Windows 10: Can't upgrade, and can't uninstall

[DouglasG]

Hello. Recently upgraded to Windows 10. Here are the problems and how I got it installed. Spybot was installed prior to upgrading (on 8.1)

• Spybot is not appearing within Apps on Start menu
• If I try to upgrade to the latest Spybot version, it tells me the Spybot path doesn't exist if I select "Uninstall Old Version"
• Spybot does appear within Apps listing in Settings, but it won't let me uninstall it

So it's strange. Spybot exists, but it doesn't.

If I unselect "Uninstall Old Version" during the install of 2.4, the installer runs, but I get an error at the end saying, "Unable to execute SDWSCSvc.exe"

If I click through the error, it looks like it completes the install

So just wanted to pass along this issue and the workaround.

[niall2]

Please go to our uninstall tool page at:
https://www.safer-networking.org/sup...ninstall-tool/

Here, download all 3 files; "unins000.exe", "unins000.msg" and "unins000.dat".

These will download to your Downloads folder or other default location.

Copy these files to your Spybot program folder at:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Spybot - Search & Destroy 2
or
C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy 2


Once these have been copied, run "unins000.exe" (the one in your Spybot program folder) as an administrator to remove any traces of Spybot from your PC.


You can then download Spybot 2.4 from the link below:
http://spybot-mirror.com/files/spybot-2.4.exe

This can be upgraded to version 2.5 by running the file "Post Windows 10 Spybot-install", which will appear on your desktop after the installation of 2.4. The "Post Windows 10..." file can then be deleted.

[JMemonic]

Please go to our uninstall tool page at:
https://www.safer-networking.org/sup...ninstall-tool/

Here, download all 3 files; "unins000.exe", "unins000.msg" and "unins000.dat".

These will download to your Downloads folder or other default location.

Copy these files to your Spybot program folder at:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Spybot - Search & Destroy 2
or
C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy 2


Once these have been copied, run "unins000.exe" (the one in your Spybot program folder) as an administrator to remove any traces of Spybot from your PC.


You can then download Spybot 2.4 from the link below:
http://spybot-mirror.com/files/spybot-2.4.exe

This can be upgraded to version 2.5 by running the file "Post Windows 10 Spybot-install", which will appear on your desktop after the installation of 2.4. The "Post Windows 10..." file can then be deleted.

The above sounds great however, there is no directory, I can not create a directory, there was a directory in a new path the upgrade created called C:\Windows.old I attempted to first move the files into this, no success, I tried to move or copy this folder to C:\Program Files (x86)\Spybot - Search & Destroy 2 only to be told the directory already exists and cannot be over written. Tried removing C:\Windows.old\Spybot - Search & Destroy 2, but am still told "Error 183:Cannot create a file when that file already exists".

Have tried to edit registry and removed all trace of Spybot, and its paths, no success still.

This issue exists on two machine seem that were upgrade form windows 7.

[OriginalGabriel]

The above sounds great however, there is no directory, I can not create a directory, there was a directory in a new path the upgrade created called C:\Windows.old I attempted to first move the files into this, no success, I tried to move or copy this folder to C:\Program Files (x86)\Spybot - Search & Destroy 2 only to be told the directory already exists and cannot be over written. Tried removing C:\Windows.old\Spybot - Search & Destroy 2, but am still told "Error 183:Cannot create a file when that file already exists".

Have tried to edit registry and removed all trace of Spybot, and its paths, no success still.

This issue exists on two machine seem that were upgrade form windows 7.

I have the same issue.

I was going to update all my definitions in SpyBot, Avast, etc. and found that SpyBot wasn't in my Start Menu; I assumed MS uninstalled it, downloaded a new copy and went to uninstall it only to have the installer tell me that SpyBot was installed; it prompted to uninstall the original copy, but then couldn't find the original copy; I checked my programs list in the Control Panel and it wasn't there either; I found this thread and went to copy the files over only to find that the directories aren't present.

Have you found a fix for this?

[OriginalGabriel]

Please go to our uninstall tool page at:
https://www.safer-networking.org/sup...ninstall-tool/

Here, download all 3 files; "unins000.exe", "unins000.msg" and "unins000.dat".

These will download to your Downloads folder or other default location.

