CleanWipe should deal more gracefully with MSI problems
Created: 04 Aug 2009 | 5 comments
The CleanWipe removal tool for SEP is sometimes used to clean up after attempts to un-install via Add/Remove Programs fails. Current versions of CleanWipe will call the Microsoft Installer infrastructure as part of their removal process; however, if MSI were working well, use of CleanWipe would be contra-indicated anyway, and I have seen CleanWipe hang or otherwise fail when it runs into errors with MSI. I have been obliged to use the Microsoft Installer Clean-Up utility to remove entries for SEP from MSI before using CleanWipe.
CleanWipe should deal more gracefully with MSI problems, or perhaps include an option for bypassing MSI, or perhaps incorporate the functionality of the Microsoft Installer Clean-Up utility.
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Comments
Yes!
Even if it was a hidden set of command line switches, for use by/with support, this would be great.
I concur
I concur with your findings here. That would be a great addition to CleanWipe's abilities.
Kurt G.
Symantec Technical Specialist: Endpoint Security Advanced Team
Symantec Corporation www.symantec.com
Symantec Enterprise Support: (800) 342 0652
Potential for greater problems
If there are problems with MSI on the box that are causing cleanwipe to fail, manual removal should be the only alternative. Bypassing an MSI check to force our removal doesn't address what would generally be overall system health issues. Even if cleanwipe did have a method of working around MSI issues there is still the potential for a myriad of problems to occur once the Symantec software was removed. Chief among these is the fact that attempts to re-install any of our products would most likely fail.
sometimes cleanwipe is
sometimes cleanwipe is weak
for example with SEP folders - it do not remove them completely
also registry clean is weak
Agreed. Cleanwipe tends to
Agreed. Cleanwipe tends to fail about a quarter of the time due it using the Microsoft Installer infrastructure. If you don't want to bypass it, then Symantec should provide and maintain a manual removal tool. I tried creating one, and it did seem possible, but it was VERY time consuming and my coding skills weren't quite up to par. Still Symantec should be able to automate the manual removal process found in their KB Articles, thus allowing for a MUCH better removal method for the client.
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