Just when I think I've heard it all ...
Yes, Far Canal, it is very interesting how some programs have defaults
which are counterintuitive to the operation of others. We learn from
everything we do!
The use of "c:\tmp" to store temporary files is extremely common in the
UNIX world where in the olden days, tmp wasn't cleared upon rebooting
(nowadays on some UNIX systems, tmp is cleared upon rebooting but most
UNIX servers I've used don't reboot more than once a year or so so the
/tmp directory is often used to store data for months). On a PC,
neither C:\TEMP nor c:\tmp are cleaned upon reboot but C:\TEMP gets so
much Microsoft crap stored in it that c:\tmp is the only reliable way
of maintaining your own temporary files directory.
Same with Program Files (I store all my programs in "C:\My Programs".
Likewise with "Documents and Settings" (I store all my important data
in "C:\My Data".
By storing my important programs hierarchically in a very well defined
order in "C:\My Programs", by saving my important data hierarchically
in an organized fashion by task (not company marketing names, which are
useless) in "C:\My Data", and by temporarily storing my working copies
in well organized sub directories of "C:\Tmp", I avoid the common
confusion that occurs because Microsoft and other programs store tons
of crap in a confusing array ridiculously flat "C:\Program Files"
directories, ludicrous marketing terms scattered about the horridly
complex "C:\Documents and Settings" hierarchy, and absolutelly
unintelligable crap in the C:\TEMP directory.
My corresponding directories are clean, well organized, and above all,
simple and intuitive.
Back to the problem at hand. It seems it has morphed to how to really
remove a program from Windows XP when the InstallShield installer fails
to do so.
I just found a listing for "SmartSound Quicktracks Plugin" in the
Start, Settings, Control Panel, Add or Remove Programs console. Maybe
my kid did install something, after all!
Unfortunately, I clicked "Change/Remove" a dozen times and all that
happened each time was a message saying "InstallShield Wizard"
"SmartSound QuickTracks PlugIn SetUp is preparing the Install Shield
Wizard which will guide you though the program setup process. Please
wait". But nothing happened each time and that message goes away.
It's interesting how one computer problem cascades into another and
another until the problem is resolved (honestly, I don't know how you
guys do this stuff). I guess my question has just now morphed into a
question about how to really uninstall a program.
Is there a WinXP program uninstaller out there that will really
uninstall this program?
Thank you in advance,
Susan
