What happens when a program is loaded on my computer?

[vile5]

For WinXP I am just trying to clean a program, the HP software for my
printer for a clean unintall. Add/remove does not remove the folder in
programs folder, nor the folder in the reg. I downloaded a cleaner
that they say does the job, but when I re-install the software it seems
to think that the software is still on. Will deleting the folders in
the reg and the programs folder be enough to clean the program off my
computer? Any thoughts?

Thanks

 

[Quaoar]

For WinXP I am just trying to clean a program, the HP software for my
printer for a clean unintall. Add/remove does not remove the folder
in programs folder, nor the folder in the reg. I downloaded a cleaner
that they say does the job, but when I re-install the software it
seems to think that the software is still on. Will deleting the
folders in the reg and the programs folder be enough to clean the
program off my computer? Any thoughts?

Thanks

In XP it is usually never necessary to clean out the registry when
uninstalling a program. Some uninstallers do leave the original Program
Files folders and it can be deleted if you are sure that the folder is
the one you *want* to delete.

Anyway, for cleaning up printer installs, go to this site:
http://www.coribright.com/Windows/

Q

 

[Ron Martell]

For WinXP I am just trying to clean a program, the HP software for my
printer for a clean unintall. Add/remove does not remove the folder in
programs folder, nor the folder in the reg. I downloaded a cleaner
that they say does the job, but when I re-install the software it seems
to think that the software is still on. Will deleting the folders in
the reg and the programs folder be enough to clean the program off my
computer? Any thoughts?

Thanks

HP software is becoming like Symantec - the normal uninstaller is just
a superficial "once over lightly" with a horde of files and registry
entries being left behind and you need to use additional steps or
supplementary software to do the job completely.

I recently encountered a problem in trying to configure a computer
that had 3 different HP printers all connected via USB, and ended up
in an extended discussion with HP support techs. One of the things
that they had me do was what they called a "level 4 uninstall" which
did a much more thorough job of removing both files and registry
entries for the printer being uninstalled.

I didn't go into the details with the HP tech but I suspect that the
normal uninstall routine would be a level 1 uninstall, and that levels
2 and 3 would be progressively more thorough and level 4 being the
complete housecleaning.

Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

In memory of a dear friend Alex Nichol MVP
http://aumha.org/alex.htm