Endpoint Protection

When using CDW to deploy SEP remotely, can you use sepprep.ini to uninstall other AV? I have tried the set the "Automatically uninstall exisitng security software," but that never worked.

Yes, can use Sepprep.ini to unisntall other AV.

SEPprep is an unsupported tool that is designed to uninstall any competitive product automatically. This tool can also launch another application before or after removing all competitive products.

What if the third-party product is not in the supported products list?

Security products that are not in the supported products list can be removed using the SEPprep tool.

Reference: http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH178757

Depends how you're doing it. Are you using SEPPrep thru CDW? If so then just edit the ini to uninstall whichever AV you're using.

Otherwise CDW can do it and here's the list of supported third party AVs to remove

http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH195029

Configuring client packages to uninstall existing third-party security software

Brian, the AV I need to uninstall is Microsoft Forefront. Are you telling me that if I use CDW, I don't need SEPprep to uninstall MFF? If so, where is this configuration or is it built-in?

Microsoft Forefront Endpoint Protection 2010 is under supported list, through CDW you should be able to uninstall it.

Check the supported list here, click on attachment to open PDF file.

• http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH195029

Does Windows FW need to be turned off for the "automatically uninstall other security software" to work?

Ideally, yes. Unless you've allowed the necessary ports through the Windows firewall.

Not really however does it work if you disabled firewall?

These are the Known Issues and Unsupported Combinations:

• Symantec does not support uninstalling third-party security products while Symantec Endpoint Protection is installed on the system. The third-party security product should be manually uninstalled before proceeding with the installation of Symantec Endpoint Protection.  

• If a third-party product is scanning, updating, or cleaning when the uninstaller launches, the uninstaller fails gracefully. The uninstaller will not uninstall a third-party product if it cannot guarantee uninstall success.

• If the path for the Symantec Endpoint Protection installation package contains double-byte characters, the third party products will not be uninstalled.

• On some non-English language operating systems, the following products cannot be removed by the uninstaller and must be removed using Add or Remove Programs:

  • Kaspersky Internet Security 11.x and 12.x

  • Kaspersky AntiVirus 11.x and 12.x

• The following products require a password to install and uninstall, and therefore cannot be removed by the uninstaller:

  • Trend Micro Worry Free Business Security Agent 7.x

  • Trend Micro Worry Free Business Security Advanced 7.x

  • Trend Micro Worry Free Business Security Agent 6.x

• In cases where the product removal process does not complete, the product should be removed manually or an update from the product vendor should be sought to correct the problem with incomplete product removal.

• Use of this feature is not recommended if multiple antivirus products exist on the same computer.

• During removal, if security software is scanning, updating or cleaning when product removal begins, the uninstaller will fail gracefully.

• Products that were installed using a password will not be removed.

• This feature does not remove the McAfee framework service. This is a shared McAfee service used by other McAfee products.

If using CDW, SEP installs but MFF doesn't install, doesn't that mean Windows FW is not a factor?