[Resolved] Unable to remove old and install new Internet Security suites.

[Hoov]

About DDS and combofix, we will do the cleanup when we are sure all is well. So far so good, but as you pointed out, we are not running everything yet.

Run msconfig and select normal startup, then click apply and then OK and reboot your computer. Let me know how it boots and runs. If all is well we can do the cleanup and call it done.

[dastal]

Hoov, done that and everything seems to run fine. Its quicker with Tend Micro than it was with Kaspersksy but probably just the vagaries of the products, it's pretty quick now. Just one thing, and forgive me if you think I'm being cheeky; I have the same problem with an old version of Secunia PSI that I've just had with Kaspersky; i.e. I've never been able to uninstall it and so I can't install the latest version. It's a pity because I was a big fan of PSI when I could use it. I have software informer at present but its an unwieldy application in comparison. Is their a removal tool that could get rid of the old version so I can install the latest. 

[Hoov]

Not being cheeky, you are having problems plain and simple. There is no removal tool that I am aware of, but there is a way that might work.


Download Windows Installer Cleanup and then install it. Once its installed, run it. Scroll thru the list (the list is in two sections depending on how the program was installed) and see if Secunia is in the list. If it is, select it and then click the remove buttn.

If that does not work, I can contact Secunia for you and see if I can get the file and registry entries so we can get rid of them.

Have you tried installing the new Secunia PSI? It might run a removal tool before installing the new version. Personally I have not used software informer, but I have used both versions of Secunia PSI. I like the first one long after the second came out, but I have slowly gone over to the dark side. I like the new version now, as long as you have an always on connection.

[dastal]

Something strange happening here Hoov, first I got a Script Error dialogue saying I couldn't install the download but then I got a box after a minute or so giving me the option to install as Administrator. Tried that and went through the install wizard and clicked finish and placed the icon on my desktop. After that nothing, so opened programme from the Icon and clicked on run but another dialogue appeared saying that the download was interrupted but I didn't do anything to interrupt it. Tried it twice and same happened again.

[Hoov]

Right click on the install file and select "Run as Administrator" and see what happens.

[dastal]

That's what I did before and I get the install wizard for uninstalling the programme and clicking on next uninstalls it.

[dastal]

I have just rebooted and my machine is taking about twice as long to shut down, a couple of minutes. When it restarted I ran the Install Wizard by right clicking the Icon and then ' Run as Administrator'. This time something different happened; when it was going through the process all the Icons started blinking and eventually returned to normally one at a time but no lists anywhere. I've then continued and I get the uninstaller. When I cancelled it I got a dialogue box stating that Set Up was interrupted before new software was installed???

[Hoov]

Try using the windows installer cleanup tool that I linked to above. It sounds like you are part way thru the install and it doesn't know whether to finish the install or uninstall.

[dastal]

Hoov do you mean the Windows Cleanup link you posted? because that's the one I used. it took me to MG site and I downloaded from there. I tried all the links there and they all did the same. I tried four different downloads in all. I'm assuming that something on my machine prevented a clean download; I have MBAM, Trend Micro both running if that's a problem? Also when I shut down last night I timed how long it took. It was 4minutes 50secs. Normally this only happens when there are updates being installed.

[Hoov]

My fault, I told you two things in a post, and then assumed you tried the second one. Before we troubleshoot something that may not be needed, have you tried downloading the new Secunia PSI file and then right clicking on it and selecting run as administrator?

[dastal]

I have done exactly this a number of times in the past and the same problem but I have just done it again with a different reaction but ultimately the same result. Firstly the I went to the Secunia site and downloaded Version Beta 3.0 0 4. I placed the shortcut an my desktop and opened it from their and ran as administrator. Exactly the same as has previously happened happened at first. that is a pop up told me I had  Secunia  already running on my system and that I had to exit this first by right clicking on the Icon in my quick launch bar. As I hovered above it with the mouse the icon disappeared before my very eyes and another pop up box asked if I wanted the uninstall wizard to remove it. I clicked >next and then hit the appropriate radio button to agree the terms and conditions in the box that had opened. Then I got another box telling me there had been an error and that was that, nothing else! I've gone back to ' all programs' via the Control Panel to try and uninstall the old version again but it wasn't listed. Eureka I thought and decided to reboot to see if that would clear the system so I could download the latest version. As soon as the machine has opened to the desktop there's the old version sitting on the quick launch bar. I have populated the uninstall programs list and it isn't their anymore. I've tried to relaunch the install as administrator and I'm back to square one. I've right clicked on the old shortcut on the launch bar and clicked exit and tried to relaunch again and still the same but this time I don't get the install/uninstall wizard or the terms and conditions coming up.

A bit of additional information, and having the IT savvy of a demented parrot, this may bear no relevance; my kids use a laptop with the same wireless connection off my router and my son has internet connection with his XBox 360 using the same wireless connection. The laptop has the same version of Kaspersky running on it and that will expire in a fortnight when I intend to replace it with Trend Micro. TM and MBAM are currently both running together with the firewall and security that came with Windows.

[Hoov]

Your security is sufficient for just about anything, except for 1 thing. Do you have a firewall on the router? If not then all the computers should have a software firewall. The built in one of nothing else. Vista's and Windows 7 built in Firewall is much better than the XP one. So if you have any XP machines I would get a third party firewall.

About the install and uninstall problems, have you ever had this problem with anything else? Also I am contacting Secunia to see if I can get some instructions for manually uninstalling that.

[dastal]

Yes there is a separate firewall on the router. I know this because the router is supplied by Sky TV as part of a satellite TV, Broadband and Telephone inclusive package and a while back I tried to use another laptop via an ethernet cable into the router. It didn't work and I contact technical support and they told me the built in firewall and security on the laptop was incompatible. I have no power to switch off the router's firewall because ultimately this is controlled by Sky TV.

Its just occurred to me that I have Secunia PSI Version 2.0 installed on my laptop but that said it has been switched off on several occasions in the past when I have encountered the same problems with installing and uninstalling the program.

It seems to me that the program must be running invisibly somewhere in the background or the computer thinks that it is.

[Hoov]

I am trying to get the information to do a manual removal. Do you know how to edit the registry?

[dastal]

Unfortunately not Hoov, I'm about as useful as a chocolate coffee pot when it comes to IT but you give me instructions and I'll do what I can,