# Can't Uninstall TrendMicro



## ZachSand

I'm trying to uninstall TrendMicro Security Agent from my computer, but it prompts me with a window saying:

"Type the password to uninstall the Client/Server Agent"

I have no idea what the password is and I have tried to google solutions to the problem but I can't find any that work. 

Any suggestions?


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## Metal Man 2

I had the same problem with Webroot. I ended up going to webroot web site and with some searching found a upgrade tool that unistalled. Long story short is go to trend micros web site and check unistall tools, might help.


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## ZachSand

Found it, thanks.

This worked for me if anyone else had this problem.
http://esupport.trendmicro.com/4/Ho...ternet-Security-Pro-and-Trend-Micro-Inte.aspx


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## gamblingman

What Antivirus are you installing in TM's place?


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## ZachSand

Well right now I have the free Norton 60 day trial. 
After that I'm not sure.


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## gamblingman

I would recommend getting rid of Norton as soon as possible, also keep in mind that you need to uninstall Norton BEFORE installing a different anti-virus program. 

When you are ready to uninstall Norton you really need to use the Norton Uninstall Tool. Otherwise parts of Norton will be left on your system, and those left-behinds will give you problems. The list of Norton Removal Tools is on this link:

*Link to Norton Removal Tool*​


Pick the appropriate Norton Version you have installed and follow the instructions Norton has provided for using the uninstall tool. If you are unsure of the process or have any questions then let us know.

For the new anti-virus I would recommend wither Avast Free Edition or Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE). Many of the members here think highly of both those anti-virus programs, as both programs do a good job as an anti-virus, and both are free (yea!).

If you would prefer to purchase an anti-virus program (I know that some people prefer to buy it) then I personally would go with one of the Avast paid versions.


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## ZachSand

I've used MSE before, but I thought I'd try out Norton.
After reading some though, I'll be using that uninstall tool here shortly after a comprehensive scan and a few other things.

I'll just go back to MSE.


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## gamblingman

Though Norton is really disliked, last place is _usually_ reserved for McAfee. Some reasons people here dislike Norton is because of its heavy usage of the CPU, poor scanning and removal ability and the amount of stuff it leaves behind after an uninstall (that is when people use Add/Remove Programs to get rid of it). 

And since you're about to install something new, give a look at our security section sticky post. There are lists of different programs to use for different uses. *****List of Security Programs to Use***** 

And if you want to see a poll of our favorite anti-virus programs, check this out and read what others here have said: *Antivirus Program Poll*.

*Remember*, even with the best anti-virus program it is still possible to get infected. Some[/I] tactics to reduce the risk of infection include: resist going to "shady sites", don't open emails or run attachments from people you don't know, steer clear of person-2-person download sites, and be safe with who you let on your computer. There are more ways to stay safe online but I'll keep this short for now. If you would want to know more about safety, just say so.


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## ZachSand

I'm pretty good about the shady sites and P2P sites/programs.

I am curious about something I read.. somewhere. I've been seriously considering building a new computer lately, making there be no need for my current computer. I was planning on selling it locally if I could(No friends or family need/want it) but I read that, with the right tools, someone could uncover confidential information that has been stored in my hard drive i.e saved passwords, possibly credit card numbers, personal info etc. 

Is there a way to completely get rid of that information without shredding my HD? 
I used CCleaner to "wipe free space" but I'm not sure that did anything regarding my question.


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## gamblingman

ZachSand said:


> Is there a way to completely get rid of that information without shredding my HD?
> I used CCleaner to "wipe free space" but I'm not sure that did anything regarding my question.



Information on a hard drive can always be recovered. But it gets much harder to recover data depending on the method you used to erase/destroy the data on the hard drive. 

If you didnt delete anything, then its an easy recovery! 
If you format the hard drive, its more difficult to recover; but still possible with the right know-how/equipment/programs. 
If you format and overwrite (3 times or more) the data its very difficult to recover, but _maybe _its still possible with the right know-how/equipment/programs. 
If you burn the hard drive its nearly impossible to recover data, but still possible with some very expensive and advanced know-how/equipment/programs. 
But the only way to be completely, absolutely, without a doubt, TOTALLY SURE that NOTHING is recoverable is to degauss the hard drive then shred the hard drive into VERY small fragments.

