McAfee, Inc. McAfee Total Protection EXE PEFHelper.exe

PEFHelper.exe: How to Fix, Download, and Update

Last Updated: 11/27/2023
[Average Article Time to Read: 4.7 minutes]

Partner Enablement Framework Helper files such as PEFHelper.exe utilize the EXE file extension. This file is considered a Win64 EXE (Dynamic link library) file, and was first created by McAfee, Inc. for the McAfee PEF software package.

PEFHelper.exe was initially released with McAfee Total Protection 2019 (16.0 R20) on 08/29/2019 for the Windows 10 Operating System. This file release marks the latest and most updated version from McAfee, Inc..

Please see below for more detailed information, EXE file troubleshooting instructions, and free downloads of different versions of PEFHelper.exe.

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File Overview


General Information ✻
File Name: PEFHelper.exe
File Extension: EXE file extension
Description: Partner Enablement Framework Helper
Object File Type: Dynamic link library
File Operating System: Win32
MIME Type: application/octet-stream
User Popularity Rating:
 
Developer and Software Information
Software Developer: McAfee, Inc.
Software Program: McAfee PEF
Legal Copyright: Copyright © 2017 McAfee, Inc.
File Details
Character Set: Unicode
Language Code: English (U.S.)
File Flags: (none)
File Flags Mask: 0x0017
Entry Point: 0x4bbfc
Code Size: 530944
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What are PEFHelper.exe Error Messages?


PEFHelper.exe Runtime Errors

Runtime errors are McAfee Total Protection errors that occur during "runtime". Runtime is pretty self-explanatory; it means that these EXE errors are triggered when PEFHelper.exe is attempted to be loaded either when McAfee Total Protection is starting up, or in some cases already running. Runtime errors are the most common form of EXE error you will encounter using McAfee Total Protection.

In most cases, PEFHelper.exe runtime errors occurring while the program is running will result in the program terminating abnormally. Most of these PEFHelper.exe error messages mean that McAfee Total Protection was either unable to locate this file on startup, or the file is corrupt, resulting in a prematurely-aborted startup process. Generally, McAfee Total Protection will be unable to start without resolving these errors.

Some of the most common PEFHelper.exe errors include:

  • PEFHelper.exe - Bad Image.
  • PEFHelper.exe Application Error.
  • PEFHelper.exe could not be found.
  • PEFHelper.exe could not be installed.
  • PEFHelper.exe could not be launched. Class not registered.
  • PEFHelper.exe could not be started.
  • PEFHelper.exe failed to initialize properly.
  • PEFHelper.exe has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience.
  • PEFHelper.exe is not a valid Win32 application.
  • PEFHelper.exe is not running.
  • Cannot find PEFHelper.exe.
  • Error starting program: PEFHelper.exe.
  • Faulting Application Path: PEFHelper.exe.
  • The file PEFHelper.exe is missing or corrupt.
  • Windows failed to start - PEFHelper.exe.
System Error


The program can’t start because PEFHelper.exe is missing from your computer. Try reinstalling the program to fix this problem.

Thus, it's critical to make sure your anti-virus is kept up-to-date and scanning regularly.

Finding the source of the PEFHelper.exe error is key to properly resolving these errors. Although most of these EXE errors affecting PEFHelper.exe will happen during startup, occasionally you will encounter a runtime error while using McAfee PEF. This can occur due to poor programming on behalf of McAfee, Inc., conflicts with other software or 3rd-party plug-ins, or caused by damaged and outdated hardware. Also, these types of PEFHelper.exe errors can occur if it has been accidentally moved, deleted, or corrupted by a malware infection. Thus, it's critical to make sure your anti-virus is kept up-to-date and scanning regularly.

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How to Fix PEFHelper.exe Errors in 3 Steps (Time to complete: ~5-15 minutes)

If you're encountering one of the error messages above, follow these troubleshooting steps to resolve your PEFHelper.exe issue. These troubleshooting steps are listed in the recommended order of execution.


Step 1: Restore your PC back to the latest restore point, "snapshot", or backup image before error occurred.

To begin System Restore (Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, and 10):

  1. Hit the Windows Start button
  2. When you see the search box, type "System Restore" and press "ENTER".
  3. In the search results, find and click System Restore.
  4. Please enter the administrator password (if applicable / prompted).
  5. Follow the steps in the System Restore Wizard to choose a relevant restore point.
  6. Restore your computer to that backup image.

