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Sophos Anti-Virus for Windows 2000+: you cannot upgrade or remove Sophos Anti-Virus version 6

Issue
When you try to either upgrade Sophos Anti-Virus or remove it, Enterprise Console displays the following message on screen:

The feature you are using is on a network resource that is unavailable.

Enterprise Console reports that a specified computer has Sophos Anti-Virus 6 installed. The computer in question also displays a white-cross on a red-circle on the Sophos shield in its System tray.

This issue is often seen on a server.

Sophos product and version
SAV for Windows 2000/XP/2003 6.5.10

Operating system
Windows 2003 SP2

What to do

Perform the following procedure on the computer that is displaying the problem.

IMPORTANT. This procedure requires you to reboot the computer. Ensure that you choose a time to do this when a reboot will cause least inconvenience.

  1. Download the standalone version of Sophos Anti-Virus 6 from on of the following locations:
  2. Run the standalone installer and extract it to the default location.
  3. Once everything has been extracted, Cancel the installation.
  4. Go to Windows Control Panel, select Add\Remove Programs, select 'Sophos Anti-Virus', and click Remove. Do not attempt to remove any other Sophos components, such as Sophos AutoUpdate.
  5. The above error message is displayed again, and you will be prompted for the msi file. Click 'Browse'.
  6. Browse to C:\savxpsa\savxp\and select Sophos Anti-Virus.msi.
  7. Press OK. Removal should now complete, and it will prompt you for a reboot.
  8. Reboot the computer.

    Following the reboot the AutoUpdate component should install Sophos Anti-Virus version 7. Once complete it will again ask for a reboot to finish the installation process.

    Technical Information
    When trying to upgrade Sophos Anti-virus to version 7 from version 6, the uninstall process encounters an error. When the upgrade attempts to remove the old version it requires access to the version 6 Sophos Anti-Virus.msi file, however, this no longer exists on the computer.

     

    If you need more information or guidance, then please contact technical support.