Wiping the free space means it overwrote all the empty areas of the hard drive so that its clean and essentially blank for other use.

But if you are really worried about reselling it and don't want ANY potential for discovering any info, then think about how confidential the data is on your computer. Do you have item(s) on your hard drive of proprietary, government, very-highly private personal info or classified information. If you determine that you have info of that nature and it is of great concern to you, then install a new hard drive and install the OS to the new HDD. Then have the old hard drive shredded (or just hang onto it!). Shredding the hard drive is about the only way of making ABSOLUTELY sure nothing can ever be recovered, but it's obviously a very extreme method. Usually only governments, and anyone dealing with highly confidential info use this practice of shredding.

Less extreme than that would be to run a program like KillDisk, or the Windows Format, or D-BAN. 

Even less extreme, you could reinstall the OS and then run Eraser (I've used recently) or CCleaner and select to then wipe the free space. I wouldnt consider this as secure, but its good enough for most people's needs. I used Eraser recently to wipe a portable hard drive and I had pretty good results. While files were found (using Recuva from Piriform), nothing was actually recoverable. 

I like Eraser because you could use it in your case to accomplish this task with ease. You could reinstall the OS then install Eraser and choose to run the program at startup to eliminate all free space info. And though there is an option for the Gutmann 35 passes, its pretty unnecessary as it's overkill. If you need 35 overwrites, just shred the drive. The DOD 5220 triple pass is adequate for nearly everyone's needs.

What kind of hard drive is it, brand/model, how is it formatted (NTFS, FAT, FAT-32), what OS is on it, are you using a RAID setup? Also, do you have a desktop you could slave this hard drive to? 

Has the hard drive has any issues, such as: 

Have you heard any hard clicking?
Does it take a long time to access info on the hard drive?
Has it ever been subjected to drops or abuse?
Have you had any BSOD's related to the hard drive?
Does the hard drive get overly hot while running?

Consider who you would be selling it to... would they really take the time and trouble to painstakingly try to recover lots and lots of nothing in hopes there will be _something_ you left behind? The vast majority of people aren't going to be concerned with what you had on the hard drive. They will be a lot more concerned with their own stuff they will be saving to that hard drive.


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## ZachSand

400 GB Hard disk controller, Serial ATA. It's the standard Hard Drive that comes with this computer. http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/ca/e...3158-12133158-12133158-80626073-81049432.html

I'm using Windows Vista Home Premium OS. I don't believe it uses RAID, but I could be wrong, I don't know much about it. It's possible that I could find a desktop to put this HD into, or just hold onto it.

In most cases, I highly doubt anyone will try to find anything on the Hard Drive, but I've thought about selling it on Ebay or other various forms on the internet, and the persons knowledge who has the computer would be unknown. I'm not really too worried about it, but I was curious on my options, and you really spelled it out in black and white of what I could do, thanks!


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## gamblingman

Since you are already a member here, why not just stick around. We have a forum area, *Computer Equipment for Sale*, for selling things for members with at least 100 posts. You might want to try giving that a shot when you're ready to sell it and when you have enough posts. If I were selling something, I would rather put something up for sale to the people on this forum than anywhere else (assuming I didn't have family willing to buy).

And if you want some great feedback on your new build, you are on what I consider the best forum around. There are lots of people who are more than willing to give their opinions on different options for building a system.

When you are ready to sell and clean that HDD, I would most likely just reformat then reinstall the OS from the recovery partition. There is a process for using the HP recovery partition that reformats the HDD then reinstalls the OS (Since you have Vista, there is a specific process for doing this, and its super easy!). Then once the OS is reinstalled I'd wipe the free space by then installing and using either Eraser or CCleaner to wipe the free space. (Either program should suit your needs just fine.). 

Assuming you haven't deleted the recovery partition, you should have it as HP installed it as a hidden HDD partition at the factory.

Then you could send the PC to the buyer along with any and all HP user manuals, system reinstall/utility disks, and all hardware/software that came standard with the PC.


