Uninstall Tools for Major Antivirus Products

Bill Castner · **Posted:** Mon 6/2/08 11:52 am

Changing your antivirus product is a non-trivial thing to do. While all the major suites have become better about uninstalling cleanly from Add or Remove Programs, many still fail this -- either in general terms or in specific cases.

Therefore, if changing your Antivirus product or Suite, I recommend the following steps as necessary -- not optional -- steps for certain Antivirus products:

Please do not install a new antivirus product while a predecessor product is installed. In some cases this can cause issues so severe that new installation of the operating system will be required to repair matters. Uninstall the older program using Add or Remove Programs. Reboot. Download and run the suitable removal tool for the older program, if it exists. Reboot again. Now you can install the newer Antivirus product. Reboot again. Be sure to check immediately for new definition file updates.
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If it is too late to uninstall a predecessor Antivirus product, uninstall the oldest first. Reboot. Run the appropriate removal tool, if available. Reboot again. Uninstall the newest next. Reboot again. Run the appropriate removal tool for this Antivirus program as well. Reboot again. Reinstall the newer Antivirus program. Reboot again. Be sure to check immediately for new definition file updates.
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If your Antivirus product is acting poorly, such as not updating or having problems scanning, consider doing a complete refresh installation. Use Add or Remove programs and Uninstall it. Reboot. Download and run the suitable Removal Tool. Reboot again. Install the Antivirus product once again, and reboot. Be sure to check immediately for new definition file updates.
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If your computer came with a time-limited "Trial Offer" of any major antivirus product, follow the steps in this Guide prior to installing its permanent replacement Antvirus product. Use Add or Remove Programs and uninstall the Trial and any of its associated components. Reboot. Download and run the suitable Removal Tool. Reboot again. Install the new Antivirus product you have chosen, and reboot. Be sure to check immediately for new definition file updates.
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Important Note: Run the Uninstall/Remover Uitlity, if used, in Safe Mode -- if possible.

Known Removal Tools for Major Antivirus Products:

AVG Remover Tool
http://www.grisoft.com/download-tools

Note from AVG: AVG Remover utility removes all parts of AVG installation on your computer, including registry items, installation and user files on your disk, etc. AVG Remover is the east option to be used in case the AVG uninstallation / repair installation process has failed repeatedly. Warning: All AVG user settings will be removed after the uninstallation, as well as the Virus Vault content and other item related to AVG installation and use. During the removal procedure you will be asked to restart your computer. Therefore please make sure to finish your work and to save all important data prior to AVG Remover launch. (Thanks to member "Doddie" for this tool reference.)
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AVAST! Removal Tool
Download and instructions on use: http://www.avast.com/eng/avast-uninstall-utility.html
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Norton/Symantec Removal Tool
http://service1.symantec.com/Support/ts ... 3108162039
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McAfee Consumer Products Removal Tool -- use on McAfee, AOL distributions of McAfee, CA distributions of McAfee
http://service.mcafee.com/FAQDocument.a ... d=TS100507 [Do only Steps #1 and #2, then reboot.]
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Avira' Antivir Registry Cleaner Tool

Quote:
1) Click on the following link and download the AntiVir Registry Cleaner to your desktop
http://dl.antivir.de/down/windows/registrycleaner.zip
2) Create a folder on your desktop called Antivir and Unzip the file to your desktop
3) Double-click on the file called RegCleaner.exe to run it
4) Since the program is German, you'll have to click on the button called "keys asulesen" to search the registry for any issues. Then place checkmarks next to the registry entries you wish to delete.
5) Finally, click on the button called "loschen" to delete the keys
6) Restart your computer and try to reinstall your antivirus

Source: PCHell: http://www.pchell.com/virus/uninstallantivir.shtml

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Microsoft OneCare Uninstall Cleanup Tool (All versions; XP & Vista)
http://download.microsoft.com/download/ ... leanUp.exe
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Panda Antivirus Uninstall Tools

Panda Version 1012 Uninstaller
http://www.pandasoftware.com/resources/ ... _v1012.exe
Panda Version 2007 Uninstaller
http://www.epcdoctor.com/panda/software/uninst07.exe
Panda Version 2008 Uninstaller
http://www.epcdoctor.com/panda/software/uninst08.exe
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Kaspersky Anti-virus Removal Tool

Kasepersky Version From V6 to all later versions of Antivirus and Internet Security
http://support.kaspersky.com/faq/?qid=208279752
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BitDefender Antivirus Removal Tools
http://kb.bitdefender.com/KB260-en--Add ... thods.html (BitDefender 9 Internet Security)
http://kb.bitdefender.com/KB333-en--How ... ender.html (BitDefender generic)
http://www.bitdefender.com/files/Knowle ... l_Tool.exe (Removal Tool; direct-download)
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TrendMicro Antivirus Removal Tool
Included. Look for the PCCTool.exe program in the Trend Micro Program Files Folder.
Double click to run this utility, and choose the Unintall tab to see the buttons for uninstalling the Firewall, and the Antivirus software programs.
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ESET Antivirus Removal Tool
Should not be needed. Use the Windows Installer Cleanup Utility if necessary:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301

Dutch Language ESET Removal Tool -- Not officially supported
http://www.nod32.nl/download/tool/nod32removal.exe]
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ZoneAlarm Security Suite (ZAISS) => See CLEAN REMOVAL section
http://www.zonealarm.com.au/main/kb_dis ... KBID=11433

Robear Dyer · **Posted:** Sat 8/16/08 06:56 am

[Administrative acknowledgement]

"First of all, I don't see America having problems." --George W. Bush, interview with Bob Costas at the 2008 Olympics, Beijing, China, Aug. 10, 2008

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Uninstall Tools for Major Antivirus Products

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