Symantec Prevents Win Update autorun.dll run from File Explorer

Background: IT allows me to keep the Sr. Center Windows 10 computers updated. Between the last update I did and this past week, IT installed Symantec on them.

Problem: Last week, while the lab isn’t being used all that much, I decided to update those computers using UUPDump and a “repair” install.

Whoops! I get the message that Symantec has disallowed File Explorer to run “autorun.dll”! Do what!?!? So, I call IT Jim and he said, yes, he’d installed Symantec and to just stop it from running. If that didn’t work, just uninstall Symantec.

OK, so, stopping Symantec didn’t work (same message), nor did uninstalling Symantec through Windows Uninstall (same message)!

CleanWipe ( Uninstall Endpoint Protection with the CleanWipe utility ) may take care of the problem, but I’m hoping for something that would create a little less work for those in IT.

Any ideas, folks? I’m flummoxed, but if I have to, I’ll go this route. I just want to explore other fixes first.

Well, Wynona, for years I used Symantec Norton suite. However it became more and more problematic to the point I uninstalled it and have been using Defender since win 10 first appeared on the scene. Norton had gotten to point that I couldn’t update any program - it kept interfering with all updates - not related to Windows but other programs.

magilla said:

Well, Wynona, for years I used Symantec Norton suite. However it became more and more problematic to the point I uninstalled it and have been using Defender since win 10 first appeared on the scene. Norton had gotten to point that I couldn’t update any program - it kept interfering with all updates - not related to Windows but other programs.

Yeah, when I was researching, I found problems with updating as far back as 2014. So, I'm going to suggest to IT Jim that he allow me to take it off completely; that it's not worth it to have it on these computers.

@Wynona -

Exactly what name and version of the Norton software is giving you trouble?
What is the exact error code and/or message?
Is it from Norton or Windows 10?

TIA

magilla said:

Norton had gotten to point that I couldn’t update any program - it kept interfering with all updates - not related to Windows but other programs.

Which Norton (Symantec) product?

Kindly provide some examples about this "interference."

Thanks.

Compumind said:

@Wynona -

Exactly what name and version of the Norton software is giving you trouble?
What is the exact error code and/or message?
Is it from Norton or Windows 10?

TIA

Like I said, Symantec is the installation, not Norton (not installed) preventing autorun.dll from doing its job. IT told me Symantec had been installed, and yes, it was what was preventing autorun.dll from running.

There was no error code that I remember; however, there was a three line notice that Symantec was preventing File Explorer from running autorun.dll.

If the notice was from Windows 10, I've never seen one like that before. Regardless, Jim from IT told me this is a known issue with Symantec. From my research this morning, it looks like this is/has been an ongoing issue with Symantec at least since 2014.

Having explained the above, I have to say I'm not where I can get to the computers until Monday morning. Since these are all donated computers, it could be that Jim installed an older version of Symantec, but I doubt it, since AV is so important.

And finally, I tried updating two Windows 10 Pro computers and one Windows 10 Home computer and got the same message on all three of them.

Even completely uninstalling Symantec didn't work; I still got the message, but it kinda looks like just uninstalling through Windows 10 doesn't get all its tentacles.

Have you read this information? Uninstall Endpoint Protection with the CleanWipe utility

Jacee said:

Have you read this information? Uninstall Endpoint Protection with the CleanWipe utility

Yes. In fact, I copied it to a Word Document so I could print it. Thing is, because of the following warning, I was hoping to be able to find another solution before going to this extreme.

WARNING: Symantec Technical Support does not recommend using CleanWipe the first time you have uninstallation trouble. You should only use CleanWipe as a last resort when the usual uninstallation methods are unsuccessful.

Of course, so far, regular uninstallation didn't work. So I may have to go there.

@Wynona -

You mentioned Symantec, so I will presume that it is the Endpoint Protection product.
If so, perhaps this can be of help...

Symantec Endpoint PProtection blocked explorer.exe from accessing autoRun.inf

If you wish to cleanly uninstall and reinstall -

Uninstall Endpoint Protection with the CleanWipe utility

Please let me know.

Thanks.

Have you checked services for symatec or any of its products? If there
you may have to force stop them to uninstall.