Assigned ZAL - How to safely remove driver after uninstall?

[boombastik]

If anyone want to uninstall the zemana beta u must:
1)uninstall zemana from control panel
2)restart the machine
3)run the below code as cmd file

@echo off
sc config amdrv start= disabled
net stop amdrv /y
sc delete amdrv
reg delete "HKCU\Software\Zemana" /f
reg delete "HKCU\Software\ZmnGlobalSDK" /f
reg delete "HKLM\Software\Zemana" /f
reg delete "HKLM\Software\ZmnGlobalSDK" /f
takeown /f "%WINDIR%\System32\drivers\amdrv.sys" /a
icacls "%WINDIR%\System32\drivers\amdrv.sys" /grant:r Administrators:F /c
del "%WINDIR%\System32\drivers\amdrv.sys" /s /f /q
takeown /f "%ProgramFiles(x86)%\Zemana" /a /r /d y
icacls "%ProgramFiles(x86)%\Zemana" /inheritance:r /grant:r Administrators:(OI)(CI)F /t /c
rd "%ProgramFiles(x86)%\Zemana" /s /q
rd "%LocalAppData%\Zemana" /s /q

 

[plat]

Thank you very much for this valuable info, boombastik, there were indeed some remnants! For me, it was necessary to disable OSArmor due to the block rules for takeown and xcads/cads so the cmd routine was re-run and was successful.

 

[conceptualclarity]

I have found that programs' own uninstallers are not reliable about removing drivers, and neither are Revo and the other third-party uninstallers. I wrestled with this issue when I was frustrated that O&O drivers from a program I hadn't even used were hanging around and causing blue screens after I uninstalled the program. I was pissed, so I shredded those drivers, and next thing you know I can't boot my computer. That lasted a good while. I had to get AtlBo's help to add the drivers back temporarily. The problem was in the registry. Through the registry Windows was married to the autostart of those drivers.

Within the last two years I reluctantly uninstalled ZAM because of too many blue screens. The uninstall left the offending driver behind. What I do these days in a situation like that is run RegScanner by NirSoft. I first use RegEdit to make an up-to-date full registry backup (Export). I then use RegScanner to make a thorough purge of the program (zemana in this case) and I particularly scan for the name of the driver(s). Only after cleaning up the program leftovers in the registry do I deal with the driver. I move it from system32 to a non-sensitive folder. Only after verifying that my bootups are OK do I shred the driver.

It pays to be aware of driver installation when you install a new software. Ideally for reference you should use one of those programs that monitors and records all file/folder and registry activity during the installation. Maybe it's not realistic to do that with every little program, but with ones that are sure to install drivers, like security programs, you should.

 

[oldschool]

I had both ZAL and ZAM3 beta installed and had a small but noticeable spike in CPU usage, so I have uninstalled both. Thanks to Zemana for their recent efforts , however, I will wait for the finished product before using it again. Thanks also to @boombastik & @TairikuOkami for your help: your code worked perfectly! :notworthy: Remember: "If @oldschool can do it, anyone can do it!

 

[Vasudev]

I have found that programs' own uninstallers are not reliable about removing drivers, and neither are Revo and the other third-party uninstallers. I wrestled with this issue when I was frustrated that O&O drivers from a program I hadn't even used were hanging around and causing blue screens after I uninstalled the program. I was pissed, so I shredded those drivers, and next thing you know I can't boot my computer. That lasted a good while. I had to get AtlBo's help to add the drivers back temporarily. The problem was in the registry. Through the registry Windows was married to the autostart of those drivers.

Within the last two years I reluctantly uninstalled ZAM because of too many blue screens. The uninstall left the offending driver behind. What I do these days in a situation like that is run RegScanner by NirSoft. I first use RegEdit to make an up-to-date full registry backup (Export). I then use RegScanner to make a thorough purge of the program (zemana in this case) and I particularly scan for the name of the driver(s). Only after cleaning up the program leftovers in the registry do I deal with the driver. I move it from system32 to a non-sensitive folder. Only after verifying that my bootups are OK do I shred the driver.

It pays to be aware of driver installation when you install a new software. Ideally for reference you should use one of those programs that monitors and records all file/folder and registry activity during the installation. Maybe it's not realistic to do that with every little program, but with ones that are sure to install drivers, like security programs, you should.

To cleanup driver remnants use Driver Store explorer. I'm trying Wise Program uninstaller, its faster than revo free and deletes all remnants.

 

[oldschool]

It took me all of 1 minute to run the code. Poof! Gone.

 

[conceptualclarity]

To cleanup driver remnants use Driver Store explorer. I'm trying Wise Program uninstaller, its faster than revo free and deletes all remnants.

The main problem I was getting at was Windows being married to an autostart of a driver. I'm surprised nobody else mentions experiencing that, but I'm glad you haven't. As I said when that happens, without undoing that marriage in the registry, you can find yourself unable to boot your computer when you remove a driver. Does Driver Store Explorer deal with the registry?

I tried using the well-known program Autoruns to remove the autostarts of drivers, but I found that didn't work. I had to resort to registry editing.

 

[Vasudev]

The main problem I was getting at was Windows being married to an autostart of a driver. I'm surprised nobody else mentions experiencing that, but I'm glad you haven't. As I said when that happens, without undoing that marriage in the registry, you can find yourself unable to boot your computer when you remove a driver. Does Driver Store Explorer deal with the registry?

I tried using the well-known program Autoruns to remove the autostarts of drivers, but I found that didn't work. I had to resort to registry editing.

No, It just removes the driver entirely from Windows driver store otherwise upon reboot windows installs that faulty driver again and again.
I never had a problem with dangling drivers services in autostart, then again I used autoruns to delete them or even use ESO to delete them with trustedinstaller permission using NSudo.