iPod/iTunes/Apple Computer/AdCache

[Guest]

My son installed iPod stuff on my computer and I took it off, as best I
could, when he was done. The uninstalls wouldn't work, so I had to do it all
manually. Apparently I missed something: everytime I run a cleaner called One
Click Destruction, whenever it gets to the one called AdCache, it triggers
the iTunes install program, which won't stop unless I use the Task Manager to
end it. I found something in the Temp folder in Documents and Settings, but I
can't delete it. I can delete the series of items called "STG2E00.temp",
which come in a group and get replaced with items with the same first 5
letters and digits, with the last two varying from 00 to 09, then to 0A-0E
(so far). There are also two items there called~DF1EFE.tmp and DF3281.tmp
that I can't delete- it says they're in use. Searching for any of the things
I listed in the Subject usually produces nothing, now, although occasionally
it will have 1 thing. Anybody have any experience with this, or ideas on how
to exorcise this demon once and for all?

 

[Guest]

First off, I wouldn't delete this program. It's by far the best program at
playing music on a computer. Not to mention that that many of the
alternatives are huge memory hogs. Plus if you use QuickTime as your main
media player, then you must allow iTunes to completely install since
QuickTime is now installed when iTunes is installed, otherwise your QuickTime
installation will likely become corrupt and unusable.

But if you really want to remove this free program, first install it, and
then go to Start > Settings > Control Panel > Add or Remove Programs.
Unistall iTunes, and then QuickTime if neccessary.

Alan

 

[JoeM]

To delete files go into safe mode and try and empty the temp folders.
Second it would be a good idea to remove both iTunes and Quicktime since
both are verry memory hungry and force themselfs into the startup. Best
Media Player to use would be WMP10.

 

[Guest]

Thank you, Alan and Joe. I tried to use their uninstallers, but they don't
work. And what I removed myself was over 159MB, which is a lot of space for
something I don't need- my son took his iPod with him to combat training for
the Marines.
I tried what you said, Joe, but the dang iTunes thing is still trying to
install itself when I run that cleaner and it hits AdCache. I found more
Apple Computer components here and there as I was looking in safe mode. I
removed the QuickTime crap when I did my manual cleaning, and am still
finding pieces of it as well. I consider this to be akin to hijacking, and it
reminds me a lot of that Aurora $#!+ that could only be removed by going to
their website. Why do they do this? isn't it obvious that we don't want this
on our computers if we take it off? I still need help finding those hidden
things that aren't showing up in searches. Thanks.

 

[JoeM]

Agreed that is why I dislike Apple fore one of many reasons. RealPlayer
does the same thing.
Another thing you could try is allow iTunes to install and then uninstall it
under add/remove programs.

http://poptech.blogspot.com/2005/06/quicktime-infects-pcs-with-itunes.html
http://search.msn.com/results.aspx?q="remove+iTunes"++manually&FORM=QBNO
http://xforums.net/ib/index.php?s=e19e67b1ab8e8ac909397b57f4e7db74&showtopic=18354(title: I
am now going to make people sputter, because ITunes sucks.)

Try some of these site and see what you can find.

If you get it or if it still fails to remove please write back and let me
know.

Personally I think MSAS should give us the ability to stop this junnk, like
advance user(Block iTunes, realplayer, quicktime, etc.)

 

[Guest]

Well, I'm not sure what I did, but the iTunes install now appears for just a
split second and then disappears when I run the cleaner. It must still be in
there somewhere therefore, right? I had done the safe mode search for
components, and removed them. Plus I got a little fed up with unidentifiable
things that seemed to have some connection and were sticking in the temp
folder, so I got rid of them, too. There are still numerous things that I
suspect are parts of it in disguise, for which i loathe Apple, because I've
killed computers before by deleting suspicious looking things, and I really
don't want to have to reintall my OS over this.
I appreciated reading what others had to say about this issue. I agree they
should not be so sneaky about it: if people want their crap, they'll
intentionally download it.
No need to stick it in with other things, like spyware, now is there?
So I'm still stuck with crap on my computer, can't install iTunes unless I
go to their site and ask for it, which I don't want to do. When I try their
uninstall, which didn't work before, it wouldn't be likely to remove
multiples of the same components, left over from my attempts to eradicate it,
would it? I'm afraid that might make the problem worse.
I hate RealPlayer, too.
Good idea about MSAS giving us the tools to get rid of these things.

 

[JoeM]

Another option I came up with would be, create a new username, and run the
cleaner under the new username. If iTunes does not try and install it maybe
part of the username not the system. In that case you should be able to
move your files over to the new username, setup your preferences in the new
user name and then you could delete the old username out(but make sure all
info is copied over). See if this helps and then get back to me.

 

[Guest]

Thanks, Joe. Tried that, but when I tried to run the cleaner, it wouldn't let
me cuz it's a free trial, under the other username. Is there a way to get it
to let me?

 

[JoeM]

Where did you get this program I can't seem the find it, could you give me
a link to it, and I will see if I can get a workaround for you

 

[Guest]

http://www.steganos.com/?product=SIA2006&area=download&language=en&layout=web2005

Found this on C/Net. Comes with the cleaner and other tools. Just so you
don't get the wrong idea, I had a very good, legal, and ethical reason for
needing this utility. It works pretty well, too, compared to the others on
the site. Let me know what you find out.

