Cant uninstall Microsoft Security Essentials

Vargulf

Hi,

I'm having a problem where I have two MSE versions installed. I,ve uninstalled the latest version but I can't seem to find where the other version is installed so I can remove it. The version I cant uninstall is: 2.1.6805.0 which is reporting as not up-to-date and turned off.

Can anyone tell how I would go about finding it? I,ve checked in the program files and application data but cant find it.

Thanks.
PS: Running windows xp

obviousTroll

This seems very strange. How did it manage to be installed twice?

Personally, I suspect Malware and/or viral activity.

Try installed Malwarebytes, update it, and run a scan. If it fails to install for some reason, chances are, that it's a Rogue AntiVirus, i.e. it's a virus pretending to be an anti virus.

Post back with results when you can.

obviousTroll

Oh, and by the way, from personal experience, MSE isn't as good as what it once was. I recommend install Avast AntiVirus. It's free, and pretty powerful.

KoolKid

A little more information may help.
Where are you seeing it installed?
Is there a shortcut to it or if its running run task manager & make a note of its location.

Vargulf

obviousTroll wrote: »

This seems very strange. How did it manage to be installed twice?

Personally, I suspect Malware and/or viral activity.

Try installed Malwarebytes, update it, and run a scan. If it fails to install for some reason, chances are, that it's a Rogue AntiVirus, i.e. it's a virus pretending to be an anti virus.

Post back with results when you can.

I already have Malwarebytes on my computer and ran a scan but it found nothing.

KoolKid wrote: »

A little more information may help.
Where are you seeing it installed?
Is there a shortcut to it or if its running run task manager & make a note of its location.

Well when I uninstalled MSE, the Windows Security alert instead of saying theres no antivirus installed it says that MSE is turned off and out of date.

I also used Belarc Advisor and it give me the following:

Microsoft Security Essentials Version 3.0.8402.0
Scan Engine Version 1.1.7104.0
Virus Definitions Version 1.109.1220.0
Realtime File Scanning On

Microsoft Security Essentials Version 2.1.6805.0
Virus Definitions Version Not Up To Date
Realtime File Scanning Off

Unless I'm wrong here, I have an older version of MSE installed somehow? As I,ve said I don't know how I would go about uninstalling the older version. I,ve already tried uninstalling but it only removes the latest version and when I remove the latest version there is no other option in Add/Remove section of Control Panel to uninstall the older version

Vargulf

bedlam wrote: »

How to manually uninstall Security Essentials. It is for a slightly different minor version that the one you have installed so follow at your own risk.

Didn't work I'm afraid. Search for the registry keys but they weren't there.

Kinetic^

Use revo uninstaller or appremover.

Vargulf

Kinetic^ wrote: »

Use revo uninstaller or appremover.

Tried Revo already and just used AppRemover but it detected nothing.

Kinetic^

Have you checked startup items to see where the source file is located?

Vargulf

Kinetic^ wrote: »

Have you checked startup items to see where the source file is located?

Yes I,ve used CCleaner to check the startup programs and theres nothing there either.

Hal Emmerich

Did you try windows own inbuilt search feature?