manually removing a program

[iceman2654]

I installed this program called Open Mg (by sony) but i kicked the power bar and it didn't finish installing. When i tried to reinstall the software it said it had to remove it first. But it didn't work and the installation kept getting stuck there.

I've already tried to delete all the registry keys i could find plus any shared files and also the main program files. Before this i tried the add/remove box under control panel but it wouldn't work. Is there a way to completely remove this from my computer?

 

[8humhum8]

what do you mean by "Before this i tried the add/remove box under control panel but it wouldn't work"? you couldnt open add/remove programs at all? if this is the case, windows installer is bad. reinstall internet explorer.

also, you could replace you current SOFTWARE file with an older, recent copy (located at system32/config). the file has no extention. you can find a backup copy at the winnt/repair/regback folder. if the file dates from before that troublesome insallation, then all traces of the install will be gone. just replace the current file with the backup copy.
if the backup file is very old, ud probably have to reinstall some programs, that u installed after the backup was created.
also, to replace that file ud have to use the win2k install cd to boot to the recovery console, because when win2k is loaded then the file is in use.

 

[iceman2654]

thanks for the info 8humhum8.

To clarify the first thing i did was goto the control panel THEN to the "add/remove programs." I tried to remove the program but it still showed up in the add/remove programs box.

Then I tried all the other stuff by deleting folders and regisrty keys and stuff.

What i'm wondering is there a way to go through all the stuff the windows uninstaller goes through? but do it manually.....? eg. remove certain registry keys

 

[8humhum8]

yes, there is an 'install information' text file (or 'uninstall information'). all reg keys & files are stored there, and its in the directory where you installed your program. i hope you didnt delete this file...

 

[iceman2654]

you're talking about the "system32/config" folder right? or are you talking about the software folder? coz i already deleted stuff from there ....

 

[8humhum8]

no i mean the software folder, where you installed it. but there is probably a backup copy somewhere, i think that the system backs stuff like that up esp. for recent installation. u can just search for recent text files (that date just a few days back), if it exists ull find it (just exclude the cookies folder).

but its strange the prob ur having because sometimes when i delete installed software manually by mistake, i then try to remove it using add/remove apps in control panel and it then says that, the program i am trying to remove does not have a required uninstall file, do you wish to remove its name from the list? i click yes and it removes it. i guess registry values remain but when u install software it refers to that list, and not to registry...

btw i assume that in regedit, you used the search feature to look for reg vals for that app?

 

[8humhum8]

iceman2654, there is a hidden folder in the program files folder called 'install shield installation information'. look there i think ull find it.

 

[iceman2654]

thanks, i'll give it a try

 

[iceman2654]

C:\Program Files\Uninstall Information
rite? nothing there related to open mg. but don't worry about it anymore because i am just going to reinstall windows. There was a problem from the start, the first installation didn't quite work so I had to repair win2k and there are other problems. This should be solved because I got a new copy. Thanks for all your help

 

[TonyBose]

I've seen this type of question asked a million times, and it amazes me what trouble people are willing to go through.

This is what I do:

I delete the main program folder that the new program created. Just DELETE it.
Then I run my registry cleaners to remove everything that thinks it relates to that stinking install.
Reboot and re-install the program.
Works like a charm.

...Mac

Humpty Dumpty was pushed!!

 

[iceman2654]

TonyBose, yeah that works for most programs but not for Sony. Open MG requires that I uninstall it first but that doesn't work so it keeps going in circles. That's why I need to go through all this trouble