uninstalling programs

[wiggins]

Hi! How do you get rid of programs which don't disappear after uninstallation?

[Mithrandir]

Define "Don't Dissapear." more. Do you mean that the icon stays on the desktop/quick launch/start menu, or that the program acutally still runs?

Specifying which program you are trying to uninstall might be usefull too.

[inkhana]

I think I might know what he means (forgive me if I'm wrong... ) Sometimes when you try to delete something from Add/Remove Programs, it doesn't go away, even if you use the program's official uninstaller. I have trouble with programs doing that.

[wiggins]

Bingo Inkhana! That's exactly my problem.

[inkhana]

Great! Too bad I don't know how to answer your prob...-_- I don't even know where those entries are stored, if they're in the registry or what.

[Heaven's Cloud]

Justs some further information, if you are running a Gateway you can always go to Gateway GoBack, highlight all of the programs and just press delete. I have done that before. That is really how you get rid of them for good on Gateways.

Since I haven't experimented with other PC's/Mac's, I am not all that sure for them. I do know a little about Apple, but not all that much.

[Mithrandir]

Hmm. You mean they don't disapear from the uninstaller, or the start menu?

[wiggins]

the add or remove programs list I mean

[Heaven's Cloud]

You mean the add/remove list in your Control Panel? The way you would knock them off of your computer completely is to highlight the one you want to uninstall and press add/remove. It might take a minute, but that is the way I know if you mean that way.

[Mithrandir]

Hmm. If they are still in that list, then it means the installer was not able to remove everything. It's kinda complex to remove them from there. I can walk you through deleting the files manually, and freeing up the space on the start bar, if you want. What's the OS? XP? 2000? 98? ME? I'll lookup how to remove it from that bar.

[Retten]

Wow 2 Gandalfs very confusing

Quote Annoyances.org: TweakUI has it's own Add/Remove tab which can be used to get rid of annoying entries in the real Add/Remove that don't go away when the program is uninstalled. Check that out and see if that doesn't get rid of the entry for you.

TweakUI download at http://www.annoyances.org/exec/show/tweakui
Make sure you get the right one for you OS it was created by Microsoft to tweak your system and do all kinds of registry stuff its a great program I love being able to get rid of the shortcut arrows.

[The Silence]

Set your computer on fire. That'll kill it...

[Mithrandir]

Good point, WB. I forgot about that. If you wan't to tweak the different system settings, that's really the way to go. It's much easier than editing the registry!

As far as tow Gandalfs, you'll have to convince Zip to give up his Calvin avitar that he used. That's what HC was using before.

[Tycho]

If they are on the add/remove list but don't exist on the machine, it means you deleted them manually. The control panel won't be able to remove them because it can't find the appropriate uninstaller(since its been deleted). Two solutions.

1) Reinstall the program, then remove from the control panel.
2) Go registry diving and remove the entries. This is VERY DANGEROUS and shouldn't be attempted by anyone without a good level of windows experience.

[wiggins]

Hmm. If they are still in that list, then it means the installer was not able to remove everything. It's kinda complex to remove them from there. I can walk you through deleting the files manually, and freeing up the space on the start bar, if you want. What's the OS? XP? 2000? 98? ME? I'll lookup how to remove it from that bar.

Thanks oldphilosopher! The OS is xp

If registry diving is so dangerous, I don't think I can do it

And I can't re-install the programs because they say its already installed (despite the fact that I uninstalled it...)

[inkhana]

Registry diving is fun... Actually I've been known to blow an afternoon studying it's awesomely large expanse...*snickers* Though I did find ways to do some cool stuff.