Remove all traces of McAfee VirusScan from your Mac
Making programs that can't be uninstalled easily is a software crime in my book. I reluctantly accept that many applications leave behind folders and files even after you've dragged them to the trash but those that actually leave memory sapping, CPU-guzzling processes behind are simply bang out of order.
Which is why if you've ever installed McAfee VirusScan (formerly known as McAfee Virex) on a Mac, you'll need this tool to remove it. For months, I had been mystified by a couple of processes labeled 'VShieldCheck' that were sometimes hogging up-to 30% of my CPU. A few Google searches later and I realized that these processes were associated with McAfee VirusScan for Mac which I'd tested and uninstalled a long time ago.
It turns out that McAfee VrusScan leaves these processes behind when you drag and drop it in the Trash. You have to remove it using the uninstaller which comes with the original download. However, I'd obviously deleted the original download a long time ago so my only option was to download it, install the darn thing again, and then use the removal tool to get rid of it once and for all. Even more frustrating, to download it again, I needed to sign up for a McAfee account!
So to save you going through the same ridiculous process to remove something that should never have been left behind on your Mac anyway, here you have the official McAfee VirusScan uninstaller. Make sure that McAfee Virus Scan is definitely installed on your Mac (if not re-install it) and then run the installer. It opens a dialog in Terminal where you have to enter your password. After that, removal takes just a couple of seconds and you're left with no nasty process remnants.
If you've been tearing your hair out trying to uninstall McAfee VirusScan or mystefied by a 'VShieldCheck' process, then this uninstaller is the solution.
User reviews about McAfee VirusScan Uninstaller
by Anonymous
Worked like a charm! Thank you..
Worked like a charm! Thank you. Removed McAfee Virex from my Mac mini without a hitch which allowed me to install Norton Internet Security. More
by Anonymous
Hurray!!!!.
I watched 5GBs of RAM free up in Activity Monitor instantly. Pretty crappy that even typing in uninstall on the McAfee website returns absolutely no results. Thanks. More
by Anonymous
it took me 2 years to find this. I love you.
Vshildscanner was, first, crap. Costed me 10 euros for this.
And it took me 2 years to uninstall it as it was running up all my CPU.That made my day.
Actually my whole week.Never trust McAffee any more. For sure!
Pros:
simply works More
by Anonymous
McAfee icon stuck in menu bar!!.
After I had manually deleting all McAfee folders from my laptop (because it made my computer run soooo slow!), the annoying little McAfee icon stayed in my menu bar! I tried EVERYTHING to get it to go away. I finally found this (above) and it worked perfectly! After entering my password in the terminal, I restarted my computer and NO MORE ICON. THANK YOU!!!!!!!
Pros:
Fast. Actually Worked. More
by Anonymous
you just gave me a new computer.
VirusScan was clogging up my macbook so badly that I abandoned it and bought a windows machine. But I missed the mac, so I spent 3 days trying to uninstall it, to no avail. Then I found your program, and 20 seconds later, my computer works better than it has for the last two years. Thank you!! As a side note - How in the world does McAfee justify this??? Their software is worse than any virus I've ever heard of for a mac. Even after you supposedly shut it down, it continues to use 30% of CPU, 20% of memory, running 6 of its own processes simultaneously.
Pros:
Worked instantly! More
by Nick Mead
@DEAR GOD THANK YOU.
You're welcome! Glad it helped :)
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