Panda can't be uninstalled!

[XistenZ]

I'm trying to install F-secure instead of Panda Global Protection 2016. During the installation it complains about Panda being installed and it can't continue.

I've of course uninstalled it through add/remove programs. I found several folders all over the computer with "Panda Software" and the like, which I removed (they were located in Program Files, appData/Roaming etc). I also removed any instance of Panda I could find in the registry.
Panda also provides a "removal-tool" that of course is as much piece of junk as their program. It didn't work.

So, how to get rid of this malware that is Panda? It obviously infected the computer completely but I feel like a reinstallation shouldn't be necessary to get rid of "legit" software.

 

[thejackal85]

It sounds like one or more of the services of Panda were not uninstalled. Try this, click Start>Run and type in services.msc, this will open a box that contains all the services your computer is running in alphabetical order. See if there are any Panda services still running, and if there are, stop them, disable them as a service and restart when you're done and try again.

 

[XistenZ]

It sounds like one or more of the services of Panda were not uninstalled. Try this, click Start>Run and type in services.msc, this will open a box that contains all the services your computer is running in alphabetical order. See if there are any Panda services still running, and if there are, stop them, disable them as a service and restart when you're done and try again.

Thanks for the suggestion! But, sorry to say there's no service connected to Panda running

 

[thejackal85]

Are you sure? Panda could have installed a variety of services that may not be listed as or related to anything Panda (i.e. security service, activeshield, etc).

 

[clarkjd]

Did you use the Panda Uninstall first or did you use Add/Remove programs first? In general, it is better to use the manufacturer's uninstall as it knows everything to remove. However, if you did Add/remove programs first, then you removed most, but not all of Panda so the the panda uninstall can't find everything it thinks should be there and therefore can't finish the uninstall. Anti Virus programs are very picky about how they are uninstalled. If it were easy, then some malware could just uninstall the AV. You may have to re-install Panda, then use it's uninstall to get everything cleaned out, and even that might not work.

As a last resort, you may be able to contact Panda..

 

[XistenZ]

Are you sure? Panda could have installed a variety of services that may not be listed as or related to anything Panda (i.e. security service, activeshield, etc).

Well if they rename their services to something obscure like that then no, I'm not sure I was looking for anything containing "Panda", "Global" and "Protection", not just anything that starts with Panda so I thought I was being thorough. Quick google trying to find out which services installs along with Panda yields no results so I wouldn't know what to look for...

Did you use the Panda Uninstall first or did you use Add/Remove programs first? In general, it is better to use the manufacturer's uninstall as it knows everything to remove. However, if you did Add/remove programs first, then you removed most, but not all of Panda so the the panda uninstall can't find everything it thinks should be there and therefore can't finish the uninstall. Anti Virus programs are very picky about how they are uninstalled. If it were easy, then some malware could just uninstall the AV. You may have to re-install Panda, then use it's uninstall to get everything cleaned out, and even that might not work.

As a last resort, you may be able to contact Panda..

I removed it first, using IObits uninstaller which should take most residual files that the original uninstaller just leaves behind. I actually didn't know Panda had their own tool until I ran into problems
I also tried finding more crapfiles using MalwareBytes, which gave no result.

Guess the best bet would be to reinstall and use the tool. I fear customerservice which would take a month of "did you try a reboot" until they conclude they messed up and I have to reinstall the computer anyway

 

[XistenZ]

Nevermind! I was just sloppy, I didn't check under "user/appData/Local", I only deleted it from "user/appData/Roaming". That was their final line of defense, now the F-secure installer finished

 

[thejackal85]

Nice! Glad to see you got it uninstalled! Don't forget to select best answer!

 

[XistenZ]

Nice! Glad to see you got it uninstalled! Don't forget to select best answer!

Feel free to add a post that says "check appData/Local as well as appData/Roaming" can't select my own posts as answers