Copy these files to your Spybot program folder at:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Spybot - Search & Destroy 2
or
C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy 2


Once these have been copied, run "unins000.exe" (the one in your Spybot program folder) as an administrator to remove any traces of Spybot from your PC.


You can then download Spybot 2.4 from the link below:
http://spybot-mirror.com/files/spybot-2.4.exe

This can be upgraded to version 2.5 by running the file "Post Windows 10 Spybot-install", which will appear on your desktop after the installation of 2.4. The "Post Windows 10..." file can then be deleted.

I have the same issue as OP and this fix does not work as those folders do not exist.

I recreated the folders, but when I ran the 'unins000.exe' file, once I got past the "reason for uninstalling", I received the following error:

An error occured removing the scheduled task Check for updates (Spybot - Search & Destroy)!
Could not call proc.

This was followed by a bunch of similar messages.

[niall2]

If the Spybot program folder does not exist, you may have to recreate it and copy the files to this folder.

For 64-bit systems, please go to the folder:
C:\Program Files (x86)\
In this folder, create a new folder called "Spybot - Search & Destroy 2".

For 32-bit systems, go to the folder:
C:\Program Files\
and create a new folder called "Spybot - Search & Destroy 2".


The uninstall files must be copied here, and "unins000.exe" should then be run as an administrator by right-clicking the file and choosing the option to "Run as Administrator".

[Capnmchl]

Hi. First time poster, looking for some advice with this.

I have the same problem as the OP - after upgrading to Win10 from Win7, Spybot doesn't appear in the start menu, it is visible on the installed apps list but nothing happens if I click uninstall, and if I try to install it again, it says no.

So I followed the advice given here, and downloaded the three files. Went to put them in program files, but the folder was not there. Found it at C:\Windows.Old and decided to copy the entire Spybot folder to C:\Program Files. Pasted the three downloads in there and tried to run it, and it came up with a message box saying "This installation can only be uninstalled on 64-bit windows." Bear in mind my installation is 32-bit. So I tried it multiple ways (through the installed apps list, and the installation program) and each time the same message.

So then I tried deleting everything within the C:\Program Files\Spybot etc... and just re-pasting the downloaded files. Again, the prompt saying that I require a 64-bit system. Tried putting it all into C:\Windows.Old and again, requires a 64-bit operating system.

Wtf Spybot! So, how do I fix this?

[JMemonic]

Ok I have had a little time to spare so I have looked into solving mine.

After reading this post,

If the Spybot program folder does not exist, you may have to recreate it and copy the files to this folder.

For 64-bit systems, please go to the folder:
C:\Program Files (x86)\
In this folder, create a new folder called "Spybot - Search & Destroy 2".

For 32-bit systems, go to the folder:
C:\Program Files\
and create a new folder called "Spybot - Search & Destroy 2".


The uninstall files must be copied here, and "unins000.exe" should then be run as an administrator by right-clicking the file and choosing the option to "Run as Administrator".

and thinking niall2 doesn't get the problem, I thought on it another way, Windows is telling me that folder exists but I cant locate it anywhere so perhaps I can simply create it on another drive and merge it into the respective program files folder. This shouldn't have worked but it did.

Create in the root drive the folder "Spybot - Search & Destroy 2", the copy the files removal files it. Copy the folder into C:\Program Files (x86)\, you might need to use admin privileges, enter the folder and run the executable. It throws up a heap of error messages but seemed to work, I was able to install a fresh copy of search and destroy.

I hope this helps, you might need to try both program files folders for it to work properly for you, I really cant say, you will need admin rights to get it to work though.

[davebee]

Hi Chaps i'm new so maybe some mistakes but I found a work round which solved this problem for me and installed the latest version.
I have a small program "Search Everything" on my desktop which lists every file on my PC, it is very useful and helped me solve this problem.
"Error 183 cannot create a file, a file already exists." Getting rid of the existing file is the problem but by opening "Search Everything" and typing Spybot in the search bar at the top it comes up with every relevant Spybot file.
Right click each file and delete it working through the list then restart your PC.
When you are ready download Spybot 2.4 which should now be possible.
When it has installed and updated and the permissions, it should then offer the latest update for windows 10 - Download and install.
It worked for me !

[lucyframe520]

Me too,when i update all my definitions in SpyBot, Avast, etc. and found that SpyBot wasn't in my Start Menu;