McAfee Und Firefox/Thunderbird Probleme: Lösung

[picard95]

Seit Monaten hatte ich mich mit McAfee Internet Security herumgeärgert und der mangelnden Kompatibilität mit Firefox und Thunderbird unter Windows 8.1.

Problem Firefox:
Es erscheinen beim Surfen früher oder später chinesisch aussehende Zeichen oben in der Tableiste, die später auch die close buttons der Tabs überdecken könnnen.

Lösung Firefox:
Den McAfee Side Advisor einzeln deinstallieren

Problem Thunderbird:
Bei jedem holen der Email ist Thunderbird für ca. 30-60 Sekunden blockiert. Klickt man auf eine Mail oder ein anderes Control erscheint oben in der Thunderbird Taskleiste "(Keine Rückmeldung)".
Ein unglaublich nervendes Problem und in diversen Internet-Foren kamen leider fast nur falsche Tipps (neues Profil anlegen, Posteingang leer machen, Probleme mit Add-Ons etc.).

Lösung Thunderbird:
- In die McAfee Echtzeitscan Einstellungen gehen und dort die Option "Email Anlagen scannen" deaktivieren.

Angeblich soll letzteres Problem mit einer neuen Version von McAfee Ende März 2015 gefixt werden, so dass man diese Option nicht mehr deaktivieren muss.

 

[k558215]

The issue you're describing with McAfee Internet Security on Windows 8.1 causing compatibility problems with Firefox and Thunderbird is not uncommon. It seems related to a conflict between McAfee's web protection modules and the applications, possibly stemming from how McAfee injects itself into web traffic for scanning.


Here's a detailed troubleshooting and resolution guide:

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1. Understanding the Issue​

• Chinese-looking Characters on Firefox Tabs : This can result from McAfee's browser add-ons or its web protection module interfering with Firefox's rendering of the user interface. McAfee might inject code or scripts for monitoring purposes, which conflicts with Firefox's functionality.
• General Performance Issues : McAfee's resource-heavy components may slow down Firefox and Thunderbird or introduce other glitches.

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2. Solutions for Firefox Issues​

A. Disable McAfee's browser add-ons​

McAfee often installs extensions or plugins for web protection. Disabling these may resolve conflicts.

1. Open Firefox and go to Menu → Add-ons and Themes → Extensions .
2. Look for any McAfee-related extensions (eg, "McAfee WebAdvisor") and disable or remove them.
3. Restart Firefox to see if the issue persists.

B. Turn Off Web Protection in McAfee​

If disabling the browser extension doesn't work, the web protection feature in McAfee may be the root cause.

1. Open McAfee Internet Security .
2. Navigate to Settings → Web Protection or Firewall Settings .
3. Temporarily disables the Safe Web Browsing or Browser Protection module.
4. Test Firefox again.

C. Clear Firefox's Cache and Reset Configuration​

Sometimes, the interference leaves residual issues in Firefox.

1. In Firefox, go to Menu → History → Clear Recent History .
2. Choose "Everything" and ensure the cache is selected, then clear it.
3. If the problem persists, reset Firefox:
   • Go to Help → More Troubleshooting Information → Refresh Firefox .

D. Update McAfee, Firefox, and Windows​

• Ensure all software is fully up-to-date. Compatibility issues often arise when software versions are mismatched.

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3. Thunderbird Compatibility Issues​

If you are experiencing issues with Thunderbird (eg, email not loading correctly or delays), McAfee's email scanning module could be the culprit.

A. Disable McAfee's Email Scanning​

1. Open McAfee Internet Security .
2. Navigate to Settings → Real-Time Scanning .
3. Look for an option like Email Attachments Scanning or similar and turn it off.
4. Restart Thunderbird and test functionality.

B. Exclude Thunderbird from McAfee Scans​

1. In McAfee, go to Settings → Excluded Files and Folders .
2. Add Thunderbird's installation directory and profile folder to the exclusions list.

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4. Long-Term Solution​

If McAfee continues to cause problems despite these adjustments, consider the following:

• Alternative Antivirus Options : Other lightweight, effective solutions like Windows Defender (built into Windows 8.1), Avast, or Bitdefender are less intrusive and offer strong protection.
• Standalone Security Setup : Use dedicated tools like Malwarebytes for on-demand scanning alongside Windows Defender for real-time protection. This combination is often more compatible and lightweight.

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5. Why This Happens​

McAfee Internet Security's aggressive real-time protection modules are known to cause conflicts with software, particularly open-source or heavily customizable programs like Firefox and Thunderbird. Its code injection for monitoring web traffic or scanning emails can sometimes disrupt normal application behavior.

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If these steps don't fully resolve the issue or you'd like help setting up a different security configuration, let me know!