Fix for multiple instances of anti-virus in Windows Security Center

[John Navas]

OS: Windows XP Pro SP2 with all updates

Recently I noticed that my Windows Security Center wasn't working
properly, reporting that "more than one" anti-virus program was
installed even though I knew only one (free Avira AntiVir
PersonalEdition Classic <http://www.free-av.com/>) was installed.
Worse, when I removed that anti-virus program, Windows Security Center
continued to report that more than one anti-virus program was installed.

To diagnose the problem I downloaded, installed, and ran Belarc Advisor
Free Personal PC Audit Version 7.2k (highly recommended)
<http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html>, which reported that four (4)
instances of Avira AntiVir PersonalEdition Classic were installed! This
was apparently due to debris left on my system by online updates to
Avira AntiVir PersonalEdition Classic.

Through research on the Internet I found both the cause and the fix for
this problem as described in this post on Wilders Security Forums
<http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showpost.php?p=768467&postcount=7>

| Re: How can I completely remove AntiVir?
| June 6th, 2006, 05:35 PM
|
| Hi Tap,
|
| You have probably uninstalled Antivir completely from your computer,
| the problem you describe has occurred with other programs not purging
| the WFI repository correctly during the uninstall process. Although
| before reading your post I have not read of this particular problem
| occurring with Antivir. To correct this problem it is necessary to
| delete the WFI repository folder from your computer and them re-build
| it with the correct information. As this operation requires deleting
| a Windows operating system folder, be very careful to identify the
| correct folder before deleting anything!
|
| In control panel click on Administrative Tools, then Services, from
| the list of services find Windows Management Instrumentation right
| click mouse and from dropdown list stop the service.
|
| Find folder C:\windows\system32\wbem, inside this folder identify the
| repository folder and delete only this folder (the repository folder)
| from your computer.
|
| In Administrative Tools find Windows Management Instrumentation
| service again, and re-start the service by right clicking mouse and
| pressing start from dropdown list. Restarting this service re-builds
| the repository folder database on your computer, which should now
| only contain information about your currently installed antivirus &
| firewall programs.
|
| To reset the Windows Security Centre you must re-boot your computer,
| hopefully this will cure your problems
|
| Thorny

This procedure worked perfectly for me, removing all of the dead
instances of Avira AntiVir PersonalEdition Classic without any apparent
ill effects. Windows Security Center then properly alerted me to no
anti-virus being installed.

I wasn't terribly impressed by this behavior of Avira AntiVir
PersonalEdition Classic, so I took the opportunity to switch my
anti-virus and instead install AVG Anti-Virus Free
<http://free.grisoft.com/>, whereupon (after the initial update) Windows
Security Center properly reported under Anti-Virus that AVG was
installed and up-to-date.

 

[nashraf.nasa]

OS: Windows XP Pro SP2 with all updates

Recently I noticed that my Windows Security Center wasn't working
properly, reporting that "more than one" anti-virus program was
installed even though I knew only one (free Avira AntiVir
PersonalEdition Classic <http://www.free-av.com/>) was installed.
Worse, when I removed that anti-virus program, Windows Security Center
continued to report that more than one anti-virus program was installed.

To diagnose the problem I downloaded, installed, and ran Belarc Advisor
Free Personal PC Audit Version 7.2k (highly recommended)
<http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html>, which reported that four (4)
instances of Avira AntiVir PersonalEdition Classic were installed! This
was apparently due to debris left on my system by online updates to
Avira AntiVir PersonalEdition Classic.

Through research on the Internet I found both the cause and the fix for
this problem as described in this post on Wilders Security Forums
<http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showpost.php?p=768467&postcount=7>

| Re: How can I completely remove AntiVir?
| June 6th, 2006, 05:35 PM
|
| Hi Tap,
|
| You have probably uninstalled Antivir completely from your computer,
| the problem you describe has occurred with other programs not purging
| the WFI repository correctly during the uninstall process. Although
| before reading your post I have not read of this particular problem
| occurring with Antivir. To correct this problem it is necessary to
| delete the WFI repository folder from your computer and them re-build
| it with the correct information. As this operation requires deleting
| a Windows operating system folder, be very careful to identify the
| correct folder before deleting anything!
|
| In control panel click on Administrative Tools, then Services, from
| the list of services find Windows Management Instrumentation right
| click mouse and from dropdown list stop the service.
|
| Find folder C:\windows\system32\wbem, inside this folder identify the
| repository folder and delete only this folder (the repository folder)
| from your computer.
|
| In Administrative Tools find Windows Management Instrumentation
| service again, and re-start the service by right clicking mouse and
| pressing start from dropdown list. Restarting this service re-builds
| the repository folder database on your computer, which should now
| only contain information about your currently installed antivirus &
| firewall programs.
|
| To reset the Windows Security Centre you must re-boot your computer,
| hopefully this will cure your problems
|
| Thorny

