So I Really Screwed -Up Today with WSA

  • 30 October 2014
  • 22 replies
  • 127 views

Userlevel 4
Was reconfiguring my PC this AM. To do this I needed to temporarily uninstall a number of programs, includung WSA + File Cleaner aka WSA for Gaming PCs :-)
 
Didn't use the Windows uninstaller. Used some stooopid uninstaller on a utility that does a good job of removiing all traces.. Didn't get the Captcha uninstall screen but WSA disappeared from my Windows uninstall list--but it was still there on my machine and running, I deleted every filel I could find and tried a reinstall. WSA didn't reinstall, the GUI just opened up.
 
Deleted all the files again and every registry entry. WSA successfully fully installed BUT is no where to be found on my Windows uninstall List or on the uninstall list of any utility.
 
Can Webroot either tell me how to fix this or sell me a discounted lifetime license to WSA +Cleaner???
 
BTW was watching an old review on YouTube Review of an early version of late 2013 or early 2014 WSA Compllete where the "optimizer" was labeled as "The Cleaner" Guess that was before the Webroot marketing gurus sank their teeth into it :-)
 
BTW 2: Posting an edited post on this forum crashes my Firefox almost every time. Weird 00

22 replies

Userlevel 7
Badge +56
Have a look here and if it doesn't work then try it in Safe Mode with networking! https://community.webroot.com/t5/Webroot-SecureAnywhere-Antivirus/PC-Uninstallation-Option-Missing-from-Control-Panel-and-Start/ta-p/34688
 
Also what other security are using in realtime with WSA if any?
 
Thanks,
 
Daniel 😉
Userlevel 4
Using WSA with Malwarebytes Anti-Exploit and the New NS (No laughing please-it's a long story that involves boredom and poor judgement from not sleeping and a new sale price for NS appearing around 3:30 AM,)
 
I also have active subscriptions for Bit Defender IS, Emisoft IS 9, and NIS 2014.  I need to be locked up or something.
 
I have no idea why I'm so security concious. I would nevr bank online, use a refillable mastercard that I buy at CVS for all my online purchases, and if anyone stole my identitity and tried to use it they wouild be arrested on the spot just for being me.
Userlevel 7
Nah, hawkeye...not locking up...you just need therapy...WEBROOT ONLY therapy...;)
 
Baldrick
Userlevel 4
@ wrote:
Nah, hawkeye...not locking up...you just need therapy...WEBROOT ONLY therapy...;)
 
Baldrick
That's a hard sell to an old dog like me :-)
 
I drive a 24 year-old Honda Accord. I'm stuck in the 20th Century.
Userlevel 7
Badge +56
@ wrote:
Using WSA with Malwarebytes Anti-Exploit and the New NS (No laughing please-it's a long story that involves boredom and poor judgement from not sleeping and a new sale price for NS appearing around 3:30 AM,)
 
I also have active subscriptions for Bit Defender IS, Emisoft IS 9, and NIS 2014.  I need to be locked up or something.
 
I have no idea why I'm so security concious. I would nevr bank online, use a refillable mastercard that I buy at CVS for all my online purchases, and if anyone stole my identitity and tried to use it they wouild be arrested on the spot just for being me.
You got Wilders Fever been there and done that a long time ago then I got smart! LOL
 
Daniel 😃
Userlevel 4
@ wrote:
Have a look here and if it doesn't work then try it in Safe Mode with networking! https://community.webroot.com/t5/Webroot-SecureAnywhere-Antivirus/PC-Uninstallation-Option-Missing-from-Control-Panel-and-Start/ta-p/34688
 
Also what other security are using in realtime with WSA if any?
 
Thanks,
 
Daniel ;)
There is no file "C:Program FilesWebrootWRSA.exe" –uninstall"
 
There is no box for Show Webroot in Add/Remove Programs to uncheck.
Userlevel 4
And the tray icon does not appear. To open the interface i need to click on the WSA.exe file, a shortcut to which I have placed on my dewsk-top.The task manager shows the service as being on. I am concernced that I because I have no WSA,exe-uninstall file and the icon does not appear I may have a corrupted installation and the only way I know of removing it is to remove every registry entry and file. Wondering why I didn't get a Captcha first time I attempted to uininstall - during which while Windows uninstaller reported the program as being removed , it wasan't.
Userlevel 4
Is there a way to test that I have a fully functioning WSA installed on my system?
 
If the service appears in Task Manager is that suffucient?
 
What sevices should be showing in my Task Manager?
 
