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Monday, March 01, 2010

Credant mobile guardian uninstall

Since we all used to have laptops, the company had asked us to install a new software, Credant mobile guardian, for encrypting data on the hard disk. After installing it, the restart dialog kept coming as many times as it was rebooted.
Finally, frustrated, I renamed the file name in c:\Windows\System32\CmgShieldUI.exe to CmgShieldUI_.exe and CmgShieldSvc.exe to CmgShieldSvc_.exe
Then, kill CmgShieldUI.exe from task manager (For n00bs out there, 'kill' means 'End process').
Hover over the tray icon & it disappears!
Also it might be a good idea to remove these from startup (msconfig).

P.S. If you noticed, I didn't really uninstall, but just hacked my way through to disable the damn thing. This procedure should work with pretty much any software that's annoying the same way this one does.

8 comments:

  1. thanks this works.

    have you also found how to disable it from starting on boot?

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  2. As mentioned already, remove it through msconfig. See this for more info http://www.ehow.com/how_4831800_disable-startup-items-using-msconfig.html

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  3. WORKS GREAT, be sure to rename all the .exe associated to credent! good stuff :)

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  4. Thanks for the information. Kindly let me know what is the effect of the encryption status after renaming the .exe files in System32. Anyone can access my data if my laptop is stolen? Basically, I have a problem that I can browse through my documents and open them only when I login to my company user account, whereas the access is denied to all 'My Documents' files when using the secondary user account (administrator account). So, I thought of uninstalling credant shield so as I can open all the documents using both the user account. Kindly help. Thanks.

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  5. @shynaz: The "procedure" I mentioned is not an uninstallation, but rather is a hack to stop the annoying popups from that software.
    1. what is the effect of the encryption status after renaming the .exe files in System32
    * I'm no expert here, but from from my understanding, whatever's been encrypted until then would continue to be encrypted. New files won't get encrypted since the encryption process has now been turned off.
    2. Anyone can access my data if my laptop is stolen?
    * No, they'll have to hack your Windows password first, unless no data was encrypted by then. Encryption takes a while, so if you haven't given enough time for encryption then data isn't encrypted.
    3. I have a problem that I can browse through my documents and open them only when I login to my company user account, whereas the access is denied to all 'My Documents' files when using the secondary user account (administrator account). So, I thought of uninstalling credant shield so as I can open all the documents using both the user account.
    * As already mentioned earlier, this is just a hack & not a proper uninstallation. If you really want to uninstall, talk to your IT people & get the software uninstalled (although I'd guess that might not be so easy given stringent security measures being taken by companies these days).

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  6. @ Anand, thank you for all the information. As I have left my company, talking to my company IT is not possible. Anyway, thanks.

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  7. I renamed the files, but now when Windows starts, the Credant file box appears saying that it is unable to start. Then everything stops. Locks keyboard. Have to use switch to turn off.
    Any ideas? I can remove the hard drive and access it as an external drive, but don't know what I would need to change or remove. Can't get to msconfig on an external drive.
    Thanks for any help.

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  8. @Anonymous: Your situation seems like a bad one. You won't be able to access msconfig unless you boot from that drive.
    I'm sorry, but I can't recommend any suggestions now since I don't have Credant installed on my system anymore so can't try out anything. Also I've migrated to Linux - no more Windows!
    B.t.w. if you noticed, my above blog post is very old! It's probable they've enhanced their software in past few years to overcome my hack.
    Anyways, since you're able to access as external drive, I think safest approach is to rename the files back & living with the pain of having Credant installed.
    However, do let me know in case you managed to find any way to disable.
    Hint: You may try 'google'ing for "msconfig in slave drive"

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