# Lone Star Electrical — Sophos Endpoint Removal (LS-1 / LS-2)

**Date:** 2026-05-28 / 2026-05-29
**Client:** Lone Star Electrical Systems LLC (Syncro customer `33809612`)
**Machines:** LS-1, LS-2 (Windows 11, Norris site)
**Status:** IN PROGRESS — offline (WinRE) completion step still required on both machines

> Reconstructed and committed 2026-06-01. The original work (~May 28-29) was never saved
> to a session log; details survived only in a gitignored temp draft
> (`.claude/tmp/ollama_prompt.txt`) and coord message `8a5cb25c`. This log closes that gap.

## User
- **User:** Mike Swanson (mike)
- **Machine:** GURU-5070
- **Role:** admin

---

## Situation

Two newly added Win11 machines (LS-1, LS-2) at the Norris site arrived from the **previous MSP**
with **Sophos Endpoint Protection** installed, managed via **Sophos Central in the previous MSP's
account**. We have **no Central access** — so no remote uninstall and no way to disable tamper
protection from the management plane.

Tamper protection is enforced by the **`SophosED.sys` kernel boot driver** (`Start` type = `0`,
loads before `smss.exe`). This is the root blocker for every standard removal path.

**LS-2 presenting symptom:** mouse clicks unresponsive on the desktop until Ctrl+Alt+Del, and
Start-menu right-click dead. **Root cause:** Sophos shell extensions + the Datto Cloud Continuity
`/pop` startup entry competing during logon.

---

## Work performed (both machines unless noted)

- Enrolled LS-1 and LS-2 in **GuruRMM** for remote management
- Removed the **Datto Cloud Continuity** startup registry entry (LS-2)
- Registered **ScreenConnect + GuruRMM agent for Safe Mode** (`SafeBoot\Network` registry keys) on
  both, so the agents survive a Safe Mode boot
- Sophos removal attempts — **all blocked by tamper / kernel protection:**
  - `SophosZap` — blocked by tamper protection (TP check)
  - `SophosUninstall.exe` — partially ran, removed most user-mode components
  - `PendingFileRenameOperations` delete — failed (`SophosED.sys` loads before `smss.exe`)
  - `sc config` — blocked by kernel callback
  - ACL reset — blocked at kernel level
- Disabled MCS Agent/Client; removed SntpService registration
- Booted both machines to **WinRE** in preparation for offline driver removal

---

## Current state

`SophosED.sys` kernel boot driver is **still present and active** on both machines. Most user-mode
Sophos services are removed from LS-2. Completion requires the offline WinRE step below.

---

## Follow-up: WinRE completion steps (run on EACH machine)

1. WinRE -> Troubleshoot -> Advanced Options -> Command Prompt
2. Find the real Windows drive (NOT the ~600MB recovery partition):
   `dir C:\ & dir D:\ & dir E:\`
3. Substitute the actual Windows drive letter (shown as `D:` below) and run:
   - `del /f D:\Windows\System32\drivers\SophosED.sys`
   - `reg load HKLM\TEMPSYS D:\Windows\System32\config\SYSTEM`
   - `reg add "HKLM\TEMPSYS\CurrentControlSet\services\Sophos Endpoint Defense" /v Start /t REG_DWORD /d 4 /f`
   - `reg unload HKLM\TEMPSYS`
   - `exit`
4. Reboot normally — `SophosED.sys` gone, SED service `Start=4` (disabled), tamper protection no
   longer loads.
5. From Downloads, run `SophosZap.exe --confirm` — the TP check now passes, so it clears the
   remaining registry entries.

**Tooling staged:** Ventoy USB flashed to `E:`, helper scripts at `claudetools-data/scripts/`.

---

## Billing / client notes

- Prepaid hour block. Live-check remaining hours via `GET /customers/33809612` before logging time.
- A Syncro ticket was drafted ("Sophos Endpoint Removal - LS-1 and LS-2") — **verify it actually
  exists** before logging against it.
- Handed off to Howard via coord message `689cfb7c` (2026-06-01).
