Whence programs?

[Ken]

Under what circumstances do programs get installed but don't
appear on the "Add/Remove" list or the "Start>All Programs"
list?

I see a few of these when I examine my hard drive with
Explorer. Can I delete these folders without causing a problem?

 

[RobertVA]

Under what circumstances do programs get installed but don't appear on
the "Add/Remove" list or the "Start>All Programs" list?

I see a few of these when I examine my hard drive with Explorer. Can I
delete these folders without causing a problem?

Check your "Start" menu for shortcuts to uninstallers, the application's
folder(s) for uninstallers and even the media or downloads themselves.
If after all this looking you haven't found some automated way to remove
the software, rename the folder and operate the computer a few weeks to
make sure you don't experience any problems (like but not limited to
error pop-ups) from something looking for one of the files in that folder.

 

[DL]

Some uninstall programs leave the program folder in place

 

[Twayne]

Under what circumstances do programs get installed but don't

appear on the "Add/Remove" list or the "Start>All Programs"
list?

I see a few of these when I examine my hard drive with
Explorer. Can I delete these folders without causing a problem?

NOT necessarily! Many of the filenames you see are there to support the
programs that you have installed and are using. And that can be a lot
of files, and the names may not look anything like the applicaiton name.
If they have to do with old, uninstalled programs, then yes, you
could delete them safely for the most part.
If in doubt, simply rename the folder they are in first, and make
sure everything keeps working. I usually add "OLD" to the end of hte
name so I can still relocate them easily. If so, then delete it; if
not, rename it back to get thngs working again.
--
Regards,

Twayne

Open Office isn't just for wimps anymore;
OOo is a GREAT MS Office replacement
www.openoffice.org

 

[Kaja Sanvean]

WARNING. Basic rule of thumb on deleting files and folders. Do not delete
unless you know exactly what the file or files in the folder does and if you
need it because it might need to interface with another program and only
delete it if you are 100% positive nothing bad will happen. I have deleted
stuff I did not know what it wass and had mass problems. Please learn from
my mistake
Kaja

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Under what circumstances do programs get installed but don't
appear on the "Add/Remove" list or the "Start>All Programs"

What makes a program appears on Add/Remove Programs is the author
having written an uninstaller for it, and written the Install routine
in such a way that it puts an entry in Add/Remove programs. If he
didn't do this, it won't be there.

Same with Start>All Programs. It gets there if the installation puts
it there

I see a few of these when I examine my hard drive with
Explorer. Can I delete these folders without causing a problem?

If you want to uninstall a program that doesn't appear in Add/Remove
Programs, checks its folder to see if there is an uninstall program
there. If it's not there, and you want to remove it, you have no other
choice but to remove it by deletion. It's not a great choice, since it
may leave leftover pieces of itself around, but there's no other way.

 

[Ken]

What makes a program appears on Add/Remove Programs is the author
having written an uninstaller for it, and written the Install routine
in such a way that it puts an entry in Add/Remove programs. If he
didn't do this, it won't be there.

Same with Start>All Programs. It gets there if the installation puts
it there




If you want to uninstall a program that doesn't appear in Add/Remove
Programs, checks its folder to see if there is an uninstall program
there. If it's not there, and you want to remove it, you have no other
choice but to remove it by deletion. It's not a great choice, since it
may leave leftover pieces of itself around, but there's no other way.

Thx for the info.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Thx for the info.

You're welcome. Glad to help.