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## ZachSand

I actually searched through quite a few "Computer People" forums, and this is by far the most responsive, helpful, and (no matter the level of computer knowlege)friendly I have found. 

I have looked through the Computer Equipment for sale forum, and was curious why I couldn't post, but now I know. 

Is there a program for Formatting my drive, or how do I go about doing that?
I don't think I have deleted the recovery partition , but I'm not too sure on how to find out or not. 

Sadly, I don't think I have to the HP User manuals(though I think you can get digital copies online for free) or the system reinstall/utility disks. I'll look around for them. All the hardware/software is still here, or easily attainable.


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## johnb35

You can't format the drive or you will lose access to your recovery partition.

Call Hp and get a new set of recovery disks for your specific model of pc so you can install fresh on a new drive.

Actually you can go here and enter the information to order them online.

https://warp2.external.hp.com/driver/dr_country_select.asp?Product=5092-7148&lang=en&cc=ca


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## gamblingman

Ok, I go with johnb35 on these things. He told me that he's had situations in which the recovery partition was unable to be accessed after using it. And though there may be a tool which would allow you to fix the recovery partition, lets not take chances. He also recommend getting those recovery disks for the reinstall, just to be on the safe side. A good suggestion.

Before you backup, make double sure to transfer all your files/folders/bookmarks off the hard drive , and double check that they transferred correctly, open properly and nothing got left behind accidentally before you sell/wipe. As I said before, just reinstall then use something like Eraser or CCleaner to wipe the free space. That should be fine for eliminating any data left on the computer you are selling. 

And if you don't have some of the documentation for your HP, no worries. Just pass along to the buyer what you have. And yes, you or the buyer can get the user manuals and other documentation online.


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## ZachSand

So let's see if I have this straight.

I back up everything I want from my current HD onto a form of portable memory of my choosing. Then I wipe the drive.
I then put in these recovery disc(s) and they will return my computer back to the original, out of the box, programs/settings. Then I download Ccleaner/Eraser to wipe the free space?


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## gamblingman

Note once you start step 4 you are on a process, make sure you have plenty of time to complete the process. Also do this on a day when there is less of a chance for power-outs. And dont do this on a day when there is lightning or other heavy inclement weather. 

1. Backup all things you may want to en external hard drive. 

I recommend not using any flash memory devices (i.e. flash drives, memory cards, etc...) for your backup storage medium. As there is a chance that the flash memory could become corrupted without warning. Thus all your info would be irrecoverably lost. 

2. Get your HP recovery disks. At this point also save the install file for Eraser or CCleaner to an external source for use later. I would opt to also save the MSE install file externally for use later.

3. Get your Vista Product Key and have it ready for the reinstall process - The key will be on the (usually green/blue) Microsoft sticker on the computer case. The key is 25 units long consisting of an alpha-numeric string. If the Microsoft sticker is not there let us know.

4. Restart and go into your BIOS settings and set the computer to try a boot from the DVD disk drive first, and then the HDD second. You can usually access BIOS by tapping the F12 OR the F2 button right when the computer begins its BIOS startup.

5. With the computer ON, insert the OS reinstall disk and close the DVD drive and make sure your internet connection is working properly. Unplug all unessential accessories like external hard drives, web cams, etc... Make sure that the monitor, mouse, keyboard are plugged in securely. Check the power cord to be sure it is securely plugged in. 

Now turn the computer OFF. Do not select to put it into suspend or hibernate at this point.

7. Restart the computer. You may be asked if you want to boot from the HDD or the Disk. Choose the disk.

8. The next steps will walk you through general aspects of the reformat and installation. When you come to the step of installation where you can choose to install custom, do so. Select the hard drive partition name (like the C: drive) and select to format. Dont select to format all the drives, just the one you are installing Vista on. 

9. The rest of the installation is mostly boring waiting for it to finish. The computer may turn off then back on multiple times to finish the installation. When it asks about your computers "name" I'd make it rather generic for the next owner like "Your HP Desktop Computer"

You will get to a part of the instal where it asks you about updates. Select the "Install Recommended Settings". But, if you have a router with a firewall you will most likely only be able to select "Install Important Updates Only".

