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Resolved Question

trend micro security won't uninstall!

Jan 7, 2012 4:03AM PST

I had the trial version of Trend Micro Security installed on my Eee PC. I have never used it so I tried to uninstall it via the Control Panel. Nothing happens. I start the task manager and it says Remove.exe is running and taking up CPU and RAM. 20 mins later still nothing and Remove.exe is still running, so to conserve CPU and RAM I ended the process.
I went to this link => http://esupport.trendmicro.com/solution/en-us/1054777.aspx

and tried the other two ways of uninstalling. Both times, it said "Do you want Remove.exe to make changes to your computer?" So I click yes and both times it is the same story as above. Any ideas on how to uninstall this thing? It is wasting valuable hard drive space and your comments will be appreciatedHappy

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Nerosas has chosen the best answer to their question. View answer

Best Answer

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TIS has manual methods and tools.
Jan 7, 2012 4:08AM PST
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:(
Jan 7, 2012 4:26AM PST

The diagnostic toolkit isn't working either, sadly. It opens but when I click uninstall, it skips past the uninstall process and straight away asks me if I want to restart my computer or not, which is apparently not how it is supposed to work on this link => http://esupport.trendmicro.com/solution/en-us/1037161.aspx

which I found to be one of the more popular solutions on your link. I'd rather only enter safe mode as a last resort as my netbook doesn't take on board the fact that people are pressing keys when it is starting up and you end up having to do unnecessary hard shutdowns just to make it enter safe mode. But if it's my only choice, I'll do it. I think the recovery disc for my netbook still worksHappy

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Sorry but did I read
Jan 7, 2012 4:30AM PST

I can't tell but it sounds like you are discarding methods that involve a little registry edit or deleting files.

That's OK by me as I encounter more folk that must only use Click Here repair tools.
Bob

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It's because...
Jan 7, 2012 4:35AM PST

The guide I found that uses CMD and the registry on your link. I'm sure it's great, but I don't understand it.

1) Run cmd (Right-click on "Run as administrator") and then type: net use adminstrator activate:yes
2) Run msconfig.exe and task manager and stop all posible services/processes from TrendMicro, exit without restart
3) Run regedit.exe and RENAME the key HKLM/Software/TrendMicro to some other name, "TM" for example
4) Restart
5) same as 1: Run cmd (Right-click on "Run as administrator") and then type: net use adminstrator activate:yes
6) Run regedit.exe
7) delete HKLM/Software/TrendMicro key
Cool Then rename "TM" key back to "TrendMicro"
9) Go to Control Panel, select "Programs & Features", select "TrendMicro" and Run Uninstall from there.

^^^ why does it require me to rename the key AFTER deleting it? And how would you do that? That I don't understand.

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For why I'd have to defer to those that created the procedur
Jan 7, 2012 4:56AM PST

But it seems to be a method to pry out or remove Trend Micro so all I can do is write "I'd try that."
Bob

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Just asking, but...
Jan 7, 2012 5:03AM PST

Would it also work if I just found it's folder in the Program Files and just pressed 'delete', and also deleted all registry keys associated with it? Just asking.

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See MarkFlex's reply.
Jan 7, 2012 5:36AM PST

"I'd do that."

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About the registry
Jan 7, 2012 5:27AM PST

As I understand it, any changes made to the registry don't take effect until after a reboot, (restart).

That means that deleting or modifying keys or registry values won't make any difference, generally, until the system has been rebooted and the registry is reloaded.

In the guidance above,

Item 2 - prevents TrendMicro from running at the next boot up.

item 3 - you are being asked to rename a key from TrendMicro to TM, (or anything else you wish), then reboot. This likely removes any problem values in that key that is preventing you from uninstalling the TrendMicro software.

Item 7 - however, on the reboot, the OS finds that TrendMicro software is installed and re-creates the TrendMicro key, probably with blank or default values. That's no good, so delete it.

Item 8 - By renaming the previously renamed key back to TrendMicro, when you uninstall it, the uninstall process will search for the key and delete it properly. If it did contain any problem values that doesn't matter because; a) that key has not been loaded from the last reboot, and/or b) the software isn't running anyway.

That's how I understand it anyway.

As to your latest question, yes, you can simply delete the folders and hunt down any registry keys, but why not just try this? It seems so much more comprehensive using the software's own uninstall procedure, and you never know what remnants will be left behind with manual deletions.

Mark

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Thanks for the explanation:)
Jan 7, 2012 6:02AM PST

It would have taken me hours to figure that out by myselfHappy