Member Avatar for Leads99IT

I recently received a laptop that had not been used in quite awhile and began to update it to my personal specs similar to what I use at my office, making sure that Windows is updated and getting the programs that I am familiar with (AVG, Malwarebytes, ARO, etc...) Windows is not showing any Anti-Virus on the system and repeatedly lets me know that there is not any installed. However during the installation of AVG I get a message saying:

"Setup has detected ewido anti-spyware or ewido anti-malware installed on your computer... You need to uninstall to proceed"

This is all fine and good until I try to find it... I have tried everything that I can think of to find and remove this program. I have searched the C: for ewido. I have checked add/remove programs for anything even resembling anti virus/malware/spyware. I found a little ewido update program and successfully uninstalled that, but can't find anything else.

I thought that maybe I could just download Ewido and learn that, but every download that I have found for it takes me to a download for AVG...

I am really frustrated and am hoping someone can help!

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by jholland1964

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Quick, practical note for anyone who hits an installer that claims a program is "already installed" even when you can't find it: installers usually look for Windows Installer entries or registry keys, not just files. hit that exact symptom with AVG complaining about Ewido; the issue is common and can usually be solved without a full OS reinstall. Below are safe, repeatable steps to find and remove leftover traces.

First, create a system restore point or full backup before changing anything. Then check running/configuration items: run msconfig (Services and Startup) and services.msc to spot anything named like the old product and disable it. Use an elevated command prompt to list MSI-registered products:

wmic product get name,identifyingnumber

If you see the product, note the IdentifyingNumber (GUID) and uninstall it with:

msiexec /x {GUID} /qn

If that does not show anything, search the registry. Open regedit, Export (backup) any key before deleting, then search for the product name. Inspect these locations for uninstall registration and remove matching subkeys only after confirming the DisplayName value refers to the product:

  • HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall
  • HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall
  • On 64-bit Windows also check HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall

Also look in Program Files (and Program Files (x86)), ProgramData, scheduled tasks and startup folders for leftover folders, services, or shortcuts and remove them after confirming they belong to the product.

After cleaning, reboot and run the installer as an administrator. If the installer still blocks, a vendor-supplied removal utility or vendor support is the safer next step. Credit to for the initial troubleshooting direction and to for confirming the fix — these manual checks are the typical follow-ups when automatic uninstallers miss residual registry/uninstall entries.

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Member Avatar for jholland1964

It would likely be located in C:\Program Files.
Also go to Start, Search, Files and Folders, be sure Advanced options to look in hidden files and folders, system folders and sub folders also have check marks in them.
Then type ewido in the search box and choose "C" drive and click search.
This will run a full search of the "C" drive for any files named Ewido. You need to open these to see what they are when found, there may be an Uninstall file there to use.
If you cannot find it that way you can also use Revo Uninstall Free to locate and Uninstall the program. It works quite well.

http://download.cnet.com/Revo-Uninstaller/3000-2096_4-10687648.html?part=dl-6294459&subj=dl&tag=button

Edited by jholland1964 because: n/a
Member Avatar for Leads99IT

Thank you for the suggestions. I made sure that the hidden files and folders were checked. Nada. I looked in the C:\ program files folder. Nil. I downloaded, installed, and looked with Revo. No avail. I am rather frustrated as you might imagine. If you have any other ideas, I would love to hear them.

It would likely be located in C:\Program Files.
Also go to Start, Search, Files and Folders, be sure Advanced options to look in hidden files and folders, system folders and sub folders also have check marks in them.
Then type ewido in the search box and choose "C" drive and click search.
This will run a full search of the "C" drive for any files named Ewido. You need to open these to see what they are when found, there may be an Uninstall file there to use.
If you cannot find it that way you can also use Revo Uninstall Free to locate and Uninstall the program. It works quite well.

http://download.cnet.com/Revo-Uninstaller/3000-2096_4-10687648.html?part=dl-6294459&subj=dl&tag=button

Member Avatar for jholland1964

Download and run a system scan with HiJackThis, save the log and post it here.
http://download.cnet.com/Trend-Micro-HijackThis/3000-8022_4-10781312.html

EDIT: Additional Information
Just found this info. Ewido, which is now part of AVG so you would think that AVG would take care of this themselves with the install files but they don't, leaves a registry key on the computer, even if it is uninstalled.
Download and run this uninstaller and see if it makes a difference

That said, may I further advise that you switch to a different anti-virus program? AVG doesn't get as high a ranking as either Avira or Avast.

Edited by jholland1964 because: n/a
Member Avatar for Leads99IT

Thank you very much for your help. I figured out that Ewido and AVG were linked somehow, but couldn't figure out what was going on with that. I ran the uninstall program and it worked perfectly. I appreciate your recommendations for the other programs too, but this is the program that the owner of the company wants on all of the machines, so I get to make sure that he gets what he wants. Thanks again!

Download and run a system scan with HiJackThis, save the log and post it here.
http://download.cnet.com/Trend-Micro-HijackThis/3000-8022_4-10781312.html

EDIT: Additional Information
Just found this info. Ewido, which is now part of AVG so you would think that AVG would take care of this themselves with the install files but they don't, leaves a registry key on the computer, even if it is uninstalled.
Download and run this uninstaller and see if it makes a difference

That said, may I further advise that you switch to a different anti-virus program? AVG doesn't get as high a ranking as either Avira or Avast.

Member Avatar for jholland1964

...but this is the program that the owner of the company wants on all of the machines, so I get to make sure that he gets what he wants.

Hey, you "gotta do what you gotta do". You might recommend he consider something else next time.

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