This procedure worked perfectly for me, removing all of the dead
instances of Avira AntiVir PersonalEdition Classic without any apparent
ill effects. Windows Security Center then properly alerted me to no
anti-virus being installed.

I wasn't terribly impressed by this behavior of Avira AntiVir
PersonalEdition Classic, so I took the opportunity to switch my
anti-virus and instead install AVG Anti-Virus Free
<http://free.grisoft.com/>, whereupon (after the initial update) Windows
Security Center properly reported under Anti-Virus that AVG was
installed and up-to-date.

I am a happy user of Avira Antivir PE Classic and have helped numerous
friends installed it in their system. I have also, on a few occasions,
removed and reinstalled Antivir on systems that need a clean re-
install XP because of reasons non related to Antivir. I have never
encounter such problem like yours. So I think it is not caused by
Antivir itself and I regard your switching to AVG is a mistake since
Antivir is a better AV in terms of detection rate.

 

[John Navas]

[SNIP]

I am a happy user of Avira Antivir PE Classic and have helped numerous
friends installed it in their system. I have also, on a few occasions,
removed and reinstalled Antivir on systems that need a clean re-
install XP because of reasons non related to Antivir. I have never
encounter such problem like yours. So I think it is not caused by
Antivir itself

The problem is almost certainly caused by AntiVir itself. Have you ever
actually checked for multiple registered instances (as I described)?
You shouldn't make assumptions unless you have.

and I regard your switching to AVG is a mistake since
Antivir is a better AV in terms of detection rate.

My own experience is that AVG Free is comparable in real (as distinct
from synthetic) detection rate to AntiVir PEC, with a lower false
positive rate. The only real cons in my experience are somewhat less
flexible configuration and somewhat less responsive support.

 

[basilm]

I have mutiple instances of antivirus in windows security. My operating
system is XP home. How can I remove these?

 

[John Navas]

I have mutiple instances of antivirus in windows security. My operating
system is XP home. How can I remove these?

See my original post in this thread:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
....

Through research on the Internet I found both the cause and the fix for
this problem as described in this post on Wilders Security Forums
<http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showpost.php?p=768467&postcount=7>

| Re: How can I completely remove AntiVir?
| June 6th, 2006, 05:35 PM
|
| Hi Tap,
|
| You have probably uninstalled Antivir completely from your computer,
| the problem you describe has occurred with other programs not purging
| the WFI repository correctly during the uninstall process. Although
| before reading your post I have not read of this particular problem
| occurring with Antivir. To correct this problem it is necessary to
| delete the WFI repository folder from your computer and them re-build
| it with the correct information. As this operation requires deleting
| a Windows operating system folder, be very careful to identify the
| correct folder before deleting anything!
|
| In control panel click on Administrative Tools, then Services, from
| the list of services find Windows Management Instrumentation right
| click mouse and from dropdown list stop the service.
|
| Find folder C:\windows\system32\wbem, inside this folder identify the
| repository folder and delete only this folder (the repository folder)
| from your computer.
|
| In Administrative Tools find Windows Management Instrumentation
| service again, and re-start the service by right clicking mouse and
| pressing start from dropdown list. Restarting this service re-builds
| the repository folder database on your computer, which should now
| only contain information about your currently installed antivirus &
| firewall programs.
|
| To reset the Windows Security Centre you must re-boot your computer,
| hopefully this will cure your problems
|
| Thorny

This procedure worked perfectly for me, removing all of the dead
instances of Avira AntiVir PersonalEdition Classic without any apparent
ill effects. Windows Security Center then properly alerted me to no
anti-virus being installed.

I wasn't terribly impressed by this behavior of Avira AntiVir
PersonalEdition Classic, so I took the opportunity to switch my
anti-virus and instead install AVG Anti-Virus Free
<http://free.grisoft.com/>, whereupon (after the initial update) Windows
Security Center properly reported under Anti-Virus that AVG was
installed and up-to-date.