View Full Version : Uninstall problem
Hi guys. This is my first post here, I hope you will be able to help me with my problem. I have tried searching, but nothing seems to help.
I have just tried to update to the latest version, 1.6. As it trys to install, it keeps coming up with an error in "search & destroy\unins000.exe
access is Denied"
I tried to manually delete file but it will not allow. "Access denied or in use"
What can I do? Pls help
Thanks in advance
Jeremy
spybotsandra
2008-07-21, 15:59
Hello,
In order to completely uninstall Spybot - Search & Destroy, please consider the following link:
http://www.safer-networking.org/en/howto/uninstall.html
Best regards
Sandra
Team Spybot
Thanks Sandra. Tried that to no avil. "Access denied to unins00.exe" still comes up every time!
Jeremy,
What operating system do you have, and were you logged on as an administrator?
Hi Greyfox.
Im am using XP and only have the one login.... Might be worth investigating though....
Jeremy,
If the new version of Spybot didn't install, then perhaps the old version is still operating. If so and you can still start it, un-immunise, then in advanced mode goto tools, resident and untick both the browser helper and Teatimer. Then go to tools/IE tweaks and remove the ticks from any boxes that are ticked. Exit spybot, go to control panel, add or remove programs, locate the Spybot entry and try to uninstall it from there.
If that works, reboot, then clean up as per the links supplied by Spybot Sandra. Reboot again and then try to install the 1.6.0.30 version again.
Let's know whether this worked.
Greyfox.
I am the only login as admin, so that would appear not to be the problem. I have not had any problems B4 with deleting programs from my login account. Prob only appears with this program..
Greyfox.
I am the only login as admin, so that would appear not to be the problem. I have not had any problems B4 with deleting programs from my login account. Prob only appears with this program..
I'm not sure whether we didn't both post at the same time, so perhaps you missed my previous post - please post what happens if you try to uninstall the old version from add & remove.
Greyfox
Where do I find un-immunize. Probaly obvious, but can not find it anywhere!
Start Spybot, on the main page in the left hand column you will see a icon shaped like a shield with immunise under it. Double click on it and in the screen that opens, at the top is an undo icon. Click on that to un-immunise.
Suggest you make sure you are off line and the browser shut down before you try to remove Spybot.
Thanks, Got it.
Will try to unninstall now. Will let you know how it goes.
Greyfox
No go unfortunatly.
"unnins000.dat could not be opened" is all I get.
Anything else I can try?
md usa spybot fan
2008-07-21, 17:01
Jez650:
Do you still have the unnins000.dat file in following directory?
C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy
I do still have that file, but it is in D: drive, as C: is full.
I Still have no resolution to this problem, nothing seems to be working:sad:
is there anything else I might try..
Anyone...
So if I understand correctly, Spybot was not installed in the default directory but on drive D:. There is always a risk in doing this and to be honest I don't have any experience in what happens if you do this with Spybot.
If all else fails you may have to use brute force to remove it - by that I mean manually deleting all of its folders, and then trying to clean out the registry entries. Again this is not without risk.
Normally in XP Spybot has folder in C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy, and another in C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\spybot - Search & Destroy. You would have to find where these are and delete them manually, but before doing so make sure you un-immunise and disable teatimer and the browser helper.
You would then have to try to clean up the registry. Again normally you could use the very small fix from http://www.spybot.info/en/howto/uninstall.html but I don't know whether this would work in your situation.
I wouldn't recommend using a registry cleaner unless you are already very conversant with using this type of program, and know how much damage they can do if you don't use them properly.
Perhaps before going down this road you should see whether anyone else can recommend a better or less drastic approach.
Edit: If you do decide to take the above approach, please back up all of your critical data first.
Greyfox
Thank you for your input, it is greatly appreciated.
As my C: drive was already full and I was unable move the partition to create more room, I had it install to D:, along with alot of other programs that I have not had problems with.
Thinking about how Spybot works, it probbaly was not a cleaver thing to do...
As to your sugestion to go in and manually delete files, do you mean go into the program and delete them individually? If so, this is somthing I have tried, and it still would not let me, either access or delete... same message keeps coming up.
Thanks again for your help, and if you think of anything else I might try, Please let me know.
