McAfee, Inc. McAfee Total Protection EXE PEFUpdater.exe

Troubleshoot PEFUpdater.exe Issues (Free Download)

Last Updated: 12/01/2024
[Time to Read: ~3-5 minutes]

PEFUpdater.exe uses the EXE file extension, which is more specifically known as a PEF Updater file. It is classified as a Win64 EXE (Dynamic link library) file, created for McAfee PEF by McAfee, Inc..

The first version of PEFUpdater.exe was released for the Windows 10 Operating System on 08/29/2019 inside McAfee Total Protection 2019 (16.0 R20). According to our records, this release is the only version of this file offered by McAfee, Inc..

Please continue reading to find your correct PEFUpdater.exe file version download (free), detailed file information, and EXE file troubleshooting instructions.

File Analysis Provided by Jason Geater (Author)

File Overview

General Information ^✻
File Name:	PEFUpdater.exe
File Extension:	EXE file extension
Description:	PEF Updater
Object File Type:	Dynamic link library
File Operating System:	Windows NT 32-bit
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:	0x003f
Entry Point:	0x2c39c
Code Size:	374272

View Other PEFUpdater.exe Information

File Info	Description
File Size:	605 kB
File Modification Date/Time:	2020:01:13 14:07:36+00:00
File Type:	Win64 EXE
MIME Type:	application/octet-stream
Machine Type:	AMD AMD64
Time Stamp:	2019:06:13 14:45:45+00:00
PE Type:	PE32+
Linker Version:	14.0
Code Size:	374272
Initialized Data Size:	237568
Uninitialized Data Size:	0
Entry Point:	0x2c39c
OS Version:	6.0
Image Version:	0.0
Subsystem Version:	6.0
Subsystem:	Windows GUI
File Version Number:	3.0.135.0
Product Version Number:	3.0.0.0
File Flags Mask:	0x003f
File Flags:	(none)
File OS:	Windows NT 32-bit
Object File Type:	Dynamic link library
File Subtype:	0
Language Code:	English (U.S.)
Character Set:	Unicode
Company Name:	McAfee, Inc.
File Description:	PEF Updater
File Version:	3,0,135,0
Internal Name:	PEF
Legal Copyright:	Copyright © 2017 McAfee, Inc.
Product Name:	McAfee PEF
Product Version:	3,0,0,0

^✻ Portions of file data provided by Exiftool (Phil Harvey) distributed under the Perl Artistic License.

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What are PEFUpdater.exe Error Messages?

PEFUpdater.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 PEFUpdater.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, PEFUpdater.exe runtime errors occurring while the program is running will result in the program terminating abnormally. Most of these PEFUpdater.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 PEFUpdater.exe errors include:

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

System Error

The program can’t start because PEFUpdater.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 PEFUpdater.exe error is key to properly resolving these errors. Although most of these EXE errors affecting PEFUpdater.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 PEFUpdater.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 PEFUpdater.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 PEFUpdater.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):

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

If the Step 1 fails to resolve the PEFUpdater.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):

Hit the Windows Start button
In the search box, type "Uninstall" and press "ENTER".
In the search results, find and click "Add or Remove Programs"
Find the entry for McAfee Total Protection 2019 (16.0 R20) and click "Uninstall"
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 PEFUpdater.exe error messages that are encountered can be contributed to an outdated Windows Operating System. To run Windows Update, please follow these easy steps:

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

If Windows Update failed to resolve the PEFUpdater.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 PEFUpdater.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 PEFUpdater.exe file version. We maintain a comprehensive database of 100% malware-free PEFUpdater.exe files for every applicable version of McAfee Total Protection. Please follow the steps below to download and properly replace you file:

Locate your Windows operating system version in the list of below "Download PEFUpdater.exe Files".
Click the appropriate "Download Now" button and download your Windows file version.
Copy this file to the appropriate McAfee Total Protection folder location:

Windows 10: C:\Program Files\Common Files\McAfee\PEF\CORE\
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 PEFUpdater.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 PEFUpdater.exe Files (Malware-Tested 100% Clean)

CAUTION : We strongly advise against downloading and copying PEFUpdater.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 PEFUpdater.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.

McAfee Total Protection 2019 (16.0 R20)

McAfee Total Protection 2019 (16.0 R20)

File Name

Software Version

File Version

Architecture

PEFUpdater.exe

3.0.0.0

3,0,135,0

64-bit (x64)

Expand for Detailed File Information +

OS Version:	Windows 10
Software:	McAfee PEF
Software Version:	3.0.0.0
File Version:	3,0,135,0
File Size:	619768
File Date:	01/13/2020
MD5 Checksum:	60c3e4c7a142eaa4f0ca9dd4797b9674
SHA1 Checksum:	068e3dbc13fe057f17835859e79cfd4abd4a2d04
SHA256 Checksum:	3061ffbccf3acae179b0e7c071351b6698568067e89a37c7db287b769f9acabf
CRC32:
File Directory Location:	C:\Program Files\Common Files\McAfee\PEF\CORE\

File Version, System, and Machine Information
File Type:	Win64 EXE
Image Version:	0.0
Initialized Data Size:	237568
Linker Version:	14.0
Machine Type:	AMD AMD64
PE Type:	PE32+
Subsystem:	Windows GUI
Subsystem Version:	6.0
File Modification Date/Time:	01/13/2020

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Files Related to PEFUpdater.exe

EXE Files Related to PEFUpdater.exe

File Name	Description	Software Program (Version)	File Size (bytes)	File Location
uninstaller.exe	McAfee WebAdvisor	McAfee WebAdvisor (4,1,0,0)	2419216	C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\...
McAfee_Total_Protectio...	McAfee ESD Package	McAfee ESD Package (15.0.126.0)	669009096	C:\Windows\System32\LogFiles\WMI\
ChromiumContainerReg.exe	McAfee Chromium Container Registration	McAfee Chromium Container (2,5,0,0)	572784	C:\Windows\System32\sru\
McVulAlert.exe	McAfee Vulnerability Scanner	McAfee Vulnerability Scanner (8,0,105,0)	648184	C:\Windows\System32\LogFiles\WMI\
mcsvrcnt.exe	McAfee Server Content	McAfee SecurityCenter (17,10,0,0)	865608	C:\Windows\System32\LogFiles\WMI\

Other Files Related to PEFUpdater.exe

File Name	Description	Software Program (Version)	File Size (bytes)	File Location
setupact.log	Log	McAfee Total Protection 2019 (16.0 R20)	62521	C:\Windows\Panther\UnattendGC\
diagwrn.xml	Extensible Markup Language	McAfee Total Protection 2019 (16.0 R20)	93050	C:\Windows\Panther\NewOs\Panther\
EtwRTEventLog-System.etl	Microsoft Event Trace Log	McAfee Total Protection 2019 (16.0 R20)	432	C:\Windows\System32\LogFiles\WMI\RtBackup\
api-ms-win-core-rtlsup...	ApiSet Stub DLL	Microsoft® Windows® Operating System (10.0.17134.12)	10600	C:\Users\Tester\AppData\Local\Microsoft\OneDriv...
api-ms-win-core-dateti...	ApiSet Stub DLL	Microsoft® Windows® Operating System (10.0.17134.12)	11112	C:\Users\Tester\AppData\Local\Microsoft\OneDriv...

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