I uninstalled McAfee through Windows' Installed Apps settings, then ran the official McAfee Consumer Product Removal tool and restarted the laptop. Most McAfee folders are gone, but I still see a "McAfee File Lock" folder under AppDataLocal containing a file called "Vaultinfo." I also found an AppDataRoaming folder named "ChromiumContainer" and a temporary folder containing "MCAFEECERTS." Are these leftovers safe to delete, or should I leave them alone and contact McAfee support?
3 Answers
Don’t reinstall Windows just because a leftover folder remains. Uninstallers often leave empty folders, logs, configuration files, or browser-container data behind. If the folder is not in use and Windows lets you delete it, removing it is generally harmless; if deletion is blocked, leave it alone or investigate the associated service instead of forcing it.
If the McAfee products are no longer listed in Installed Apps and the official removal tool completed successfully, leftover folders in AppData are usually just unused data. You can remove the obvious remnants, but close McAfee-related processes first and consider creating a restore point before deleting anything. I would be more cautious with certificate-related files such as “MCAFEECERTS” unless you have confirmed that no McAfee component is still installed.
A dedicated uninstaller such as Revo Uninstaller or Bulk Crap Uninstaller can scan for leftover files and registry entries after the normal uninstall. Since you already ran MCPR, you probably don’t need another tool, but it can help identify remnants if McAfee still appears in Windows or keeps launching.
That makes sense. I was mainly worried that deleting one of those folders could damage Windows, so I’ll check that no McAfee services or applications remain first.