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Thread: uninstall help

  1. #1
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    Default uninstall help

    got a nasty virus -- AV Security crap. managed to get into Safe Mode. ran SpyBot, it found nothing. tried to update SpyBot. it kept failing. before running a system restore, i thought i'd dump current Spybot and anti-virus programs and get the newest versions when everything was fixed. so i tried to uninstall Spybot thru the Control Panel. thought it worked. did a system restore, then went out to get the latest Spybot.

    downloaded version 1.62. tried to run the install and it said a Spybot folder already existed. it appears ver. 1.4 didn't get uninstalled.

    tried again to uninstall it thru the Control Panel. got message that i couldn't because unins000.dat is missing.

    tried to research this on the site. found nothing. one article said that if you can't uninstall, just delete the Spybot folder. (really??)

    so i tried that. now i get an alert that i cannot delete because i cannot access advcheck.

    should i just run the new install?? will that delete the old version? i'm thinking this won't work because of all the weirdness i just had with installing the updates.

    thank you.

  2. #2
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    Hello,

    If the usual uninstall does not work i would suggest to make a fresh install of Spybot, so that you have the legitimate uninstall file.
    Download from this link.
    Then try again to remove it via the add/remove panel in windows or by using the uninstall file in the Spybot folder.

    In order to completely uninstall Spybot - Search & Destroy, please consider the following link.

    If this does not help please remove the folder by hand:
    C:\Programms\Spybot - Search & Destroy

    Also remove the following directories, which you will have to remove by hand:

    * Windows XP: C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Spybot - Search & Destroy\
    * Windows Vista: C:\ProgramData\Spybot - Search & Destroy\

    Please note that the Application Data Folder is hidden. So if you can't find this folder please check your folder properties.

    Best regards
    Sandra
    Team Spybot

  3. #3
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    Default

    [QUOTE=colbey;376587]got a nasty virus -- AV Security crap. managed to get into Safe Mode.


    Use Malwarebytes' Anti Malware first for this infection

    If your OS is vista, the techniques below WILL NOT "COMPLETELY" uninstall the program from your machine.
    Last edited by DS1DS1; 2010-07-12 at 07:53.

  4. #4
    Member of Team Spybot tashi's Avatar
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    Hello DS1DS1,

    Perhaps colbey will let us know how spybotsandra's instructions worked out.

    Best regards.
    Microsoft MVP Reconnect 2018-
    Windows Insider MVP 2016-2018
    Microsoft Consumer Security MVP 2006-2016

  5. #5
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    Default

    When I followed spybotsandra's instructions below, they did not completely
    uninstall all of program on vista OS due to{


    current_user_software_Safer Networking Limited_SpybotSnD
    local_machine_Safer Networking Limited_HiveManager_SpybotSnD
    } being left in registry.

    I use spybot on my XP OS machine & like it but had to uninstall & delete from vista OS machine & then REFORMAT. [ What a pain ]
    Last edited by DS1DS1; 2010-07-13 at 01:07.

  6. #6
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    Lightbulb

    you could also use CCleaner to remove the now-invalid registry entries

    possibly also Windows Installer Cleanup to manually remove installer information

  7. #7
    Member of Team Spybot tashi's Avatar
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    Hello,

    Please be careful if using CCleaner in the registry.

    Registry Cleaners, not recommended

    Best regards.
    Microsoft MVP Reconnect 2018-
    Windows Insider MVP 2016-2018
    Microsoft Consumer Security MVP 2006-2016

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by lewisje View Post
    you could also use CCleaner to remove the now-invalid registry entries

    possibly also Windows Installer Cleanup to manually remove installer information

    Thanks for the advice lewisje. This incident happened about 9 months ago and since then (about 8 months ago) I installed CCleaner and use it almost daily and have not had any problems.(knock on wood)
    I have not been brave enough to try and reinstall Spybot again on my vista OS machine yet but one day I probably will.

  9. #9
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    Exclamation

    Quote Originally Posted by tashi View Post
    Hello,

    Please be careful if using CCleaner in the registry.

    Registry Cleaners, not recommended

    Best regards.
    CCleaner is much gentler than a typical registry cleaner; it only removes entries that are known for sure to be invalid, like "Shared DLL" entries for non-existent DLLs...stuff left behind when you uninstall programs or delete installers.

  10. #10
    Member of Team Spybot tashi's Avatar
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    Hello lewisje,
    Quote Originally Posted by lewisje View Post
    CCleaner is much gentler than a typical registry cleaner; it only removes entries that are known for sure to be invalid,
    CCleaner is a fine program, I use it myself in regular mode to check stuff. However a registry cleaner is a registry cleaner.

    Always back up first.

    http://chris.pirillo.com/are-registry-cleaners-safe-to-use/

    http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/xpperformance/thread/df7e6be7-8749-45c4-9848-4d9022eef944

    http://www.techsupportforum.com/microsoft-support/windows-vista-windows-7-support/417087-ccleaner-messed-up-my-computer-how-fix.html

    Best regards.
    Last edited by tashi; 2010-07-15 at 19:45. Reason: Clarify
    Microsoft MVP Reconnect 2018-
    Windows Insider MVP 2016-2018
    Microsoft Consumer Security MVP 2006-2016

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