 

[Guest]

This just keeps getting curiouser and curiouser. I took a break and while I
was away, a couple of my kids got on. One played an online multi-player game,
and the other played some music on WMP and was browsing when it froze. I came
back and checked the TM and stopped everything, but it was still frozen, so I
restarted it. Tried running the cleaner, and the iTunes thing reappeared. So
this time I let it try to install. It couldn't because files are missing
(Bwah, hah, hah!). I opened the TM again and saw that the iTunes is running
as regsvr32.exe, and I had it kill it through the End Process Tree selection.
I ran the cleaner again, and it tried to install again. So I went hunting for
regsvr32.exe. Found about 6 entries named that, in various places, but only
one wasn't from Microsoft. So I looked it up and found it in the Prefetch
folder along with about 6 other things that all looked suspicious, but I'm
getting paranoid now. (I did check them and they were unknowns.) So I deleted
the regsvr32. Then something else appeared at the bottom of the list. Just
for the heck of it, I deleted something else, and the same thing happened. I
tried to delete them all, and they all came back. So I deleted the Prefetch
folder. That seems to have done it for now. I know I've probably taken
another step toward having to reinstall my OS, but so be it. This is war.

 

[JoeM]

What version of windows are you using?

 

[JoeM]

Try the attached file

 

[Guest]

Joe- I'm running XP Home, and what attached file???

 

[Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE]

Joe- I'm running XP Home, and what attached file???

Since you're using the Web interface to newsgoups you can't see attachments.
You might want to try using Outlook Express.

In OE go to Tools | Accounts | Add (or New) | News.
Set up an account for this news server:

msnews.microsoft.com

The server is free and does not require you to logon. This news server
carries over 2200 newsgroups related to Microsoft products and keeps
messages at least 30 days.

For more detail see
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/outlookexpressnewreader.htm

--
Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE
Please respond in Newsgroup. Do not send email
http://www.fjsmjs.com
Protect your PC
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

 

[JoeM]

Another option in IE open tools -->managed addons, see what addons are on

 

[Guest]

Thank you, Frank; I tried like heck but can't get my stupid OE to connect to
this group.
Joe, I looked and there's nothing in the add-ons that could be doing it.
Last night I did a safe mode regedit hunt for anything connected and found
numerous entries in the HKEY_CLASS_ROOT that were clearly labeled either
Apple or iPod or iTunes. There were 18 items(.aa, .aif, .aifc, .aiff, .itl,
..itms, .itpc, .m3u, .m4a, .mov, .mp2, .mp3, .mpeg, .mpg, .pcast, .pls, .rmp,
and .wav) that contained one of the culprits in the OpenWithList. So I went
on a rampage and deleted the crap out of that, unfortunately deleting the
first 4 whole classes before I realized I could just delete the offensive
segment (I know, that's another BIG step toward OS reinstall). Also found
more Apple Computer, QuickTime, and RealPlayer crap. I even got rid of
Macromedia, just because there's too much of it and I think I remember seeing
it hanging out somewhere with Apple scum. Keeping an eye out for things I
probably missed. And signs it's time to dig out those discs.

 

[Guest]

One other thing I forgot to correct is that it appears to be the Prefetch
cleaning that triggers the iTunes to try to install, not the AdCache. It's
still there, after all my efforts and your suggestions (that I could
implement, anyway). Does anyone know FOR SURE whether (Poisoned) Apple has a
stand alone uninstaller for their components, and if so, where I may find it?
And if not, what is the next best thing to try? Oh, yeah, a new piece I found
today was iPlayer.INI.
What kind of thing is it that allows them to replace folders/files that I
delete? Can I find that nasty monster and kill it?

 

[Dave M]

Hi RBUSA;
I haven't been following this thread too closely, but try this (see the link
first):
Quote:
Closing Tip:
Killing Qttask.exe: QuickTime by default installs the Qttask.exe startup
application that is effectively useless. Removing it from starting up with
Windows by using Msconfig will only last until the next time you use the
QuickTime Player. It will then magically reinstall itself. You can stop this
from happening permanently by renaming qttask.exe in the C:\Program
Files\QuickTime\ folder to qttask.old

The only logical motive for Apple to force install iTunes is with the hope
people will use the service to purchase music. By not providing a simple means
to remove the software however, Apple has moved their reputation from reputable
to dirty, shame on you Apple.

http://s4.invisionfree.com/Popular_...443c0dc3b67da56bfd2fb9e2ef91937&showtopic=495
End Quote
My experience with Apple/Macromedia et. al. is that for a bunch of Mac fanatics
they do make an effort when it comes to Windows, but it's not really
understanding the OS that is a problem. I was a member of the S.F. Macromedia
users group... so this is not idle speculation.

 

[JoeM]

I completly agree Dave

Hi RBUSA;
I haven't been following this thread too closely, but try this (see the
link first):
Quote:
Closing Tip:
Killing Qttask.exe: QuickTime by default installs the Qttask.exe startup
application that is effectively useless. Removing it from starting up with
Windows by using Msconfig will only last until the next time you use the
QuickTime Player. It will then magically reinstall itself. You can stop
this from happening permanently by renaming qttask.exe in the C:\Program
Files\QuickTime\ folder to qttask.old

The only logical motive for Apple to force install iTunes is with the hope
people will use the service to purchase music. By not providing a simple
means to remove the software however, Apple has moved their reputation
from reputable to dirty, shame on you Apple.

http://s4.invisionfree.com/Popular_...443c0dc3b67da56bfd2fb9e2ef91937&showtopic=495
End Quote
My experience with Apple/Macromedia et. al. is that for a bunch of Mac
fanatics they do make an effort when it comes to Windows, but it's not
really understanding the OS that is a problem. I was a member of the S.F.
Macromedia users group... so this is not idle speculation.