Can't remove ATI smart service?

[Rocky]

I am still getting windows XP error messages that it can't find an ATI
file - after I removed all ATI drivers and control panel. The uninstaller
for the control panel didn't work (it started up, but quit without doing
anything) so I manually deleted the folder and the registry of all ATI
entries.

The very vague error that XP reports is "The ATI Smart service failed to
start due to the following error: The system cannot find the file specified.
", thanks a bunch windows.

Can anyone guide on on what and where this mystery reference to a ati file
can be found and removed?

Thanks.

 

[patrickp]

I am still getting windows XP error messages that it can't find an ATI
file - after I removed all ATI drivers and control panel. The uninstaller
for the control panel didn't work (it started up, but quit without doing
anything) so I manually deleted the folder and the registry of all ATI
entries.

The very vague error that XP reports is "The ATI Smart service failed to
start due to the following error: The system cannot find the file specified.
", thanks a bunch windows.

Can anyone guide on on what and where this mystery reference to a ati file
can be found and removed?

Thanks.

The ATi uninstaller often seems to fail to remove the registry entries that
start the various apps. I've no idea how this relates to XP, but in W98 you
can run msconfig and see what's started when you boot under the Startup tab.
You can also untick entries to stop them starting: you'll possibly even find
more ATi apps than the Smart service still have start entries.

If you feel confident to edit your registry (and it seems you do), the
entries are in the Various Run keys: in W98 these are at:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\any key
beginning with Run and
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\any key
beginning with Run.

I should emphasise that anyone without experience of editing their registry
should not do this, and anyone doing it would be well advised to back up
their registry before they start. And I'm not going to tell you how to back
up your registry because if you don't know that, you shouldn't even be
_thinking_ of registry editing.

HTH patrickp

 

[Paul Murphy]

Whats wrong with using the Smartgart uninstaller here:
http://www2.ati.com/drivers/smartgart-uninstall.exe ? Its on the bottom of
the XP Catalyst drivers page.

Paul