Frankly, I don't care that WSA might be permanently installed on my PC cuz I would never run a PC without it - but I would like some means of assuring that the installation is not corrupted,other than not having an uninstall .exe file, and that it is fully functional and operating as it should.
Userlevel 7
That one service you see in Task Manager is all that you would normally see.  That is the only background process that will show, unless you have an active scan running.
 
Go ahead and open WSA and manually start a scan.  During the scan, you should now have two processes active.  (Look fast... remember that WSA scans pretty quickly.  The scan process in Task Manager will end and dissapear as soon as the scan is finished, even if the scan progress window is still showing.)
Userlevel 7
@ wrote:
And the tray icon does not appear. To open the interface i need to click on the WSA.exe file, a shortcut to which I have placed on my dewsk-top.The task manager shows the service as being on. I am concernced that I because I have no WSA,exe-uninstall file and the icon does not appear I may have a corrupted installation and the only way I know of removing it is to remove every registry entry and file. Wondering why I didn't get a Captcha first time I attempted to uininstall - during which while Windows uninstaller reported the program as being removed , it wasan't.
The icon may not appear by default.
 
Open WSA
Click on Advanced Settings
Go over all of the options that can be checked here on the first group.  If there is no check for the icon, add it and any others that you need and save changes.
 
As for there being no uninstall file, that is quite normal.  the "-uninstall" on the command to remove WSA is what is called a Command Line Switch.  That passes specific directions to the file being called on, and is not a file itself.  All that means is that the "WSA.exe -uninstall" will access WSA.exe and include a direction to remove WSA.  The uninstaller is built right into the main program and not a separate file.
 
 
Userlevel 4
@ wrote:
@ wrote:
And the tray icon does not appear. To open the interface i need to click on the WSA.exe file, a shortcut to which I have placed on my dewsk-top.The task manager shows the service as being on. I am concernced that I because I have no WSA,exe-uninstall file and the icon does not appear I may have a corrupted installation and the only way I know of removing it is to remove every registry entry and file. Wondering why I didn't get a Captcha first time I attempted to uininstall - during which while Windows uninstaller reported the program as being removed , it wasan't.
The icon may not appear by default.
 
Open WSA
Click on Advanced Settings
Go over all of the options that can be checked here on the first group.  If there is no check for the icon, add it and any others that you need and save changes.
 
As for there being no uninstall file, that is quite normal.  the "-uninstall" on the command to remove WSA is what is called a Command Line Switch.  That passes specific directions to the file being called on, and is not a file itself.  All that means is that the "WSA.exe -uninstall" will access WSA.exe and include a direction to remove WSA.  The uninstaller is built right into the main program and not a separate file.
 
 
I have the box checked :-)
 
The only reason I mentioned the unistall.exe is that a currently posted solution on the Webroot Website suggests a search for that file in Windowes 8 so it couldn't be that ancient.
 
Is there a way to recreate the Command Line Switch or simulate it?
Userlevel 4
@ wrote:
That one service you see in Task Manager is all that you would normally see.  That is the only background process that will show, unless you have an active scan running.
 
Go ahead and open WSA and manually start a scan.  During the scan, you should now have two processes active.  (Look fast... remember that WSA scans pretty quickly.  The scan process in Task Manager will end and dissapear as soon as the scan is finished, even if the scan progress window is still showing.)
In my task manager I show 2 background processes one of which switches to an above the line active process when I open the GUI
 
Scanning is an issue that will have to wait. I use 90 gigs on a 1 Tb drive and a Webroot Scan takes over 25 minutes. It gets caught up for several minutes on a few different files (One file takesa round 5-10 miutes) that I have been meaning to post for your possible anaysisof the problem - it's maddening.
Userlevel 7
For that WIndows 8 question, take a look at THIS LINK.  It describes the run statement a little bit 🙂  That command can be given on command line, but using it in the RUN of Windows works.  You do not need to be at an actual command prompt for it.  My deepest apologies for the confusion on that!
 
 
 
Userlevel 7
@ wrote:
@ wrote:
@ wrote:
And the tray icon does not appear. To open the interface i need to click on the WSA.exe file, a shortcut to which I have placed on my dewsk-top.The task manager shows the service as being on. I am concernced that I because I have no WSA,exe-uninstall file and the icon does not appear I may have a corrupted installation and the only way I know of removing it is to remove every registry entry and file. Wondering why I didn't get a Captcha first time I attempted to uininstall - during which while Windows uninstaller reported the program as being removed , it wasan't.
The icon may not appear by default.
 
