Cannot uninstall Defender

  • Thread starter Thread starter Guest
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G

Guest

I've had the problem where Windows Defender tells me my signature files are
100 days old, but that no new updates are available. I've visited the MS
Knowledge Base solution for that problem, but it doesn't help, so I want to
uninstall and reinstall.

When I try to uninstall, I'm prompted to find the original .msi installation
file, but naturally I don't have that any more since cleaning out my temp
folder. Now I can't uninstall Defender! And because I can't uninstall, I
can't install the new version with new definitions.

Anyone have a solution for this frustrating Catch-22 problem?
thanks
S
 
You may still need to solve the uninstall issue. I'd urge simply doing a
new download and installing over what is now in place. Should do no more
harm than resetting a few defaults--it'll turn spynet membership off, I
think-but you may need that uninstall at some future time.
 
Bill Sanderson MVP said:
You may still need to solve the uninstall issue. I'd urge simply doing a
new download and installing over what is now in place. Should do no more
harm than resetting a few defaults--it'll turn spynet membership off, I
think-but you may need that uninstall at some future time.
Click to expand...

Bill, that's the Catch-22 situation I'm In. When I try to install the new
version I get a notification saying "Another version of this product is
already installed. Installation of this version cannot continue". But when
I try to uninstall the previous version via the Add/Remove Programs, I'm
prompted to find the original .msi installation file which I no longer have
and which is no longer available on the MS site.

This is a very user-unfriendly user requirement that seems to be becoming
more prevalent these days - requiring the user to have the original
installation files in order to uninstall. Over time, your hard time fills up
with installation files that you're not allowed to remove!

If you can think of any other way to uninstall the product I'd be interested
in learning about it. I tried simply deleting the files in the install
directory, but I was unable to uninstall some of the .dlls or even unregister
them. So I can't do a brute-force uninstall.
 
Hi,

NO. I ask you for Office, because is and other way to unistall WD, but have
side effects with Office.

Please follow the suggestion Bill is given you.

Good luck
--
 
A brute-force uninstall is what I've been told is the solution in this kind
of case--and I totally agree with your description of this as
user-unfriendly!

If the product is not running, you should be able to unregister those dll's.
I'd go into Tools Options, and scroll all the way to the bottom and choose
not to use the product, then reboot, then try the unregister operations.


--
 
There's a Microsoft utility to blow away the installer bits so that a
reinstall is possible. However, a side effect of using this utility is that
thereafter you are prevented from updating Microsoft Office, at least in
some circumstances. Given the prevalence of exploits related to Office,
nobody want's to leave that unpatched. So if you can manage the brute force
method you've outlined--that's the best way to go.

--
 
Thanks, Engel--good advice.

--

Engel said:
Hi,

NO. I ask you for Office, because is and other way to unistall WD, but
have
side effects with Office.

Please follow the suggestion Bill is given you.

Good luck
Click to expand...
 
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