Hack to Remove/Uninstall Symantec Norton Antivirus (SAV) Client without Password
Norton AntiVirus Clients or Symantec AntiVirus Clients especially Corporate Edition Clients can be installed as managed network setup type by a Symantec AntiVirus Server. When a Symantec AntiVirus Client is managed, it will prompt for password when uninstalling client via local computer Control Panel Add or Remove Program applet. If you don’t know or forget the password, then the client is not able to uninstall or remove. And the SAV client uninstall password won’t work with server group password too, as if you enter that password, you will receive an invalid password message.
The client uninstallation password is different from the server group password, and it can be set by the administrator through the Symantec System Center for the client that is managed. If the client uninstallation password has not been set or changed specifically, it will still be the default password. Thus, first thing to try in order to successfully uninstall a Symantec Client Security program is by using the default password for the uninstalling clients, which is symantec.
In the cases where Symantec AntiVirus server has been taken down and no longer exist, or the client computer has no access to company network, or the default client uninstall password does not work, the following hack will enable you to remove Symantec Antivirus without using a password:
- Open Registry Editor (regedit).
- Navigate to the following registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\INTEL\LANDesk\VirusProtect6\CurrentVersion\Administrator Only\Security\
- Change the value for useVPuninstallpassword key from 1 to 0.
- Exit Registry Editor and now you can uninstall Symantec AntiVirus Client.
The trick should work on most version of Symantec AntiVirus client or Norton AntiVirus Client, including version 7, 8, 9 or 10.
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Entries (RSS)
November 19th, 2008 17:11
THANKS SOO MUCH! :)) UR THE BEST :)))
November 12th, 2008 21:27
You are the best. Thanks so much
October 22nd, 2008 02:56
Here is the solution
There’s an easy way, when password prompt opens, run task manager and END
task called MSIEXEC that runs under your user account (not system). The password
go away and uninstall continues
October 22nd, 2008 02:39
Sorry there is no such a registry antry for 11.0.3001 on Vista. Does anyone has any idea where it is hidden?
October 16th, 2008 07:28
I discovered this myself today. resetting the password in the registry to the value recommended in several fora (to make it = ’symantec’) didn’t work, but this trick did!
October 16th, 2008 05:53
I tried this but what if the value in the useVPuninstallpassword key already set to 0 instead of 1. Because the instruction is change the key value from 1 to 0.
October 5th, 2008 12:05
Thanks a Million Metric Tonne… !!!
September 30th, 2008 01:03
Thanks, worked like a charm! I know the password is symantec but for some reason, possibly virus, it didn’t work. Thanks again!
September 28th, 2008 14:11
*woot* yay rid of that resource hogging piece of useless junk!
September 24th, 2008 13:15
thank you!
easy fix!
September 22nd, 2008 08:31
Thank you!
September 20th, 2008 23:38
Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!!!