[Wrinkly Pete]

Any ideas folks?
I've been "trying" to get my old desktop PC (XP sp3) back from semi-permanent retirement to use as a spare.
In doing so I have been doing defrags (it has 2 hard drives), disk cleanups, disk check for errors etc. and I have encountered a problem... Some redundant programmes simply CANNOT be removed!
I have tried deleting them via:
Start > All programmes > "programme concerned" > uninstall - where this is an available option (no luck )
and/or
Start > Control panel > Add or Remove Programmes (still no luck )
With one I even just tried to delete the programme file manually, by locating the programme file and selecting "delete" (No, no, no ) A message apppeared not allowing this!
I've run out of ideas

ALL useful suggestions would be appreciated, the more simple to follow the better!
I'm not quite ready to tip a bucket of water over it just yet, but...

Edited by Wrinkly Pete, 24 April 2009 - 11:28 AM.

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Hello welcome to GeeksToGo, We will be happy to help you.

We will need some more information

If this is a name brand system:
Make
Model
Operating System
Age of the computer
Memory Total
Hard Drive Size, How much free space



If this is custom then We will need the following:

The CPU brand and model
The Motherboard brand and model
Ram amount and speed
Cd\Dvd rom interface IDE/
Hard Drive size and free space
Any cards in PCI slots

In Addition please supply:

Any software installed\updated and driver updates done just before problem started.
Any hardware installed\updated prior to problem starting.
Please detail the offending programs as this will help us to find a solution.

All this will help in determining a course of action to best correct the problem you are experiencing.

[rshaffer61]

Hello welcome to GeeksToGo, We will be happy to help you.

We will need some more information

If this is a name brand system:
Make
Model
Operating System
Age of the computer
Memory Total
Hard Drive Size, How much free space



If this is custom then We will need the following:

The CPU brand and model
The Motherboard brand and model
Ram amount and speed
Cd\Dvd rom interface IDE/
Hard Drive size and free space
Any cards in PCI slots

In Addition please supply:

Any software installed\updated and driver updates done just before problem started.
Any hardware installed\updated prior to problem starting.
Please detail the offending programs as this will help us to find a solution.

All this will help in determining a course of action to best correct the problem you are experiencing.

[Wrinkly Pete]

I can give you some information, some not, as the PC is about 7 or 8 years old and the original (UK) manufacturer has ceased trading some years ago.

It is as follows:
Windows XP home Edition SP3 (Full Package Programme, NOT OEM).
AMD Athlon XP1900+,
1.60GHz,
512 MB DDR RAM,
2 x 80GB hard drives - master and slave, C drive NTFS 41.9GB free space; F drive FAT32 60.6GB free space.

No other relevant info.

[The Skeptic]

Try to uninstall un safe mode. To enter safe mode start tapping F8 key as soon as you start the computer. A menu with boot options will show up. Choose Safe Mode and try to uninstall just as you did in normal mode.

[Wrinkly Pete]

Skeptic,
Hi,
I've just tried that and I got to Control panel, Add & Remove (in safe mode), clicked on one of the programmes I still want to remove and I get a window:
"Setup.exe
Setup.exe has encountered a problem and needs to close..... " etc
with the option to debug or close.

Edited by Wrinkly Pete, 24 April 2009 - 12:30 PM.

[The Skeptic]

Download Unlocker, using the list in my list below. Install the program. Go to Add/Remove programs and right-click the program you want to remove. Unlocker will show in the menu. Run it to delete the programs. If not successful try the same in Start > all programs.

[Wrinkly Pete]

Thanks Skeptic,
I'll try that and report back later (maybe not today though).
Wrinkly

[Wrinkly Pete]

Skeptic,

I downloaded "unlocker 1.8.7", installed it and then went to Add or Remove as you said, selected the programme to remove and right clicked on it - nothing happened!

So then I went to Start, All programmes, selcted the same programme to uninstall and right clicked on that.
The ONLY options I was offered was:
Open
Explore
Delete
Rename
Sort by name
Properties

I selected "delete" and a "Warning" appeared.Modifying this folder will affect all users who log on to this computer. Do you want to continue?
Yes No
I selected Yes and the programme disappeared.... BUT It still appears in the list of installed programmes in Add or Remove Programmes and it still will not delete from there!

If I go to My Computer: C drive, Programme Files the programme is still there too, so the only place it has disappeared from is the list of programmes in Start > All programs!

All that has happened is I've gained another programme (Unlocker)

I should add/make it clear that Unlocker DOES NOT APPEAR when I right click but it IS idefinately installed ok, as it appears both in the programme list and everywhere else it should appear.

Edited by Wrinkly Pete, 24 April 2009 - 01:25 PM.

[rshaffer61]

What program are you trying to uninstall?

[Wrinkly Pete]

rshaffer61

Hi again,

There are several, but the current one (of many) that I'm trying to uninstall is just a Novalogic game, nothing critical to the running of the PC itself.

I'm trying to remove as many programmes as possible, so that I have less to scan etc, when I start using this old PC for some beta testing.

[The Skeptic]

Use this link to download Revo Uninstaller 1.8. I never tried it but it looks promising and free of charge (if I understand corrcetly).

[Wrinkly Pete]

Skeptic,
Will do, but I'm out of time now.
I'll report back later... probably tomorrow.
Thanks

[Wrinkly Pete]

Skeptic,

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you.
I hadn't installed your link properly (which is why I didn't see Unlocker when I right clicked on file/program to delete).
Thanks - I can now delete.
The odd thing is... some of the programmes STILL appear!

I can check for a program by either:
1: Start, Control Panel, Add or Remove Programs list.
2: Start, all programs, program names list.
3: My computer, C drive, Programs list.

It appears to be random whether a deleted program still appears in another list or not!
Judging by the pie charts in disk properties which show amount of free/used space, the programs have been deleted, but some still show up in any of the 3 lists above!

Really weird things these compooters!

[The Skeptic]

What program did you use; Unlocker, Revo Uninstaller, both? If you didn't run Revo I suggest that you do. When you remove a program some parts have to be uninstalled manually. Go to c:/programs and manually remove the programs folders.

[Wrinkly Pete]

Hi again Skeptic,

I used just the "unlocker" you recommended. I shall manually delete the odds & ends as I find them.
I can't do too much now as I'm defragmenting the old girl. After all the recent activity I checked the F (slave) drive and discovered 2 HUGE red blocks of fragmented files (it's never had so many before). Several THOUSAND!!!
It may take some time to complete....