Open WSA
Click on Advanced Settings
Go over all of the options that can be checked here on the first group.  If there is no check for the icon, add it and any others that you need and save changes.
 
As for there being no uninstall file, that is quite normal.  the "-uninstall" on the command to remove WSA is what is called a Command Line Switch.  That passes specific directions to the file being called on, and is not a file itself.  All that means is that the "WSA.exe -uninstall" will access WSA.exe and include a direction to remove WSA.  The uninstaller is built right into the main program and not a separate file.
 
 
I have the box checked :-)
 
The only reason I mentioned the unistall.exe is that a currently posted solution on the Webroot Website suggests a search for that file in Windowes 8 so it couldn't be that ancient.
 
Is there a way to recreate the Command Line Switch or simulate it?
If I may, David...adjust what you posted earlier...as follows?
 
"The icon may not appear by default.
 
Open WSA
Click on Advanced Settings
Go over all of the options that can be checked here on the first group.  If there is no check for the icon, add it and any others that you need and save changes. If the 'Show icon in system tray' option IS checked then uncheck it, save the settings and then immediately re-check the option and save AGAIN."
 
May sound a strange thing to do but in some circumstances it 'unstick' the option and the notification tray reappears.
 
Regards, Baldrick
Userlevel 7
Badge +56
@ did you get things sorted? What Win 8.1 are you using? 32bit or 64bit?
 
Thanks,
 
Daniel 😉
Userlevel 4
@ wrote:
@ did you get things sorted? What Win 8.1 are you using? 32bit or 64bit?
 
Thanks,
 
Daniel ;)
Yeah I got all my issues sorted out but not fixed :-)
 
8.1 x 64
 
If I eliminate every registry entry that includes the name webroot and delete all the files in all folders and then do a reinstall why is it that Webroot Does Not Show up in my uninstall or programs list in Windows or any system utility. What am I missing to get rid of to get a proper reinstall of WSA that Windows uninstall list recognizes. My Action Center sees it 🙂 As does my task manager. I just want to get reassurance some way that I have a non corrupted installation. I acknowledge that the problem was probably caused by my not using the Windows uninstaller but rather some hokey utility I'd be ashamed to give you the name of :-)
 
I also need to identify the files that WSA takes 5  minutes+ each  to scan to see if you think its ok to delete them. Is there a Guiness Book Of Records Entry for the Longest WSA Scan of 90 gigs? Mine is 25 minutes. That has to be a record.
Userlevel 7
Badge +56
For the correct answer please Submit a Support Ticket then they will help you and then you can let us know what they came up with as it could help other users.
 
Thanks,
 
Daniel ;)
 
EDIT: Also the default Deep Scan is all you need and should only take 2 or 3 minutes Max.
Userlevel 4
@ wrote:
For the correct answer please Submit a Support Ticket then they will help you and then you can let us know what they came up with as it could help other users.
 
Thanks,
 
Daniel ;)
 
EDIT: Also the default Deep Scan is all you need and should only take 2 or 3 minutes Max.
I use the default scan.
 
It is impossible to remove WSA from my system now.
 
I removed every registry entry with "webroot" in it - is that enuf?
 
I was able to remove every file associated with webroot EXCEPT WEBROOT.EXE because"It was in use by another program." This was so even when I disabled everything possibe from the gui. The webroot installer now does absolutelyt nothing. Before at least it opened the gui. The registry entries remained removed, but WSA still runs. I do have my icon though, which is small consolatation not knowing if I have a corrupt installation of wsa, Because the installer now does nothing I can not repopulate my registry. BUT the services still appear in Task Manager.
 
WTF?????????????????
Userlevel 7
Badge +56
You're messing around with it let support sort it out for you before you have the need to do a clean OS reinstall!
 
Daniel :S
 
EDIT: Also you can't kill the 2 WRSA.exe processes because of it's self protection and your making matters worse so I would not Blame WSA for this issue.
 

Userlevel 4
Is WSA supposed to have browser plug-ins/extensions?
Userlevel 7
Badge +56
Yes the Web Filter extensions for the AV only and Gamer IE, FF & Chrome. WSA-ISP & WSA-Complete has the Password Manager Extension as well.
 
Daniel
Userlevel 4
@ wrote:
Yes the Web Filter extensions for the AV only and Gamer IE, FF & Chrome. WSA-ISP & WSA-Complete has the Password Manager Extension as well.
 
Daniel
Great. I no longer have any.
 
Submittted a support ticket as suggested.
 
Can't uninstall = a rock
 
Can't reinstall = a hard place
 
Well at least my Norton Security is there - maybe.

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