EisenGuide

Problem:  You want to remove a program that doesn’t show up in Windows’ Add/Remove Program feature (or you have used this feature and the program has not been completely removed).

Solution:  Remove the program manually. 

Here’s how:

1.  Create restore point on your computer.

2.  As you will be editing the registry, back-up the registry.  Click here to learn how.

3.  Because the following steps may impact other applications on your computer, I recommend backing up your entire computer but, that said, I have used this procedure several times with no problems.

4.  Find the directory for the application (typically under c:\program files) and delete the directory.

5.  Open RegEdit (type regedit in the Run box in XP or Vista or type regedit in the Vista search box).

6.  Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE, find the folder for the application and delete the folder.

7.  Using Regedit, navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE, find the folder for the application and delete the folder.

8.  If the application shows in Windows’ Add/Remove Program feature and you would like to remove it from there, using Regedit navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall, find the folder for the application and delete the folder.

9.  In case the application has a service associated with it (some do, some don’t), using Regedit navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services, locate the service and delete it.

10.  Close Regedit.

11.  Using Windows Explorer, navigate to c:\documents\All Users\Start Menu\Programs and delete all entries relating to the application.

12.  Using Windows Explorer, navigate to c:\documents\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup and delete all entries relating to the application.

13.  Using Windows Explorer, navigate to c:\documents\[user ID]\Start Menu\Programs and delete all entries relating to the application.  Note [user ID] is the name of the user, there is likely one or more of these, do this for all user IDs.

14.  Using Windows Explorer, navigate to c:\documents\[user ID]\Start Menu\Programs\Startup and delete all entries relating to the application.  Again, do this for all user IDs.