uninstall webroot w/ Revo uninstall first?

Discussion in 'other software & services' started by cortez, Oct 13, 2014.

  1. cortez

    cortez Registered Member

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    I want to uninstall "Webroot Secure Anywhere" for 3 pcs and reinstall with another anti virus (either free or the 1 user Webroot). As this is my wife's Win 8.1 laptop she insists that I do not mess up her machine.

    I have had problems uninstalling AVs before and wonder if "Revo Uninstaller" (free version) will do the deed better than the Window's uninstaller?
     
  2. roger_m

    roger_m Registered Member

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    Yes, it certainly will. But if you are running a 64 bit edition of Windows you will need the Pro version - the trial version is fully functional. Also, technically speaking it is Webroot's uninstaller not Windows - as what gets removed by the standard uninstaller is what Webroot have marked to be uninstalled - Windows has no say in it.
     
  3. pegas

    pegas Registered Member

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    I have used WSA for many years, even since it was Prevx and acquired by Webroot later and believe me that their native uninstaller is the top notch. Don't use Revo or other third-party applications. Run WSA uninstaller, be sure to run it as administrator and you're done.
     
  4. cortez

    cortez Registered Member

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    Roger_m and pegas- thanks for a swift reply which have reassured me that I can do this with out messing up her machine. I am a diehard XP man who is slowly learning the Win 8.1 OS (It still unnerves me to change any thing as the laptop did not come with any OS disks, only a restore partition that I am completely unfamiliar with).

    I do like Windows 8.1's extra speed and the fast start-ups and shut downs ( 3 to 4 seconds compared to 15 to 20 seconds, or more, for XP). I think I might get over my 8.1 nervousness and get an 8.1 desktop which are relatively cheap. :thumb:
     
  5. ArchiveX

    ArchiveX Registered Member

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    You may use the 'Force Uninstall' mode of:
    -Wise Program Uninstaller
    -GeekUninstaller
     
  6. Alexhousek

    Alexhousek Registered Member

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  7. roger_m

    roger_m Registered Member

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    That's a bad idea. It's always best to let the programs own uninstaller run first, and then just let the 3rd party uninstaller check for any leftovers. Revo Uninstaller is the best at finding leftovers.
     
  8. ArchiveX

    ArchiveX Registered Member

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    For Webroot, did you try the WRUpgradeTool?

    http://download.webroot.com/WRUpgradeTool.exe

    Force Uninstall combines these steps into one process showing File/Folders and Registry entries.
    Moreover, it removes stubborn leftovers...
    The best Uninstaller some can buy is Total Uninstall.

    As far as freeware, Wise Program Uninstaller and GeekUninstaller find,
    by far, more leftovers than the free version of Revo.
     
    Last edited: Oct 13, 2014
  9. roger_m

    roger_m Registered Member

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    I've never heard of it but am about to test it.
    This is not the case. I did extensive testing of Revo vs Geek a few weeks ago and Revo more often than not finds more leftovers. This is also the case for Wise Program Uninstaller and all the other uninstallers I have tested.

    Edit: I just installed Total Uninstall. It is hard to tell how it compares since it does not show what leftovers it finds. Accordingly, I would not use it, since with Revo and Free Uninstall It, I always check the found leftovers before deleting them, due the occasional false positives.
     
    Last edited: Oct 13, 2014
  10. ArchiveX

    ArchiveX Registered Member

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    My case is different...
    The free version of Revo found less than
    the free versions of both Wise Program Uninstaller and GeekUninstaller.

    I used Registry Workshop to compare...
     
  11. roger_m

    roger_m Registered Member

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    I was using the Pro version (unregistered), and I tested it again Geek Uninstaller with a number of programs.

    In the past I have tested pretty much ever similar uninstaller there is, and Revo has come out on top.
     
  12. MrBrian

    MrBrian Registered Member

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    Agreed.
     
  13. Mayahana

    Mayahana Banned

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  14. Victek

    Victek Registered Member

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    The laptop should have a program that enables you to create System Recovery DVDs in case you ever have hard disk trouble and lose the recovery partition.

    As for removing WSA I recommend using the entry in Programs and Features. Security programs typically require a reboot to remove services, etc, and third party uninstallers can interfere with that. You can always follow up with the Webroot removal tool if there are any issues afterward.
     
    Last edited: Oct 13, 2014
  15. SweX

    SweX Registered Member

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    And unless things have changed recently, it is recommended to be connected to the internet during the uninstall of WSA. So using the Webroot uninstaller is probably best.
     
  16. roger_m

    roger_m Registered Member

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    Uninstallers such as Revo only search for leftovers are running the original uninstaller.
     
  17. cortez

    cortez Registered Member

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    I now have the factory OS loaded on a 32 gig thumb drive free from best buy as they upgraded Windows 8 to 8.1-- but this erased the recovery partition!.
    Asus support sent me back for the corrections (it was supposed to be a 8.1 machine but was only Windows 8 in a Windows 8.1 box).
     
  18. Victek

    Victek Registered Member

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    Yes, but the original uninstaller for resident security apps often wants to reboot the system to finish and that conflicts with Revo searching for leftovers. IMHO it's safer to allow the original uninstaller to reboot the computer. Perhaps Revo can be used afterwards to search for leftovers, but I'm not sure how to do that since the program entry has been removed from the Programs and Features list.
     
  19. roger_m

    roger_m Registered Member

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    Revo can't be used after rebooting. I've always thought it would be nice to be able to start the search for leftovers after rebooting. However, I don't think anything important files to get deleted if you use Revo to find and remove leftovers instead of rebooting.

    Actually I don't think it matters at all now that I think of it, becuase I presume the program's installer just tells Windows what files need to be deleted when Windows restarts, and no matter what Revo removes it should not affect this.
     
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