10. The rest is a cakewalk, just general info for you to enter.

11. Go to "Start" button -> All Programs -> Windows Update -> Check For Updates -> Install any updates found.

12. Once you have installed the updates; then install whichever overwriting program you saved earlier and wipe the free space using the DOD 5220 standard. After you finish running the overwipe uninstall the cleaner program. I would also install MSE now.

You should be finished at this point. I recommend going through 2 cycles of "Selecting 'turn off' and then pressing the power button to restart" just to check for any issues. 

Right before you send this to your buyer, check the boot order you changed earlier to make the BIOS boot from HDD first.


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## johnb35

I think with the HP recovery disks, you have no option to select where you want to install the OS to.  Once you start the process, its all automated.  If you are using the recovery disks on a new empty drive, it will recreate the recovery partition and one big OS partition, with no way to change it until after the install.


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## ZachSand

Flawless step by step process, appreciate it.

I'll bookmark this page and write the information down for when i decide to do this. I already sent in for my recovery disc. I still my the vista key on the side so no worries there.

Just curious on your opinion, if I sell this http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/ca/e...3158-12133158-12133158-80626073-81049432.html in the next month or two, do you think could pull in 200 for just the computer? I checked on Ebay and saw similar pricing.


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## johnb35

$200 might be kind of high for something that is already old technology, maybe closer between $100-150.  

Also, if I'm not mistaken, you will not need the vista product key as OEM's are usually preactivated.


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## gamblingman

johnb35 said:


> $200 might be kind of high for something that is already old technology, maybe closer between $100-150.
> 
> Also, if I'm not mistaken, you will not need the vista product key as OEM's are usually preactivated.



Yeah, 200 is a little on the high side. If I were to buy it I might pay about the same.

And the product key, I recommended that just to be on the safe side. Cant hurt, eh?


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## ZachSand

Thanks for all the input!


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## ZachSand

I just got my recovery CD's today. 

Once I get everything I want onto an external drive, should I delete "everything", or will the reformatting/recovery do that for me?


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## gamblingman

*Transfer* everything you want. But then I would wait a few days after the transfer, to think over anything which might have been missed like: hidden folders/files, items you thought you wouldn't need but have changed your mind about, etc.... Once you're ready then go ahead along the reinstall process.

I wouldn't bother deleting everything, waste of time and it would just be extra, undesirable wear on the hard drive. 

*The Windows format* wont fully "delete" all traces of the data. However, once you reinstall windows the OS will be saved over a lot of files, making any of them very hard to recover. The rest of the file traces not saved over by the OS will be wiped with the clear-the-free-space-tool of your choice after you reinstall.

*One other thing *which came to mind on the reinstall process. Is that computer clean, or is it pretty dusty? Its going to be on for a substantial time and running pretty hard doing the reinstall process. So make sure the PC interior is clean, and there aren't any heavy dust/dirt deposits on fans/heatsinks/circuit boards/vent areas/etc.... 

If/when you go to open the case and proceed to clean the computer: Unplug the computer, press and hold the power button for 6 seconds to help dissipate retained power. Make sure to touch a metal part of the case every now and then to "ground" yourself and safely dissipate static electricity. While working in the case, try not to touch any bare electrical connections/contacts as the oils on skin can accelerate corrosion and some of the bare connections/contacts can give you a shock!

I use a small, soft-plastic-bristled brush and compressed air in cans to clean,  and I usually use my shop-vac to get the crud out of the tight spots. Use compressed air cans, but DON'T use an everyday air compressor like type in your garage, at the car shop, or at the gas station. They almost NEVER use filters to remove moisture from their air systems. Don't accidentally spin the fans too fast when cleaning them with your vac or air can, as the fans can get damaged from overspinning. I usually hold the blades in place with a twist-tie or pencil to keep them from spinning at all.

So, if it needs it, clean the computer before you do anything else to it.


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## ZachSand

I've recently cleaned it pretty thoroughly, so it should be good.

Thanks for the knowledge!


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