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Jaggana
New Contributor II

Unable to uninstall

Hello, I'm unable to uninstall FortiClient, the uninstall button is grayed, as far as the only session on the computer is an admin one, I don't understand why I can't uninstall it...

2 Solutions
pft
New Contributor II

Had the same problem today. I managed to uninstall it by using the "UninstallString" found in the registry (HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\{ID of FortiClient Package})

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sw2090
Honored Contributor

First make sure that FortiClient is shut down before trying to install. When it is not it will not allow you to uninstall as it is still running.

If that is not the case or does not help try to repair it. I've read threads here that said this may help.

 

If there is still no uninstall option you could download the corresponding Forticlient-tools package from the download area inside the fortinet support portal. It contains the FCRemove utility that can remove Forticlient if there is no uninstall option etc.

-- 

"It is a mistake to think you can solve any major problems just with potatoes." - Douglas Adams

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-- "It is a mistake to think you can solve any major problems just with potatoes." - Douglas Adams
12 REPLIES 12
pminarik

The one to blame is your ex-employer: They pushed you into installing corporate software onto your personal machine and then did not bother to off-board you properly.

 

Managed FortiClient is hardened in order to be difficult to uninstall. By design there is no "easy solution" (well, you can reinstall your PC). That is intentional and perfectly fine on corporate-owned devices. It is also the reason why it shouldn't be installed on personal machines, since there's nothing stopping the administator from forgetting and ignoring you when it's time to leave.

[ corrections always welcome ]
let_me_uninstall

Well, thank you for explaining this to me.  My ex-employer had never highlighted whether FortiClient should or shouldn't be installed on personal machines.  Given that we were told to install FortiClient as a solution for home working due to COVID, and my ex-employer had fired many people in the past three years, I can only imagine there are many ex-employees with FortiClient still installed on their personal devices.

 

My ex-employer is located in China and many of the ex-employees were fired because they were out of China for Christmas 2019, told to work for a while online, and then were eventually fired for failing to return to China on some randomly imposed dates (no visa, then short supply of seats on flights).

 

Thanks again.  Now I know I need to reinstall my PC rather than trying the various solutions provided on this page.

l0ad3dr3v0lv3r
New Contributor

Disconnect first from the EMS server, then shutdown the forticlient, then your uninstall button will no longer be greyed out.

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