How do you uninstall Webroot from Windows 8???

  • 17 September 2014
  • 29 replies
  • 1123 views

I'm having trouble uninstalling Webroot from my laptop that is currently running on Windows 8.1. The program does not appear in the Programs list when I go to Control Panel to try uninstalling a program. Please help!!!!

29 replies

Userlevel 7
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@ wrote:
I'm having trouble uninstalling Webroot from my laptop that is currently running on Windows 8.1. The program does not appear in the Programs list when I go to Control Panel to try uninstalling a program. Please help!!!!
Hi kriskroz79!
 
Welocme to the Community Forum!
 
Please do the following:
 
For Windows 8:
  1. Move your cursor to the bottom right of the screen to open the Charm Bar menu.  
  2. Click Search, then type the following into the Start Search bar, exactly as it appears below. Note: This path is for the default location. If you installed the program elsewhere, be sure to modify the path accordingly. "C:Program FilesWebrootWRSA.exe" –uninstall  
  3. Press the Enter key on your keyboard.  
  4. When prompted to uninstall, click Yes.
If neither of the methods above is successful, please repeat the steps in Windows Safe Mode.  We recommend you print these instructions, then click here for information on starting your computer in Safe Mode.
 
Please let us know if you need more help!
 
Best Regards,
Userlevel 7
Apologies, again, for butting in Sherry...but it is worth mentioning that one needs to run the command with elevated rigjts, i.e., either logged on as anadministrator or opening a CMD dialog by right clicking on it and choosing 'Run as Admimistrator' from the context menu displayed.
 
Regards, Baldrick
Userlevel 7
Badge +62
@ wrote:
Apologies, again, for butting in Sherry...but it is worth mentioning that one needs to run the command with elevated rigjts, i.e., either logged on as anadministrator or opening a CMD dialog by right clicking on it and choosing 'Run as Admimistrator' from the context menu displayed.
 
Regards, Baldrick
Hello Baldrick!
 
Of course I don't mind I appreciate the much needed help!
 
 
😉
Download Process Explorer and Autoruns from microsoft technet. Run them as Administrator. Find any running instances of WRSA.exe and kill the process tree. Delete them from Autoruns. Run regedit, edit > find [search for and delete anything WRData, webroot, WRSA.]  Open Windows Explorer, adjust folder options > view tab > show hidden files and show protected operating system files. look in ALL user/appdata / local, local low and roaming. Look in C:/Program Files, look in C:/Program Files (x86), Look in C:/Program Data. This is how I just cleansed and disinfected a customer's Windows 8.1 laptop of this rather loathsome malware.
Userlevel 7
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Hello bsdxlr8r,
 
Welcome to the Community Forum,
 
That's a shame because the instructions I gave in this post should of uninstalled Webroot quite easily.
 
 
 
 
Kind Regards,
Re: How do you uninstall Webroot from Windows 8???
Userlevel 7
Badge +62
Hello @.
 
Welcome to the Community Forum,
 
Please do this if you cannot uninstall from the Control Panel/Programs/Add Remove/Uninstall Webroot.
 
Please do the following:
 
For Windows 8:
  1. Move your cursor to the bottom right of the screen to open the Charm Bar menu.  
  2. Click Search, then type the following into the Start Search bar, exactly as it appears below. Note: This path is for the default location. If you installed the program elsewhere, be sure to modify the path accordingly. "C:Program FilesWebrootWRSA.exe" –uninstall  
  3. Press the Enter key on your keyboard.  
  4. When prompted to uninstall, click Yes.
If neither of the methods above is successful, please repeat the steps in Windows Safe Mode.  We recommend you print these instructions, then click here for information on starting your computer in Safe Mode.
 
 
 
Kind Regards,
Interesting that you say that, Sherry. I have a Win 8.1 computer that I can't completely remove Webroot inorder to install another antivirus.

