BleepingComputer.com: Unable To Uninstall Symantec Anti Virus

Hello all,

I work as a tech support analyst and support user remotely by taking control through Netmeeting. One of the users has been facing an strange issue.
Here is the scenario...

Whenever he right clicks any file or folder windows installer window comes up and says "preparing for installation..." stays for a while and goes off. It is very annoying as it would stay for at least a minute or two even after canceling it.

Usually we get this kind of issues but we would get Installation File path window also and we select the .msi file path of that particular program and install it. That is all...

But in this case we are not getting that file path window so that we can select the .msi file path and proceed.

The program is Symantec Anti Virus Corporate Edition and OS is Win Xp.

I tried uninstalling Symantec but I could not. I tied installing Symantec to overwrite it I could not. I tried to Install Windows Intaller Cleanup Utility but got administrative privileges error. I gave the user account admin privileges but did not succeed.

So, finally I want to uninstall symantec manually or say remove symantec and re-install it.

Please help me sorting out this issue...

Is there any tool to remove symantec completely?
How will I remove it otherwise?
Is there any way to correct windows installer entries fro this program?]



Thanks in Advance........

Moderator Edit: Moved topic to the more appropriate forum. ~ Animal

Have you read this topic:
How To Completely Remove Norton Security Products

Thanks for the help...

Is it applicable to symantec Anti Virus 10.2 Corporate Edition?

symantec corporate has a removal tool
on the installation software
thats version i use 10.0

did you interrupt the installaion of symantec
that would explain why the installer keeps running
you could manually remove symantec10.2 form the registry

but first you need to create a back-up of registry
http://service1.symantec.com/support/tsgen...id/199762382617

follow this removal very carefully
take your time

copy and paste this...put on note pad or print if you can
place notepad on desktop so you can open it in safemode
click save as and press desktop

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

To remove Symantec AntiVirus from the registry
On the Windows taskbar, click Start > Run.
In the Open box, type the following text:

regedit

Click OK.

Expand the following key:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Installer\Features

This key contains many %$Package Code> keys.

Click each %$Package Code> key, and look in the right pane for references to SAVMain.
If you see any references to SAVMain in the right pane, then delete the entire %$Package Code> key.

Expand the following key:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Installer\Products

This key contains many %$Package Code> keys.

Click each %$Package Code> key, and look in the right pane for references to Symantec AntiVirus.
If you see any references to Symantec AntiVirus in the right pane, then delete the entire %$Package Code> key.

Delete the following key:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\Shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\LDVPMenu

Expand the following key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Installer\UserData\S-1-5-18\Products

This key contains many %$Package Code> keys.

Expand each %$Package Code> key, and then click the InstallProperties key.
If you see any references to Symantec AntiVirus in the right pane, then delete the entire %$Package Code> key.

Expand the following key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall

This key contains many %$Package Code> keys.

Click each %$Package Code> key, and look in the right pane for references to Symantec AntiVirus.
If you see any references to Symantec AntiVirus in the right pane, then delete the entire %$Package Code> key.

Delete the following keys if they exist:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Installer\UpgradeCodes\20A7FB42A06BB49448A397B3CB77ED4D
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\INTEL\DllUsage\VP6
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Installer\UpgradeCodes\20A7FB42A06BB49448A397B3CB77ED4D

Do one of the following:
If you are certain that you do not need any Symantec software on the computer, then you can safely delete the entire Symantec key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Symantec\

If there is other Symantec software on the computer or you are not certain whether there is or not, then delete the following keys:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Symantec\SPBBC
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Symantec\Symantec AntiVirus
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Symantec\SymNetDrv
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Symantec\SRTSP
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Symantec\SymEvent

Delete the following keys:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\EventLog\System\SRTSP
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\EventLog\System\SRTSPL

Expand the following key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Installer\Features

This key contains many %$Package Code> keys.

Click each %$Package Code> key, and look in the right pane for references to SAVMain.
If you see any references to SAVMain in the right pane, then delete the entire %$Package Code> key.

Expand the following key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Installer\Products

This key contains many %$Package Code> keys.

Click each %$Package Code> key, and look in the right pane for references to Symantec AntiVirus.
If you see any references to Symantec AntiVirus in the right pane, then delete the entire %$Package Code> key.

Click the following key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

In the right pane, delete the vptray value.

If Symantec AntiVirus is the only Symantec program that is installed, delete the ccApp value.
Click the following key if it still exists:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Symantec\InstalledApps

In the right pane, delete the following values:
SymNetDrv
Common Client Decomposers
SRTSP
SRTSPQuarantine
Savrt
SAV Install Directory
SAVCE
VP6ClientInstalled
SPBBC
Symantec Shared Directory
AMSUsageCount
VP6UsageCount
Common Client
Common Client Data
AVENGEDEFS

Expand the following key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services

Delete the following subkeys:
ccEvtMgr
ccSetMgr
DefWatch
NAVENG
NAVEX15
SavRoam
SRTSP
SRTSPL
SRTSPX
SymEvent
SNDSrvc
SPBBCDrv
Symantec AntiVirus
SYMREDRV
SYMTDI

Expand the following key

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\EventLog\Application

Delete the following subkeys:
ccSvcHst
DefWatch
LiveUpdate
SavRoam
Symantec AntiVirus

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WARNING: Follow the next two steps only if the conditions that are described in the steps are met. These instructions affect registry entries that other Symantec products use. If you delete a key or value that another Symantec product uses, that product must be removed and installed again.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If no other Symantec application that uses virus definitions is installed, then delete the following key, if it still exists:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Symantec\SharedDefs

If Symantec AntiVirus is the only Symantec application on the computer, delete the following keys, if they still exist:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Symantec\Common Client
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Symantec\SymEvent
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\SymEvent

In the left pane, click My Computer.
On the Edit menu, click Find.
In the Find what box, type the following text:

vpshell2.dll

Delete all keys and values that contain this string.

Restart the computer.

but im not sure if your going to be able to in normal start-up
so you can try in safe mode
turn computer off
turn it on ...Tap F8
choose safemode
at safemode open your notepad registry

eccentric, on Aug 26 2007, 09:54 AM, said:

In short, yes. I've used it to remove that very version.

Orange Blossom