[KB2289] Manually uninstall your ESET product using the ESET uninstaller tool

Issue

You have used the ESET Start Menu uninstaller and continue to have problems uninstalling or reinstalling your ESET product
Your ESET product remains active after uninstallation
Your uninstallation of ESET product fails
Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10, Windows 11, Windows Server 2008 R2, 2012, 2012 R2, 2016, 2019
Windows Vista, Home Server, XP, Windows Server 2003 R2, 2003, 2000

Do not use ESET Uninstaller on Microsoft Azure/Amazon Virtual Machines

The ESET Uninstaller tool should not be used on Microsoft Azure/Amazon Virtual Machines (VMs) because the tool must be run on the machine when in Safe Mode. Microsoft Azure/Amazon VMs do not have RDP connectivity when in Safe Mode, and they lock up when restarting in Safe Mode.

I am a Mac user

Details

Click to expand

You are not required to purchase an additional license to reinstall your ESET product. Your existing license remains functional for the duration of your subscription regardless of how many times you remove or install the product on the computer to which it is registered.

What's new in version 9.0.3.0 of the ESET Uninstaller tool?

Support for cleaning the Driver store
Support for network interface backup before proceeding with any uninstall operation
Changes in the displayed messages (for example, the added version number in ESET Remote Administrator Agent 6.1.365.0)
Added detailed info in logs for easier debugging (for example, function entry/exit)
Supports for Windows Security Center cleaning
Added the /fix-filter-list parameter that can be executed in both standard and Safe Mode

What's new in version 9.0.1.0 of the ESET Uninstaller tool?

Windows Server 2016 compatibility
Windows Server 2019 compatibility
Support for ESET Inspect Agent
Support for ESET Inspect Server
Supports only Windows 7 and newer operating systems

What's new in version 8.0.13.0 of the ESET Uninstaller tool?

Last version supporting Windows XP and Windows Vista

What's new in version 8.0.9.0 of the ESET Uninstaller tool?

Windows 10 RS3 compatibility
Unable to run ESET uninstaller in Normal Mode

What's new in version 8.0.5.0 of the ESET Uninstaller tool?

Support for ESET Mail Security for Microsoft Exchange (6.x)
Support for ESET Mail Security for IBM Domino (6.x)
Support for ESET Security for SharePoint Server (6.x)
Support for ESET File Security (6.x)
Support for ESET Remote Administrator 6.x components: ERA Agent, Server, MDM, Proxy, RD Sensor
The full names of products are now shown when asked which product to uninstall
45 registry keys now removed that were leftover previously
ESET Uninstaller will only run in Safe Mode
Compatibility with ESET Endpoint Encryption (formerly DESlock) drivers

What's new in version 7.0.7.0 of the ESET Uninstaller tool?

The latest version supports the following operating systems: Windows Vista, Home Server, XP, Windows Server 2003 R2, 2003, 2000
Support for Windows 10
Support for ESET NOD32 Antivirus 9.x and ESET Smart Security 9.x

What's new in version 7.0.3.0 of the ESET Uninstaller tool?

Support for ESET Endpoint products version 6.x

What's new in version 7.0.1.0 of the ESET Uninstaller tool?

Support for ESET NOD32 Antivirus 8.x and ESET Smart Security 8.x

Solution

Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10, Windows 11, Windows Server 2008 R2, 2012, 2012 R2, 2016, 2019

Export your settings

Before using the Uninstaller tool, export all ESET product settings. Your settings will not be restored automatically when you reinstall ESET.

Back up network adapter settings

After using the ESET Uninstaller tool, you may be required to reinstall your network adapter drivers. Follow the steps below to back up your network adapter settings and restore them after uninstallation is finished:

Before running the Uninstaller Tool: Open an administrative command prompt and type the following command to back up your network adapter settings:
- netsh -c interface dump > C:\NetworkSettings.txt
After uninstallation is complete: Reinstall your network adapter drivers if necessary and then open an administrative command prompt and type the following command to restore your network adapter settings:
- netsh -f C:\NetworkSettings.txt

Download the ESET Uninstaller and save it to your computer.
Restart your computer in Safe Mode.

Start Windows in Safe Mode to run ESET Uninstaller Tool

You must start Windows in Safe Mode to run the ESET Uninstaller tool. If you start Windows in Normal Mode, ESET Uninstaller will not proceed:

Figure 1-1

Windows 11 users with Microsoft account

If you are using Windows 11, logged in to your Microsoft account, and attempt to start ESET Uninstaller tool from your Desktop, a "This file cannot be accessed by the system" error message will appear.

To resolve this issue, move the ESET Uninstaller .exe file from your Desktop to a different folder on your disk that is not synced with OneDrive (for example, Documents in C:\Users\Documents).
In Safe Mode, double-click the installer file you saved to your computer in step 1 to run ESET Uninstaller tool. If you want to use the Advanced user commands below, open an Administrative command prompt first and then change to the relevant directory.

