On Windows machine often McAfee VSE Installation fails either through EPO deployment or manual Installation. Surprisingly In-case of manual touch based Install, MSI Installer roll back Install operation. This is pretty much easy to troubleshoot. All you need to pay little bit attention. I took one of McAfee VSE Installation failure case to demonstrate troubleshooting.

Step1 – Locate logs

McAfee products by default place Installation logs in any of this folder based on deployment type.

• %Temp%\McAfeeLogs\ – For manual Install
• C:\Windows\Temp\McAfeeLogs\ – EPO product deployment

Step2 – Identify first error

Under McAfeeLogs folder there will be many log files. Open a file similar to name “<productname>Inst_mmddyy_hhmmss.txt”

For VSE open file “VSEInst_101019_062915.txt” and search for word “Error“.

>> Installing SysCore: "C:\Program Files (x86)\McAfee\VirusScan Enterprise\VSCore\x64\mfehidin.exe" -i -mfetrust_killbit -oastrust_off -t VSE88P13 -g {790352C7-6F69-4553-9BB5-0D430ABCDEFG} -q -l "C:\Users\boss1\AppData\Local\Temp\McAfeeLogs\vse8.8.0.core_install_101019_063000.log" -etl "C:\Users\boss1\AppData\Local\Temp\McAfeeLogs\vse8.8.0.core_install_101019_063000.etl" OAS ELAM AAC DiskFilter firecore_driver EmailScan ScriptScan
	!> SysCore Install Code (Error):  : Error while stopping McAfee service. 
	!> Error - SysCore install failed: -1
	<= leave custom action  Install_SysCore()
	CustomAction Install_SysCore returned actual error code 1603 (note this may not be 100% accurate if translation happened inside sandbox)
	Action ended 6:35:33: InstallExecute. Return value 3.

To be precise, If error statement is “SysCore install failed: -1“, solution provided here will fix your Issue. I might do new posts for other error codes and McAfee VSE Installation fails scenario in future.

Step3 – Identify second error

From above log snippet, look at first line. Its the command used by McAfee to trigger MSI Installer. On which, one of the argument is log file path. Take a look at that file.

So here it is – C:\Users\boss1\AppData\Local\Temp\McAfeeLogs\vse8.8.0.core_install_101019_063000.log. Open it in text editor and again search for word “ERROR“.

[06:35:32:750] - StopService: (McShield) exit=0
[06:35:32:750] - ERROR: parseService: ServiceInstall/Removal failed
[06:35:32:750] - parseService: exit=0
[06:35:32:750] - ERROR: parseFeature: Failed to parse element [Service]
[06:35:32:750] - parseFeature: exit=0
[06:35:32:750] - ERROR: parseCoreInstall: Failed to parse element [Feature]!
[06:35:32:750] - parseCoreInstall: return=0
[06:35:32:750] - StartStopMFeServices: return=0	
[06:35:32:750] - ERROR! while stopping services.

Step4 – Cause of Issue

• McAfee EPO and Client system shows VSE not Installed or not in operation
• But getting error as stopping existing VSE services
• This is becasue of previous Installation attempt encountered an error and did not cleaned up properly

Step5 – Solution: do cleanup

Option1:

• Run the EPR (Enterprise Product Removal) tool and remove the VSE product traces completely
  • Note: You Need grant number to download EPR tool
  • EPR How to guide – KB90895
• Take a clean reboot

Option2:

• Remove VSE using CLI – KB52648
• Take a clean reboot

Step6 – Solution: Install VSE

Now, the Installation should work as expected. Ensure to follow the Install order. McAfee agent must be Installed first if not already. Followed by VSE or any other product can be Installed.

• Install Mcafee Agent (first)
• Install VSE, MNE, etc

The error code differ case to case. Need to take action according to it. I will write further posts with cause and solution for other error codes too. Hope this post helped you to fix your VSE Installation fails. Please write your queries and thoughts on comments section. I am happy to help you !!