AOL

[Guest]

I am trying to remove all files and folders pertaing to aol from my computer,
however when I go to search. I find several and there are 3 that it says I
can not delete. How do I compeletly remove aol from windows XP.

 

[Kevin]

This is one of the many reasons not to install any of the AOL software. It
imbeds itself so deeply into the operating system and the registry that it
is virtually impossible to remove. If the AOL site and/or tech support do
not have a tool to completely remove their software, you may have to resort
to drastic measures. A format, partition and install of XP would certainly
do the trick. Not a ton of fun, but removes 100% of everything.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

I am trying to remove all files and folders pertaing to aol from my
computer, however when I go to search. I find several and there are
3
that it says I can not delete. How do I compeletly remove aol from
windows XP.

Sadly, the only practical way I've ever found to completely
remove AOL from an operating system is to format the hard drive and
perform a clean installation. I absolutely loathe having to resort to
a hard drive format to fix what should be a relatively minor issue,
but it takes a lot less time than manually removing/replacing all of
the Windows system files that AOL replaces with their own versions and
the hundreds of unnecessary registry entries.

--

Bruce Chambers

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[NoNoBadDog!]

Unfortunately, the only way to truly remove the AOL virus from your system
is to format and re-install. AOL hijacks many system files and replaces
them with their own proprietary files, and since they are seen by the OS as
a system file, they cannot be deleted. Repair wont work cause AOL files
have a later date and wont be overwritten. I congratulate you on your
decision to remove the scumware AOL from you computer. You have made a wise
decision.

Bobby