Firewall Uninstall Nightmare: BSOD Loop

Comodo Internet Security - CIS Firewall Help - CIS
#1

Last week I tried to install the latest Comodo firewall update. I also had installed Avira Antivirus, Malwarebytes, Emsisoft Antimalware, & Spyware Blaster. My OS is XP Sp3.

The install was very messy and incomplete. Certain files refused to load. At the same time, Avira also had a major new update, which had a lot of problems. After multiple attempts to uninstall Comodo and then reinstall, I gave up and decided to uninstall it permanently. This was not a clean uninstall, despite my best efforts.

I then tried to install PC Tools firewall, whereupon I began to get looped BSODs. I can now only operate in Safe Mode.

The following are the 2 disparate minidump reports recovered by the Blue Screen View program. The first occurred more than 7 times, the second twice.

What is the safest way to correct this problem?

==================================================
Dump File : Mini102511-01.dmp
Crash Time : 10/25/2011 1:33:49 PM
Bug Check String : SYSTEM_THREAD_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED
Bug Check Code : 0x1000007e
Parameter 1 : 0xc0000005
Parameter 2 : 0xf735c3d4
Parameter 3 : 0xf798acc4
Parameter 4 : 0xf798a9c0
Caused By Driver : inspect.sys
Caused By Address : inspect.sys+c3d4
File Description : COMODO Internet Security Firewall Driver
Product Name : COMODO Internet Security Firewall Driver
Company : COMODO
File Version : 4, 1, 149672, 916
Processor : 32-bit
Crash Address : inspect.sys+c3d4
Stack Address 1 : inspect.sys+10c78
Stack Address 2 : inspect.sys+10c78
Stack Address 3 : inspect.sys+10c78
Computer Name :
Full Path : C:\WINDOWS\Minidump\Mini102511-01.dmp
Processors Count : 1
Major Version : 15
Minor Version : 2600
Dump File Size : 90,112

==================================================
Dump File : Mini102111-02.dmp
Crash Time : 10/21/2011 11:02:50 PM
Bug Check String : DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL
Bug Check Code : 0x100000d1
Parameter 1 : 0x00000018
Parameter 2 : 0x00000002
Parameter 3 : 0x00000001
Parameter 4 : 0xf735c716
Caused By Driver : inspect.sys
Caused By Address : inspect.sys+c716
File Description : COMODO Internet Security Firewall Driver
Product Name : COMODO Internet Security Firewall Driver
Company : COMODO
File Version : 4, 1, 149672, 916
Processor : 32-bit
Crash Address : inspect.sys+c716
Stack Address 1 :
Stack Address 2 :
Stack Address 3 :
Computer Name :
Full Path : C:\WINDOWS\Minidump\Mini102111-02.dmp
Processors Count : 1
Major Version : 15
Minor Version : 2600
Dump File Size : 90,112

#2

Hi Ginnie,
To uninstall a left over inspect.sys driver
Right click on My computer, then go to hardware, device manager.
In device manager view hidden devices from the view tab.
Under Non-Plug and play Drivers find the Comodo Internet Security Firewall Driver, right click on that then left click uninstall.
Kind regards.

#3

I’m sorry, but your suggestion is not working.

In Safe Mode, I followed your instructions, and uninstalled Comodo Internet Security Firewall Driver. My system said uninstall was incomplete unless it rebooted, so I let it do so and returned to Safe Mode. The driver was still there. I deleted it again, and it seemed to disappear.

There is also a Comodo Internet Security Helper Driver and CSI Scanner in the list. I tried to uninstall the CIS Helper Driver, got the same message about reboot, and did so back into Safe Mode. Both items were in the list after reboot.

I decided to try to unintall these drivers in Normal Mode, to see if the unintall would actually ‘take’. I uninstalled CIS Firewall Driver, it seemed to disappear. I then tried to uninstall CIS Helper Driver, and got the request for reboot. Instead of reboot, I got ANOTHER BSOD about unequal drivers.

I am very upset. How can I remove these drivers without crashing my computer?

#4

Sorry all has failed, I am not sure where to go from here so I will put a note out to the other Mods and hope that someone has a solution for you.

Edit: This unofficial Uninstaller tool for Comodo products might help clean up any leftovers.

#5

I would suggest to download autoruns from Sysinternals.com and de-select the left-over Comodo drivers on the “Drivers” tab.
This will at least disable the drivers from loading and so it can’t cause BSOD’s anymore. If that works then we could further focus on cleaning out the system.

#6

I appreciate the fast replies.

I previously ran the clean-up app earlier this week, but I downloaded it again. When I clicked Run, it flashed quickly, and that was it. I don’t know if this was because it works that quickly, or it downloaded incorrectly.

I already had Sysinternals autoruns on my system, but I forgot about it!. So I ran it, and unchecked all the Comodo entries. Do you think I should just delete them through autoruns?

Will I also have to manually uninstall Comodo entries from the registry?

I am very tired and frustrated because I have had to work in Safe Mode (which is like Windows 98) since this past Sunday, for 5 days, because of Comodo uninstall problems.

I appreciate any help I can get to complete this uninstall safely, so I can get back to Normal Mode!

#7

I just realized that the clean-up app was sitting in my system tray, so I ran it. There were a lot of ‘Error: file cannot be found’ type messages; I assume that is because they were deleted previously. There were also “Access denied” messages.

It says to re-run the app after reboot, so I am going to do that, too.

#8

I have, well had, a 7yr old XP x32 SP3 machine that I called my “TestMule”. It was my 17yr old daughters first computer, and I used and abused it to test out all sorts of legitimate software. AV’s, cleaners, defraggers, browsers, ect…

I had the latest Comodo Firewall 5.8 installed on it with Sandboxie…No real time AV. I watched Languy’s video on Kingsoft’s Web Dr program, and I thought I would give it a go on my TestMule. I thought it was best to uninstall CFW 5.8 first, and that’s where the story ends.

I ran the uninstaller from the start menu short cut. It started fine, but towards the end, the uninstaller hung for about 4min before I finally got the reboot now message. So I rebooted, and my machine looked as though everything was normal, but on the login screen I got warning message after warning message, with things like “Winlogin failed to initialize” as soon as I hit the OK button, boom, BSOD. Safe mode? Same result. Last known good config? Same result.

I was reluctant to make a post about it here, because I do thrash the ■■■■ out of it, and it really is no big loss other then it was my now almost grown daughter’s machine when she was little, and I’m a big ol softy.

I’m not pointing fingers at Comodo, and I wanted a W7 TestMule anyway, but after stumbling across this thread, maybe there is an issue with the uninstall process and XP x32 SP3??

EDIT: BTW, I have no dumps or logs of any kind, and with the state of the machine now, it is impossible to get any…Just in case anyone asks!