to connect to the internet for other sites, get email, and the like. I reformatted
the hard drive (quit laughing), reloaded Windows XP, and the problem persists. I've also done a DOS virus scan using McAfee's latest with nothing found. It appears something is subverting access to McAfee servers or websites. This sounds like a problem that several others have experienced. Any help you can provide would be appreciated.

[don77]

Hi jcavicch and welcome to CTH,
Please go Here and unzip the newest version of HJT into a new dedicated folder,

Create a folder on the C: drive called C:\HJT.

You can do this by going to My Computer (Windows key+e) then double click on C: then right click and select New then Folder and name it hjt. Unzip HijackThis into this folder. Launch Hijack This, then press Scan, and press Save Log

This will generate a text file that will list all running processes, all applications that are loaded automatically when you start Windows, and more.

Most things are harmless and needed so don't make any changes.

post a log here please.



Also run a search on your PC for a file named: hosts (no extension). You will find it in C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\etc

Open the file with Notepad and have a look at the entries inside.
The list will look something like this:

127.0.0.1 localhost <-(leave this entry)

Copy the log and paste it back to this thread as well

[jcavicch]

A few days ago, access to the McAfee website started working. I left the
computer off for a couple of days. Do these websites have a provision for black listing certain computers that may try to attack them? I had cleaned a number of trojans and viruses detected when I first installed McAfee.

Logfile of HijackThis v1.98.2
Scan saved at 6:30:52 PM, on 12/15/2004
Platform: Windows XP SP2 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP2 (6.00.2900.2180)
Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\Program Files\McAfee\McAfee AntiSpyware\Msssrv.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\VS7DEBUG\MDM.EXE
C:\PROGRA~1\McAfee.com\PERSON~1\MPFSERVICE.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\McAfee\SPAMKI~1\MSKSrvr.exe
c:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\vso\mcvsrte.exe
c:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\vso\mcshield.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\vso\mcvsshld.exe
c:\program files\mcafee.com\agent\mcagent.exe
c:\progra~1\mcafee.com\vso\mcvsescn.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\McAfee.com\PERSON~1\MpfTray.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\mps\mscifapp.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\McAfee\SPAMKI~1\MskAgent.exe
C:\Program Files\McAfee\McAfee AntiSpyware\MssCli.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
C:\Program Files\Microtek\ScanWizard 5\ScannerFinder.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\McAfee.com\PERSON~1\MpfAgent.exe
c:\progra~1\mcafee.com\vso\mcvsftsn.exe
C:\HJT\HijackThis.exe

O2 - BHO: AcroIEHlprObj Class - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\Reader\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: McBrwHelper Class - {227B8AA8-DAF2-4892-BD1D-73F568BCB24E} - c:\program files\mcafee.com\mps\mcbrhlpr.dll
O2 - BHO: McAfee PopupKiller - {3EC8255F-E043-4cae-8B3B-B191550C2A22} - c:\program files\mcafee.com\mps\popupkiller.dll
O3 - Toolbar: (no name) - {ACB1E670-3217-45C4-A021-6B829A8A27CB} - (no file)
O3 - Toolbar: McAfee VirusScan - {BA52B914-B692-46c4-B683-905236F6F655} - c:\progra~1\mcafee.com\vso\mcvsshl.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [VSOCheckTask] "c:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\vso\mcmnhdlr.exe" /checktask
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [VirusScan Online] "c:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\vso\mcvsshld.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MCAgentExe] c:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\agent\mcagent.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MCUpdateExe] C:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\agent\mcupdate.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MPFExe] C:\PROGRA~1\McAfee.com\PERSON~1\MpfTray.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MPSExe] c:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\mps\mscifapp.exe /embedding
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MSKAGENTEXE] C:\PROGRA~1\McAfee\SPAMKI~1\MskAgent.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MSKDetectorExe] C:\PROGRA~1\McAfee\SPAMKI~1\MskDetct.exe /startup
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [_AntiSpyware] C:\Program Files\McAfee\McAfee AntiSpyware\MssCli.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ctfmon.exe] C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [MSMSGS] "C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe" /background
O4 - Global Startup: Microtek Scanner Finder.lnk = C:\Program Files\Microtek\ScanWizard 5\ScannerFinder.exe
O8 - Extra context menu item: E&xport to Microsoft Excel - res://C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\OFFICE11\EXCEL.EXE/3000
O9 - Extra button: Research - {92780B25-18CC-41C8-B9BE-3C9C571A8263} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\OFFICE11\REFIEBAR.DLL
O9 - Extra button: AIM - {AC9E2541-2814-11d5-BC6D-00B0D0A1DE45} - C:\Program Files\AIM\aim.exe
O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Windows Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe

System hosts file:

# Copyright (c) 1993-1999 Microsoft Corp.
#
# This is a sample HOSTS file used by Microsoft TCP/IP for Windows.
#
# This file contains the mappings of IP addresses to host names. Each
# entry should be kept on an individual line. The IP address should
# be placed in the first column followed by the corresponding host name.
# The IP address and the host name should be separated by at least one
# space.
#
# Additionally, comments (such as these) may be inserted on individual
# lines or following the machine name denoted by a '#' symbol.
#
# For example:
#
# 102.54.94.97 rhino.acme.com # source server
# 38.25.63.10 x.acme.com # x client host
127.0.0.1 localhost