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.

115 Comments

joost April 28, 2011 at 2:42 am

THanks works perfect!

Reply
pankul April 28, 2011 at 1:46 am

hey it worked…. thanks alot…!!!

Reply
looser April 13, 2011 at 2:57 am

Thanks!

Reply
Han Plaatsman April 9, 2011 at 6:08 am

Brilliant,

Thanx

Han

Reply
Cliff April 6, 2011 at 9:21 am

Thanks! That worked Brillantly!

No muss, no fuss, no suprises!

Reply
sidon March 31, 2011 at 2:03 pm

Taking the subject of a beautiful

But, unfortunately, does not have the path:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREINTELLANDeskVirusProtect6CurrentVersionAdministrator OnlySecurity

I have a path as follows:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREINTELLANDeskVirusProtect6CurrentVersionClientsAdministrator OnlyGeneral

I do not see the key:

useVPuninstallpassword

Can you help? PLZ

Reply
clusterduck March 29, 2011 at 9:13 am

So glad I found this post! Thank You! The password "Symantec" worked and enabled me to remove the Symantec AV tool. This allowed me to then install a different tool from my ISP. Great advice!

Reply
- BitterChocolate April 28, 2011 at 8:55 am
  
  thank you! you've saved me!
  
  Reply
itech March 5, 2011 at 4:37 pm

Thank you! This worked perfect for me…

Reply
Patrick February 8, 2011 at 8:44 am

Wow thank you. First time that something that I read works.

Reply
anon February 3, 2011 at 3:59 pm

Good Thank You

Reply
SV January 27, 2011 at 7:56 pm

Fantastic! this worked great! Thanks!

Reply
ctopher December 29, 2010 at 11:59 am

Problem solved – Thank you!

Reply
thomaus October 26, 2010 at 3:03 am

Shouldn’t a security company be forever banned from selling products using a default password that is their company name?

Oh well, “symantec” worked for me. Thanks for the info.

Reply
Shomik October 1, 2010 at 10:19 am

Working like a charm!

Thanks!

Reply