I uninstalled Webroot using REVO Uninstaller, tried your method using the command above in both normal and safe mode but your files persist. I'm unable to remove them in Safe Mode because it continues to run so changing ownership or using a program like File Assasin are not effective.  Autoruns was able to kill some of the files but there's at least 3 that prompt with an error that the file can not be changed.
Userlevel 7
Badge +62
Hello ?,
 
Welcome to the Webroot Community,
 
Sorry to hear you are experiencing this issue.
 
My best advice from here is to Contact Support and they will take care of this for you.
 
Support Number: 1-866-612-4227
Support Ticket: https://detail.webrootanywhere.com/servicewelcome.asp
 
? do you have anything to add?
  
 
Userlevel 7
If you did not run the removal tools you used as 'Admin', is Safe Mode, you might try that, but other than that I would suggest contacting Support.  It is VERY unusual to have such an issue removing WSA, especially in Safe Mode.
Yes, everything was done with admin credentials or software run as an admin.
 
This is not the first time I've encountered issues with getting rid of Webroot to facilitate the installation of a replacement A/V.
 
Why doesn't your removal tool remove WRSA.exe from programfiles or any of the folders in ProgramData and in the Appdata folders?
Userlevel 7
Badge +3
In case overlooked just to add...reboot after uninstall.  
 
There is no removal tool for WSA.
 
It is rarely necessary to uninstall WSA in order to install another AV.
Userlevel 7
Well, like I said, it is rather unusual to have this issue.  I happen to Beta test, and so I average uninstalling and re-installing at least once a week.  Every time I uninstall, EVERYTHING is removed... the folders, the contents, everything.
 
I do not use only the Beta either... often I install the current release so that I can verify a problem we see on the Community, then uninstall that and go back to the Beta.
 
I am sorry you are having issues, but I really cannot explain it.
FWIW, when I run the uninstall command listed above I simply get no response from it. 
Userlevel 7
@ wrote:
FWIW, when I run the uninstall command listed above I simply get no response from it. 
Well, if you used Revo to uninstall it first, that is exactly what I would expect.  The command line refers to the main executable, which would have been removed via Revo.  
 
Did you use Revo first?
Yes
Userlevel 7
Badge +62
Hi ?,
 
Will you have a look at this Thread and see if ? information can assist you?
 
Sorry for jumping in here ? I didn't see your posts..
Userlevel 7
OH.  That is of course the problem. 
 
WSA actually DOES correctly uninstall itself, and remove it's folders.  I know.. rare for a program, and thus Revo exists, but really please do not use Revo to attempt to remove WSA.  
 
That is why the WSA remove directions failed.  Revo removed the main executable, which the uninstall uses.
 
Please re-install WSA
Then uninstall WSA from the control panel.  No need to bother with the command line... it does the exact same thing.
 
I THINK that will solve your issue, but please let me know if it does not.
Userlevel 7
No worries ? I think we were typing at the same time!  Your post was well researched... nice post!
Userlevel 7
Badge +62
Well I learn something everyday! Yours was a good post about reinstalling. That was on my mind but didn't understand how Revo worked and how the uninstaller should work! 😃
Do you have a link to where I can download it again? We were given a disk but there's no CD drive in this machine.
Userlevel 7
Just look down at my signature line 🙂  I have the link to the standard versions AND the link if yours is a Best Buy Subscription version 🙂
Bummer, that was the same link I was trying earlier but it just brings up the Webroot SecureAnywhere application saying the PC is protected.
Userlevel 7
The download link will not bring up WSA's main panel.  At this point, I think you might want to just submit the Trouble Ticket and allow Webroot Support to assist you... I am not sure there is much more I can do at this point
Alright, I followed the suggestion in the linked thread to actually type in the command rather than copy/paste and I'm no longer seeing Webroot running in the system tray. :D
 
And I'm now able to get F-secure installed!
 
Thanks and lesson learned. No more Revo with Webroot! :)
 
 
PS: The link apparently does open it when it's still installed. I tried it 3 separate times.

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