Last date a program was run

[Andy]

I am doing some file cleanup.

I am trying to find out when a program was run last.

For example, I have Microsoft Visual C 2010 x86 Redistributable and would like to know if it is being used at all.

If I don't need it and it's not being used by something else, I will delete it.

I used appwiz.cpl and had it list by last day used, but many programs that have been recently used are not listed.

The programs that windows does track are only looked at for the last 30 days. Can that be increased ?

I could look to see if there are new entries in the program's folders, but that would be very time consuming.

I am looking for some suggestions.

Thanks,
Andy

 

[Norvin Gordon]

I am doing some file cleanup.

I am trying to find out when a program was run last.

For example, I have Microsoft Visual C 2010 x86 Redistributable and would like to know if it is being used at all.

If I don't need it and it's not being used by something else, I will delete it.

I used appwiz.cpl and had it list by last day used, but many programs that have been recently used are not listed.

The programs that windows does track are only looked at for the last 30 days. Can that be increased ?

I could look to see if there are new entries in the program's folders, but that would be very time consuming.

I am looking for some suggestions.

Thanks,
Andy

Go to Control Panel, install/uninstall and find your program and it will
tell you last time used.

 

[Andy]

Go to Control Panel, install/uninstall and find your program and it will

tell you last time used.

It only tracks back 30 days.
So if it was used it 31 days ago, you are outta luck.

A great many programs will not be listed there at all.

Andy

 

[Zo]

Norvin Gordon has brought this to us :

Go to Control Panel, install/uninstall and find your program and it will tell
you last time used.

Sorry I missed the original post, but give this one a try.

Didier Stevens
UserAssist

The UserAssist utility displays a table of programs executed on a
Windows machine, complete with running count and last execution date
and time.

Windows Explorer maintains this information in the UserAssist registry
entries. My program allows you to display and manipulate these entries.

http://blog.didierstevens.com/programs/userassist/

 

[John Smith]

I am doing some file cleanup.

I am trying to find out when a program was run last.

For example, I have Microsoft Visual C 2010 x86 Redistributable and would like to know if it is being used at all.

It use by Microsoft Office.......

 

[Nil]

Go to Control Panel, install/uninstall and find your program and
it will tell you last time used.

I find that statistic to be almost always inaccurate.

 

[Nil]

For example, I have Microsoft Visual C 2010 x86 Redistributable
and would like to know if it is being used at all.

That is a collection of libraries that allow programs written in Visual
C++ to run. It is not a standalone program that runs on its own. If you
uninstall it, you may find that other programs that depend on it will
not run.

 

[Twayne]

In

I am doing some file cleanup.

I am trying to find out when a program was run last.

For example, I have Microsoft Visual C 2010 x86
Redistributable and would like to know if it is being
used at all.

If I don't need it and it's not being used by something
else, I will delete it.

I used appwiz.cpl and had it list by last day used, but
many programs that have been recently used are not
listed.

The programs that windows does track are only looked at
for the last 30 days. Can that be increased ?

I could look to see if there are new entries in the
program's folders, but that would be very time consuming.

I am looking for some suggestions.

Thanks,
Andy

Try checking in the Event Viewer. It'll take a little searching,
but unless you turned them off, there will be "info" lines that
will describe services & registry-using programs start and stop
times. There will be two entries you're looking for - start and
stop time-dates. Use the up/down arrows n the properties window
to go up and/or down in the list; fast and easy. Concentrate on a
date around when you think you may have used it.

You might also look at your own browser history to see if it's
stored in there. More difficult, but it can be fun.
Have you tried displaying the "Last Access" date in win
Explorer's columns? It might be helpful.

Try Google, Bing, whatever you like, to find a file monitor that
will keep track of when they're executed & when. That's only good
for the future, but a little testing might be all you need.
Pagemon is one, and there are also registry-mon and others - use
a search engine, again.

HTH,

Twayne`

 

[Andy]

Norvin Gordon has brought this to us :





Sorry I missed the original post, but give this one a try.



Didier Stevens

UserAssist



The UserAssist utility displays a table of programs executed on a

Windows machine, complete with running count and last execution date

and time.



Windows Explorer maintains this information in the UserAssist registry

entries. My program allows you to display and manipulate these entries.



http://blog.didierstevens.com/programs/userassist/



--

Zo



"Democracy is where you can say what you think even if you don't

think."

Thanks. What is the difference between last and last utc ?

It appears that there is never more than a day difference.

Andy

 

[Twayne]

In

And to add to what Nil said, the odds are you have at
least one program that needs it (and likely a few more). So I
wouldn't uninstall it.

Sometimes renaming a folder or executable will show whether it's
being used, too. I often just use "OLD" prepended to the
appropriate folder.
Then if I get error messages, I rename it back to what it's
supposed to be; if it works, it was being used.

When you rename a folder or file it can no longer be found
because of the name change. Just keep it simple so you can easily
rename it back.

HTH,

Twayne`

 

[Andy]

And to add to what Nil said, the odds are you have at least one program that

needs it (and likely a few more). So I wouldn't uninstall it.

I will check if it has any dependencies and would run erunt before I made any changes.

 

[John Smith]

I will check if it has any dependencies and would run erunt before I made any changes.

one of it dependencies is "Windows Update"
in help install program made with "Visual C",
or Drives made in "C"..

to help Install DLL made in "Visual C"..

 

[Nil]

one of it dependencies is "Windows Update"
in help install program made with "Visual C",
or Drives made in "C"..

to help Install DLL made in "Visual C"..

What???? Please review your English grammer. This doesn't make sense.

 

[Andy]

one of it dependencies is "Windows Update"

in help install program made with "Visual C",

or Drives made in "C"..



to help Install DLL made in "Visual C"..