Advanced user commands

(To view a full list of available commands for the ESET Uninstaller, type ESETUninstaller.exe /help and press the Enter key.

- If you are removing ESET products from bootable media, you will be asked if you want to remove ESET files from each available partition separately.
- /mode=offline specifies the uninstallation mode for CD and USB drives.
- /mode=online specifies hard disks. You may rarely need to use the /mode=online parameter to force the ESET product file deletions if the ESET Uninstaller does not detect your bootable media automatically.
- /force removes all present ESET products and components (including ERA components) without being prompted; run the uninstaller with the /force parameter
- Sometimes, the ESET Uninstaller tool must be launched by typing ESETUninstaller.exe /reinst into the command line and pressing the Enter key. The ESET Uninstaller utility will prompt you if the switch is necessary.

If you are prompted to use the ESETUninstaller.exe /reinst command, your Network Interface Card settings will be reset. We recommend that you record your network settings somewhere to easily reconfigure them after running the uninstaller tool.

Read the warning and type y to confirm.

Figure 1-2
Review the items listed under Installed ESET products. Type the number that corresponds to the ESET installation that should be uninstalled and press the Enter key.

Figure 1-3
Verify that you are uninstalling the correct ESET product from the operating system and type y to confirm.

Figure 1-4
After the ESET Uninstaller tool has finished running, press any key to exit (or type q and then press any key).
If needed, run the ESET Uninstaller again until the product is no longer listed under Installed ESET products.

Figure 1-5
Restart your computer in Normal Mode. The uninstaller writes a log of all its processes to the ~ESETUninstaller.log file (located in the same folder as the ESETUninstaller.exe file) for future reference.

Figure 1-6
Click the link below that corresponds to your ESET product for help with reinstallation. If you continue to experience issues with reinstallation, delete the ehdrv driver using device manager and then repeat the steps above to run the ESET Uninstaller application again. Since ESET is designed as a security application, in some instances, multiple attempts are required to uninstall the product completely.

Windows Vista, Home Server, XP, Windows Server 2003 R2, 2003, 2000

Export your settings

Before using the manual uninstaller, export all ESET product settings. Your settings will not be restored automatically when you reinstall ESET.

Back up network adapter settings

After using the ESET Uninstaller Tool, you may be required to reinstall your network adapter drivers. Follow the steps below to back up your network adapter settings and restore them after uninstallation is finished:

Before running the Uninstaller Tool: Open an administrative command prompt and enter the following command to back up your network adapter settings:
- netsh -c interface dump > C:\NetworkSettings.txt
After uninstallation is complete: Reinstall your network adapter drivers if necessary and then open an administrative command prompt and enter the following command to restore your network adapter settings:
- netsh -f C:\NetworkSettings.txt

Download ESET Uninstaller (legacy version 7.0.7.0) and save it to your computer.
Restart your computer in Safe Mode.

Start Windows in Safe Mode to run ESET Uninstaller Tool

You must start Windows in Safe Mode to run the ESET Uninstaller tool. If you start Windows in Normal Mode, ESET Uninstaller will not proceed:

Figure 2-1
Double-click the ESET Uninstaller icon.

Advanced user commands

(To view a full list of available commands for the ESET Uninstaller, type ESETUninstaller.exe /help and press the Enter key.

If you are removing ESET products from bootable media, you will be asked if you want to remove ESET files from each available partition separately.
/mode=offline specifies the uninstallation mode for CD and USB drives.
/mode=online specifies hard disks. You may rarely need to use the /mode=onlineparameter to force the ESET product file deletions if the ESET Uninstaller does not detect your bootable media automatically.
/force removes all present ESET products and components (including ERA components) without being prompted; run the uninstaller with the /force parameter
Sometimes, the ESET Uninstaller tool must be launched by typing ESETUninstaller.exe /reinst into the command line and pressing Enter. The ESET Uninstaller utility will prompt you if the switch is necessary.

Read the warning and type y to confirm.

Figure 2-2
Review the items listed under Installed ESET products, type the number corresponding to the ESET installation in this list that you want to remove and press the Enter key.

Figure 2-3
Type y to confirm your selection.

Figure 2-4
After the tool finishes (if needed), run the ESET Uninstaller tool again until you see "no detected AV products installed" to ensure that all previous AV products were removed.
Press any key to exit and then restart your computer in Normal Mode.
- The uninstaller writes a log of all its processes to the ~ESETUninstaller.log file (located in the same folder as the ESETUnistaller.exe file) for future reference.
Figure 2-5
Click the link below that corresponds to your ESET product for help with reinstallation. If you continue to experience issues with reinstallation, repeat the steps above to run the ESET Uninstaller application again. Because ESET is designed as a security application, in some instances, multiple attempts are required to uninstall the product completely.

Last Updated: Mar 14, 2023