Comodo firewall always fails at startup

[rigo]

@cherold post:1

Comodo Firewall is set to start with Windows (7). Every time I start my computer, I get a dialouge box labeled “Comodo Firewall” with the message:
“Comodo Security Agent could not be started. Would you like to run diagnostics to fix this error?” If I run diagnostics, it tells me it can’t find a problem, so I generally don’t run it; I just start Comodo manually.

There is a fix for this exact problem/error messages. This bug is due to improper uninstall/clean up by Comodo uninstaller and mods uninstall tools, since late versions of Comodo 7 to latest v8.

https://forums.comodo.com/install-setup-configuration-help-cis/most-effective-way-to-reinstallupdate-cis-to-avoidfix-problems-t58620.105.html

@rigo post:118

This is for those that still have problems after using the removal tools. Problem is the left over Comodo stuff in registry which seems to be corrupted/locked/unable to delete and some Comodo files.

In my case installing Deep Freeze (now using an alternative Shadow Defender, until Comodo devs fix this compat issue, in Win8/8.1 Comodo+DeepFreeze works great). Installing DeepFreeze in Win7 causes 2 Comodo pop-up error messages on Windows startup. If you get these error messages Comodo will be unusable due to Firewall and HIPS losing/missing rules after rebooting with same 2 error messages on startup everytime. Even if you uninstall, removal tools and install Comodo again.

My Deep Freeze bug report
https://forums.comodo.com/format-verified-issue-reports-cis/comodo-firewall-7-error-after-installing-faronics-deep-freeze-81-m1213-t106796.0.html

Someone elses bug report without Deep Freeze(?) but same error messages
https://forums.comodo.com/format-verified-issue-reports-cis/comodo-security-agent-could-not-be-started-error-every-time-comp-boots-m1315-t107597.0.html

=================================================================================

For Windows 7. This should work the same way on Windows 8/8.1. Cleaning the remaining Comodo registry and drivers with Chirons uninstall/removal tools and manual cleaning should all be done in Safe Mode.

1. Uninstall Comodo in Windows, restart. Restart once more into Safe Mode.

2. Run Chirons tools, you’ll see some “error access denied” while it’s cleaning, see first screenshot attached below.

A) Open device manager click on “View”, select “Show hidden devices”, expand “Non-Plug and Play Drivers”.
Uninstall all the Comodo drivers “COMODO Internet Security Firewall Driver, COMODO Internet Security Helper Driver” etc. close device manager. See screenshot

Thanks to EricJH for this step. Though uninstalling these does not remove the Legacy keys in registry as EricJH noted.
B) open Device Manager from the command prompt using the following two commands (uninstall all COMODO drivers like previous step):
set devmgr_show_nonpresent_devices=1
start devmgmt.msc

4. Open Windows explorer and search for “comodo”, it found (delete them):
   “COMODO” folder in C:\Program Files
   “Comodo” folder in C:\ProgramData
   “Comodo Downloader” folder in C:\ProgramData
   “ComodoInternetSecurityCEF.evtx” in C:\Windows\System3winevt\Logs
   “ComodoInternetSecurityTrace.evtx” in C:\Windows\System3winevt\Logs
   “ComodoInternetSecurity.evtx” in C:\Windows\System3winevt\Logs

5. Run reg cleaner like in CCleaner. After that search for “comodo” in regedit, it will find many comodo related keys like Comodo, ComodoGroup, LEGACY_CMDERD, LEGACY_CMDGAURD, LEGACY_CMDHLP, LEGACY_INSPECT, CMDAgent.

Delete them all and write down or take a picture of each reg key that were giving error on delete (you will need it for the next step with another regedit tool that doesn’t have search). Running regedit as admin/setting permissions/system account/PSExec etc. still will not allow you to delete the remaining Comodo reg keys. See the next four attached screen shots.

6. To delete the remaining reg keys that were giving errors on delete you need to regedit outside of Windows from a recovery boot disk, only Lazesoft Recovery Suite Home Free Edition worked for me link below (you need a cd or burn ISO to USB stick or use USB multiboot like Yumi or Easy2Boot).
   WhatSoftware • Unbiased Software Reviews for You
   http://lazesoft.com/
   YUMI Multiboot USB Software ✅ Boot Windows or Linux Easy
   Welcome to PG88

“There does seem to be a slight bug on some systems where the main 4 keys in the editor (SAM, SECURITY, SOFTWARE, SYSTEM) will be empty, although there is a simple solution to get around this. Close the editor and also the Windows Recovery window so you’re back at the Recovery Suite Home screen, then just click on the Windows Recovery button, select the operating system again and then go back into the registry editor. This worked every time.”

Double check by restarting back in Safe Mode, if you still find ANYTHING Comodo related run the steps again. Restart and keep checking until your system is clean, I usually get it right on first try. Installing Comodo (not in Safe Mode) and you still get error messages then you must start all over as you missed something.