Could you clarify what you said ?

 

[J. P. Gilliver (John)]

I find that statistic to be almost always inaccurate.

IIRR Belarc Advisor also gives some "when last used" information; I
think it does mark some things as "unable to report last usage", though.
It may be that it's just using the same information, but is worth a
punt.
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

Astaire was, of course, peerless, but it's worth remembering that Rogers does
everything he does, only backwards and in high heels. - Barry Norman in Radio
Times 5-11 January 2013

 

[J. P. Gilliver (John)]

[Somebody here is using posting software that is adding a blank line
between every line quoted. Could you have a look and see if this
"feature" can be turned off?]

I will check if it has any dependencies and would run erunt before I
made any changes.

I suspect you meant this anyway, but you need to check whether anything
else is dependent on it, not vice versa, if you're thinking of removing
it. Such a check needs to look at every file on your disc (or at very
least in Program Files), so will take a while.

(Also, ERUNT backs up the registry and I think _some_ other files - but
it won't allow you to undo an uninstall that actually deletes files from
a particular area.)
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

Astaire was, of course, peerless, but it's worth remembering that Rogers does
everything he does, only backwards and in high heels. - Barry Norman in Radio
Times 5-11 January 2013

 

[glee]

[Somebody here is using posting software that is adding a blank line
between every line quoted. Could you have a look and see if this
"feature" can be turned off?]

I will check if it has any dependencies and would run erunt before I
made any changes.

I suspect you meant this anyway, but you need to check whether
anything else is dependent on it, not vice versa, if you're thinking
of removing it. Such a check needs to look at every file on your disc
(or at very least in Program Files), so will take a while.

(Also, ERUNT backs up the registry and I think _some_ other files -
but it won't allow you to undo an uninstall that actually deletes
files from a particular area.)

Exactly... on both counts. Backing up the Registry will help nothing if
after removing Visual C++, he discovers he needs it. Much more than the
Registry is involved. Likewise there is no easy way to check what
programs are relying on Visual C++, and on machines with more than one
version, even determining which programs use which versions.

Andy seems to have just enough info to be dangerous.

 

[Andy]

In message <[email protected]>,

[Somebody here is using posting software that is adding a blank line

between every line quoted. Could you have a look and see if this

"feature" can be turned off?]

That is a collection of libraries that allow programs written in
Visual

C++ to run. It is not a standalone program that runs on its own.
If you

uninstall it, you may find that other programs that depend on it
will

not run.



And to add to what Nil said, the odds are you have at least one
program that

needs it (and likely a few more). So I wouldn't uninstall it.

I will check if it has any dependencies and would run erunt before I
made any changes.

I suspect you meant this anyway, but you need to check whether

anything else is dependent on it, not vice versa, if you're thinking

of removing it. Such a check needs to look at every file on your disc

(or at very least in Program Files), so will take a while.

(Also, ERUNT backs up the registry and I think _some_ other files -

but it won't allow you to undo an uninstall that actually deletes

files from a particular area.)

Exactly... on both counts. Backing up the Registry will help nothing if

after removing Visual C++, he discovers he needs it. Much more than the

Registry is involved. Likewise there is no easy way to check what

programs are relying on Visual C++, and on machines with more than one

version, even determining which programs use which versions.



Andy seems to have just enough info to be dangerous.

--

Glen Ventura

MS MVP Oct. 2002 - Sept. 2009

CompTIA A+

I think your anger is the dangerous thing.

 

[glee]

In message <[email protected]>,

Andy <[email protected]> writes:

Nil wrote:

microsoft.public.windowsxp.general:

For example, I have Microsoft Visual C 2010 x86
Redistributable
and would like to know if it is being used at all.
[Somebody here is using posting software that is adding a blank
line

between every line quoted. Could you have a look and see if this

"feature" can be turned off?]
That is a collection of libraries that allow programs written
in

Visual

C++ to run. It is not a standalone program that runs on its
own.

If you

uninstall it, you may find that other programs that depend on
it


not run.



And to add to what Nil said, the odds are you have at least one

program that

needs it (and likely a few more). So I wouldn't uninstall it.

I will check if it has any dependencies and would run erunt before
I

made any changes.

I suspect you meant this anyway, but you need to check whether

anything else is dependent on it, not vice versa, if you're
thinking

of removing it. Such a check needs to look at every file on your
disc

(or at very least in Program Files), so will take a while.

(Also, ERUNT backs up the registry and I think _some_ other files -

but it won't allow you to undo an uninstall that actually deletes

files from a particular area.)

Exactly... on both counts. Backing up the Registry will help nothing
if

after removing Visual C++, he discovers he needs it. Much more than
the

Registry is involved. Likewise there is no easy way to check what

programs are relying on Visual C++, and on machines with more than
one

version, even determining which programs use which versions.



Andy seems to have just enough info to be dangerous.

I think your anger is the dangerous thing.

I'm not the least bit angry. I'm making an observation based on your
posts.

 

[J. P. Gilliver (John)]

In message <[email protected]>, glee <[email protected]>
writes:
[]

Exactly... on both counts. Backing up the Registry will help nothing
if after removing Visual C++, he discovers he needs it. Much more than
the Registry is involved. Likewise there is no easy way to check what
programs are relying on Visual C++, and on machines with more than one
version, even determining which programs use which versions.

Andy seems to have just enough info to be dangerous.

ISTR encountering something that _would_ do a sort of "reverse
dependency lookup"; it checked every file (possibly only every
executable) on the HD. Obviously it was phenomenally slow, especially as
in this case I bet VC++ is _lots_ of files, and you'd have to run it
with each one. (Unless you could point it at a folder - it's so long
since I saw it I can't remember. But it would be _very_ slow, whether
you could do it manually or a whole folder at once.)