Trying to uninstall antivirus in safe mode

[newby]

While trying to uninstall an antivirus program in safe
mode, as administrator, I received message "Windows
Installer cannot be accessed... Check to see if program is
registered." I have downloaded SP4. When I check the error
message at microsoft, it basically states that this will
occur if I'm not signed on as administrator, which I am,
and if I'm trying to uninstall Microsoft Office, which I
am not. Windows 2000. Norton Antivirus 2003. I am running
pc anywhere on the pc, which is also a symantec product.
Does anyone know why this message occurs when trying to
remove an antivirus program, and how do I go about
uninstalling???

 

[Stefan Krueger [MVP]]

Windows Installer (MSI) is a service and therefore isn't running if you
start in safe mode. You shouldn't start in Safe mode if you intend to use
Windows Installer to install or remove a program.

--
Stefan Krueger
Microsoft Windows Installer MVP

Please post your questions in the newsgroup or vist one of these web sites:

Windows Installer FAQ
http://www.msifaq.com - http://www.msifaq.de

InstallSite - Resources for Setup Developers
http://www.installsite.org
http://www.installsite.de (GERMAN)

 

[Phil Wilson]

In safe mode, the Windows Installer Service doesn't run - that's just part
of being "safe".

 

[Bill Peele [MS]]

--------------------
From: "newby" <[email protected]>
Subject: Trying to uninstall antivirus in safe mode
Date: Mon, 12 Apr 2004 15:41:33 -0700
Newsgroups: microsoft.public.win2000.msi

While trying to uninstall an antivirus program in safe
mode, as administrator, I received message "Windows
Installer cannot be accessed... Check to see if program is
registered." I have downloaded SP4. When I check the error
message at microsoft, it basically states that this will
occur if I'm not signed on as administrator, which I am,
and if I'm trying to uninstall Microsoft Office, which I
am not. Windows 2000. Norton Antivirus 2003. I am running
pc anywhere on the pc, which is also a symantec product.
Does anyone know why this message occurs when trying to
remove an antivirus program, and how do I go about
uninstalling???
-----

Why are you trying to uninstall it from Safe Mode?

It sounds like the program uses the Windows Installer service which does not get started in Safe Mode. Normally it will not
allow you to start it manually in Safe Mode either.

The message you listed is a little different than I would have expected though. You may want to boot to Normal Mode and
try unregistering and reregistering Windows Installer but before doing this I would check to see if it is working correctly in
Normal Mode. To unregister and reregister Windows Installer use the following commands.

msiexec.exe /unregister

msiexec.exe /regserver

Bill Peele
Microsoft Enterprise Support

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights. Use of included script samples are subject to the
terms specified at http://www.microsoft.com/info/cpyright.htm

Note: For the benefit of the community-at-large, all responses to this message are best directed to the newsgroup/thread
from which they originated.