If the Step 1 fails to resolve the PEFHelper.exe error, please proceed to the Step 2 below.

Step 2: If recently installed McAfee Total Protection (or related software), uninstall then try reinstalling McAfee Total Protection software.

You can uninstall McAfee Total Protection software by following these instructions (Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, and 10):

  1. Hit the Windows Start button
  2. In the search box, type "Uninstall" and press "ENTER".
  3. In the search results, find and click "Add or Remove Programs"
  4. Find the entry for McAfee Total Protection 2019 (16.0 R20) and click "Uninstall"
  5. Follow the prompts for uninstallation.

After the software has been fully uninstalled, restart your PC and reinstall McAfee Total Protection software.

If this Step 2 fails as well, please proceed to the Step 3 below.

McAfee Total Protection 2019 (16.0 R20)

McAfee, Inc.

Step 3: Perform a Windows Update.

When the first two steps haven't solved your issue, it might be a good idea to run Windows Update. Many PEFHelper.exe error messages that are encountered can be contributed to an outdated Windows Operating System. To run Windows Update, please follow these easy steps:

  1. Hit the Windows Start button
  2. In the search box, type "Update" and press "ENTER".
  3. In the Windows Update dialog box, click "Check for Updates" (or similar button depending on your Windows version)
  4. If updates are available for download, click "Install Updates".
  5. After the update is completed, restart your PC.

If Windows Update failed to resolve the PEFHelper.exe error message, please proceed to next step. Please note that this final step is recommended for advanced PC users only.

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If Those Steps Fail: Download and Replace Your PEFHelper.exe File (Caution: Advanced)

If none of the previous three troubleshooting steps have resolved your issue, you can try a more aggressive approach (Note: Not recommended for amateur PC users) by downloading and replacing your appropriate PEFHelper.exe file version. We maintain a comprehensive database of 100% malware-free PEFHelper.exe files for every applicable version of McAfee Total Protection. Please follow the steps below to download and properly replace you file:

  1. Locate your Windows operating system version in the list of below "Download PEFHelper.exe Files".
  2. Click the appropriate "Download Now" button and download your Windows file version.
  3. Copy this file to the appropriate McAfee Total Protection folder location:
    Windows 10: C:\Program Files\Common Files\McAfee\PEF\CORE\
  4. Restart your computer.

If this final step has failed and you're still encountering the error, you're only remaining option is to do a clean installation of Windows 10.


GEEK TIP : We must emphasize that reinstalling Windows will be a very time-consuming and advanced task to resolve PEFHelper.exe problems. To avoid data loss, you must be sure that you have backed-up all of your important documents, pictures, software installers, and other personal data before beginning the process. If you are not currently backing up your data, you need to do so immediately.

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Download PEFHelper.exe Files (Malware-Tested 100% Clean)


CAUTION : We strongly advise against downloading and copying PEFHelper.exe to your appropriate Windows system directory. McAfee, Inc. typically does not release McAfee Total Protection EXE files for download because they are bundled together inside of a software installer. The installer's task is to ensure that all correct verifications have been made before installing and placing PEFHelper.exe and all other EXE files for McAfee Total Protection. An incorrectly installed EXE file may create system instability and could cause your program or operating system to stop functioning altogether. Proceed with caution.

Windows 10
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Files Related to PEFHelper.exe


EXE Files Related to PEFHelper.exe

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McCSPServiceHost.exe McAfee CSP Service Host McAfee Cloud Services Platform (3,1,286,0) 2226608 C:\Windows\System32\sru\

Other Files Related to PEFHelper.exe

File Name Description Software Program (Version) File Size (bytes) File Location
setupapi.dev.log Log McAfee Total Protection 2019 (16.0 R20) 684126 C:\Windows\inf\
WmiApRpl.h C/C++/Objective-C Header McAfee Total Protection 2019 (16.0 R20) 3444 C:\Windows\System32\wbem\Performance\
api-ms-win-core-profil... ApiSet Stub DLL Microsoft® Windows® Operating System (10.0.17134.12) 10600 C:\Users\Tester\AppData\Local\Microsoft\OneDriv...
diagwrn.xml Extensible Markup Language McAfee Total Protection 2019 (16.0 R20) 5718 C:\Windows\System32\Sysprep\Panther\
api-ms-win-core-debug-... ApiSet Stub DLL Microsoft® Windows® Operating System (10.0.17134.12) 11112 C:\Users\Tester\AppData\Local\Microsoft\OneDriv...


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