Jez
Just a thought. Could Norton have any affect, does it infiltrate itself into something like Spybot?
md usa spybot fan
2008-07-22, 15:45
Jez650:
Back to basics. What Windows OS are you running?
Does the old version of Spybot that you were replacing still work? If so, what version of Spybot were you running (Spybot » Help » About).
wyrmrider
2008-07-22, 19:11
More back to basics
did you ever have an earlier version on Drive C?
I had a similar problem before and had to run small fix on both partitions
since one had been deleted I had to set up a dummy path
even after removing both versions with Add remove programs as I had two instances of Spybot there
do what MD_USA_SPYBOT FAN says-
Even more basic; You stated that "my C: drive was already full". Is that really true, in other words is that drive actually at or close to no free space?
If so, you're likely to have all sorts of issues with installation and other basic operating system functions, since that's the only drive where certain of these normal processes can occur.
Please insure you have at least a few hundred MB free on this drive before trying anything else. One way to improve this quickly is to move the Windows Swap file to another drive, since this is often using several hundred MB or more. Then you should look for other data that can be moved or think about re-formatting and installing the entire OS to resolve the problem.
I know what you're facing, I've been dealing with the same issue for months on an old Sony which shipped with a 15GB C drive partition on a 60GB drive. I'm planning to resolve it by starting from scratch when installing a new Windows Vista OS next week.
Bitman
Hi Guys
Thanks for your input.
The OS is XP and the version of Spybot is 1.5.2.20
There was a earlier version installed in the C: drive, but I can find no trace of it anymore.
There is still around 500-600 meg avalable in C: drive that I leave clear to allow things to run.
One of the reasons I wanted to upgrade, other than the fact that it is a newer version, is that the old one was not updating. It kept telling me that there were no updates available! that had been happening for a couple of months.
I hope this helps
Jez
Still struggling with this problem, guys.
Anybody have any more things I can try?
Thanks
Jez
md usa spybot fan
2008-07-27, 13:43
Jez650:
Try the following:
Go into Spybot > Immunize.
Click "Undo" button (at the top of the right pane).
Go into Spybot > Mode > Advanced Mode > Tools > Resident.
Uncheck (if checked) the following:
Resident "SDHelper" (Internet Explorer bad download blocker) active.
Resident "TeaTimer" (Protection of over-all system settings) active.
Go into Spybot > Mode > Advanced Mode > Tools > IE Tweaks.
Uncheck (if checked) any of the following "Miscellaneous locks":
Lock Hosts file read-only as protection against hijackers.
Lock IE start page setting against user changes (current user).
Lock IE control panel against opening from within IE (current user).
Exit Spybot-S&D
Make sure that TeaTimer is not running by checking for the TeaTimer System Tray Icon. If the icon is there:
Right click Spybot's TeaTimer System Tray Icon > click Exit Spybot-S&D Resident. TeaTimer should close.
Reboot your system.
Go to Windows > Control panel > Add or Remove Programs > Locate "Spybot – Search & Destroy" > Remove. If that does not work:
Using Windows explorer, navigate to the following folder an try executing unins000.exe:
D:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy
If it works, fine. If not, don't worry about it.
Using Windows explorer, verified that the following folder has been delete. If not, delete it:
D:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy
Make sure that all the registry entries that Spybot-S&D added during installation are removed, there is a .reg file available on the safer-networking.org WEB site that can do that, see the following article:
FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
How to uninstall?
http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=howto&detail=uninstall
The direct download link is:
this very small fix (http://www.safer-networking.org/files/remove-spybotsd-settings.reg)
--- or ---
remove-spybotsd-settings.reg (http://www.safer-networking.org/files/remove-spybotsd-settings.reg)
Download the file.
Double click on it
Answer Yes then OK
Thanks for all your great advice, everyone. Unfortunatly every thing tried so far still comes up with "Access denied" at one file or another.
Is there any way to find out what is denying access? Or what is still using it and not letting me get in?
I know one of your guys will come up with the answer, but for now I am not covered by "Spybot"! And that makes me nervous!!!
Thanks
Is there any one who can help with this problem.... I am still getting no where and am concerned that Spyware is starting to build up in my computer. I can not get rid of the existing version of spybot on my system and it is not updating, just tells me there are no updates available,been like this for months
Any one please....
Jeremy