(Un)Installation problems

R

rePsyke

1
While trying to uninstall the old Corporate version (7.61) of Norton Antivirus I encountered an EXTREMELY infuriating and rather troubling problem. The process ran around two-thirds complete and then reported error 5 - "Cannot set file permissions for 'E:\Config.msi\.' Ensure you have sufficient privallages for this action." It then proceeded to roll the app back to its original state and NOT remove it from my system. Needless to say I was logged into Win2000 at administrator level. The same supposed error flagged while attempting a straightforward in-place upgrade to NAVCE v8.0. The result is I CANNOT get properly rid of the thing without reformatting my hardrive - or worse still picking line by line through the registry and and deleting each Norton AV reference.

The most annoying fact is I encountered EXACTLY this error before. It occured when I attempted to install the first service pack for Office XP while running on an XP platform, also when simply trying to remove Office from the system. At the time I reasoned it was some sort of security response to my BlueList generated S/N. Now however I am running an entirely legal OS and Office. I assume it is some 'feature' of the MSI and wonder if the newest service pack has introduced an error to 2000 that was previously confined to XP systems.

Does anyone have a similar experience and/or advice to offer?
 
R

rePsyke

1
Very possible

Many thanks Pokopiko.

What you suggest seems a likely explanation. Certainly the NAVCE I instaled was a CD rip. I later downloaded a semi-complete two-disk iso of the Corporate Antivirus and discovered a great deal was missing from the initial archive. I will give the reinstall a try.

However I am certain the same bad-rip situation was not in effect with Office XP, which exhibited exactly the same 'config.msi' symptoms. This was a full 600MB+ image of the Pro/Plus disk - unless of course the retail release spans more than one CD.
 
R

rePsyke

1
no good

Unfortuately Pokopiko the method you suggested was not a success. On further investigation the 'config.msi' folder is only created during the actual uninstall process, not seemingly install or decompression of the archive. It seems to be used not only by Norton apps but anything that runs through the Microsoft installer.

Moreover 'error 5' is itself not generated solely by NAVCE but also Norton Internet Security and I am fairly certain Office 2000 if I were to try it. I think therefore the problem lies with msi.exe and probably not individual warez releases.

Any further suggestions or advice would be welcome.
 
R

rePsyke

1
Reinstall...

I think what you suggest about the Installer section sounds VERY likely Pokopiko.

I have not myself edited those particular areas of the registry - but until recently was using Evidence Eliminator. I know for a fact it 'cleans' large sections of the registry with practically no warning through the settings. It seems very probable to me the installer area could have been damaged by it.

Time for yet another fresh install then...

Again - many thanks for the advice.
 
Johnny™

Johnny™

1
here is a norton complete uninstall program available for removing NAV and NIS (2 seperate porgrams).... i have tried many ways of completely uninstalling norton before and have never been able to find another way it does a more thorough job of uninstalling norton
 

Attachments

S

svgusta

1
Thanks ☼Johnny™ , interesting progs..
pokopiko i followed your instructions, and I agree with what you say. Another thing that I have done with luck is shut down the symantec services, delete norton or symantec install directories, and share directory, go in system and manually remove all *.dll`s and *.vxd`s for symantec (they have similar names),Then go in registry under software and remove norton or symantec, restart and use Regcleaner or another registry cleaner. It is a bit piggy this way, but works..
 
R

rePsyke

1
NAV removers

I will try out the two uninstallers ☼Johnny™ - although I am now more suspicious than before of programmes that edit/manipulate the registry. It is my hope a complete removal of the NAV pieces and then a reinstall will repair any potential system damage. Worth a try.
 
Johnny™

Johnny™

1
these 2 uninstallers should be safe, they come directly from symantec and r made to be used when the regular uninstall from add/remove fails to completely remove the programs
 
R

rePsyke

1
The final word

As a followup to this issue, I spent an amount of effort over the weekend on finding an answer.

Symantec do actually have a knowledge base article on exactly the "config.msi" error -. The causes/solutions they offer seem both logical and reasonable but for me they did not work. Eventually I ran the NAV and NIS removers and then went through the registry line by line eradicating every trace of Norton and Symantec. While this dealt with the existing corrupt installation the re-install proved to have EXACTLY the same 'error 5' problem.

I resigned myself to the inevitable, formatted the system partition and ran a clean install of 2000. Once the drivers were back in along with SP3 (the work of about 2 hours) I installed NAVCE and entirely as a test attempted to remove it... Having done nothing to the registry, having an entirely clean system and no applications present to interfere with it - I received the familiar "config.msi" error report.

Amazed and VERY VERY annoyed I repeated the format/install - except this time only to SP2 level. Again the Corporate AntiVirus went in without issue - and this time it uninstalled properly as well.

It wasn't a bad warez package, it wasn't the action of some renegade registry cleaning app and it wasn't a corrupted installer section. Problem solved.

Which is a long and very boring way of saying Servie Pack 3 for 2000 is total ****ing shite. Don't touch it with a ****ing cattle prod.

I apologise for my language (even coyly ***'ed out) but this bastard has been occupying me for about two weeks. To find out the problem is down to a SP that supposedly 'fixes' issues is simply beyond belief. Unlike many people on this forum I don't actually hold a huge amount of antipathy towards MS - but that is changing.
 
LaZorMan

LaZorMan

1
There is another way you can try. Reinstal the program and use the program "Total Uninstal" to monitor the install. Hopefully a reinstall will update the installation and "Total Uninstal" record all files and regkeys added. Then use the uninstall feature and it will all be gone.This way you don´t need the programs uninstaller.

I have used this method with sucsess with some apps that couldn´t be removed in one way or another.

LaZorMan
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top