[OpenAFS] problems with de-installing OpenAFS 1.5.x on windows 7

[Lars Schimmer]

On 23.09.2011 14:46, Jeffrey Altman wrote:
> On 9/23/2011 3:00 AM, Lars Schimmer wrote:
>> Hello
>>
>> I experienced some heavy problems with deinstalling the 64bit package =
of
>> OpenAFS 1.5.x on our windows 7 workstations.
>>
>> While/after deinstalling the 64bit package (MSI) of OpenAFS 3 (out of =
6
>> I tried) workstations did no more accept any admin user as
>> administrator, the service to start the services did not start and
>> furtheron I can onl reinstall complete system to get it working again =
as
>> I do not obtain any right to administrate the system or start any
>> servive =3D> I cannot deinstall/install any software, I cannot remove =
it
>> from the domain, I can just logon/logoff and copy data to/from harddri=
ve).
>>
>> Has anyone experienced and similar?
>>
>> (the workstations were setup in last/this year, are in a domain,
>> upgrading OpenAFS did worked well on them, I was login  as a local
>> administrator while deinstalling the OpenAFS 64 MSI package,...).
>>
>> Somehow it looks like the registry is destroyed in a very bad manner.
>> And this has happen on 3 workstations yet (out of 6 I tried to deinsta=
ll
>> OpenAFS 1.5.x for installing 1.7).
>>
>>
>> MfG,
>> Lars Schimmer
>=20
> Lars:
>=20
> While your situation sounds horrible I have a hard time believing it is
> the result of OpenAFS itself being uninstalled.  If that were the case =
I
> would run into the problem on a consistent basis as I switch between
> release series.  OpenAFS does not add itself as a dependency for other
> services.

I am sure OpenAFS is not the root cause for this situation. But as it
happend 3 time at OpenAFS deinstallation it somehow is involved. But I
do not know in which way.

> My guess is that one of two things are true:
>=20
> a. the local administrator account has somehow obtained a dependency on
> the \\AFS name space perhaps with an auto-run or other and as a result
> will not start because after OpenAFS is removed there is no method of
> accessing the dependency.

It had Z: and Y: mounted to \\AFS\cgv.tugraz.at, but system profile is
located on local harddrive. No dependancy on Z:\ and Y:\ is known to me.
On other workstations with same setup nothing bad happend while
deinstallation with Z:\ and Y:\ still being mapped.

> b. your machines have a rootkit or other damage and the removal of
> OpenAFS is triggering bad behavior.

Rootkit could be, as machines are in a room for work with students. Need
to check. The latter seems to be the case, though I do not know the real
reason (some software installed, not have had problems yet).

> The 1.5 series does not have any kernel component and is not capable of
> altering the role of administrative bits.

> I would start by examining the registry for dependencies on \\AFS.  For
> example, are there any system drive mappings to \\AFS that would be
> persisted?  Any service application paths that refer to \\AFS or a
> mapped drive letter?  Etc.

Would love to, but I cannot as easy yet.
I can login as a admin account, but all action requiering rights as
admin, I/system cannot perform. On control panel it writes: "the
dependancy service or group failed to start", on login the error
"C:\Windows\system32\config\systemprofile\desktop refers to a location
that is unavailable" appears and I cannot go into it, as I got no admin
rights. I cannot view system messages/logs, to. And even booted in safe
mode the same errors do appear.
But as I do miss some knowledge and time I will check for rootkits and
some obvious other errors and later on redo system and better check
other workstation ahead of making changes.

> Jeffrey Altman
>=20


MfG,
Lars Schimmer
--=20
-------------------------------------------------------------
TU Graz, Institut f=C3=BCr ComputerGraphik & WissensVisualisierung
Tel: +43 316 873-5405       E-Mail: l.schimmer@cgv.tugraz.at
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