Old Xerox New HP

My old Xerox 4-in-0ne just wasn't compatible after installing all the M$ updates and SP1 anymore...none of the drivers were signed by M$, and I can't remove it from comp- even manually. I get error messages that say Pagis needs this file (even though Pagis etc is GONE)

Grrr...

So I bought a cheapie HP 3-in-one, and it installed idiot proof but now there is garbage everywhere. That wasn't a "driver" install disc, it was a conglomeration of software, most of which I do not need or want. There is no "custom" install for this baby. I began to try to get rid of the fluff, then quit. I was burning a cd and typing a letter, and my comp didn't just crash, it drowned. Safe mode was no help- everything useful was greyed out. All my system restore points vanished. No BSOD, but I couldn't boot the computer, couldn't run anything if I did get to the desktop, and the HD kept whirring away, light flashing. I had keyboard and cursor response, but no computer action. Had to change BIOS settings (put me back to 1999 and reduced the size of my processor) I monkeyed around with it for a couple of hours, not much success, figured I would break it more if I kept it up, so I went to bed.

Got it up and running this morning by going into startup and enabling all the new **** HP put on...half a dozen processes for a printer I will seldom use, and certainly doesn't need to be enabled at every boot. But now things are back to "normal" if that's possible with Windows!), the **** Xerox folders and files are still there, cannot be deleted, and HP has commandeered all my jpg files. Grrr... Would like to just load the printer and scanner drivers for this HP, nothing more. Anyone have any ideas? If not, thank you for letting me vent.
Johanna

 

Hi Johanna

Try the manual again this way.

Remove both in Add/Remove.

Then search the HD for Xerox, Pagis and delete them. Additionally any items pertaining to the HP printer. Or all HP items if you have no other HP software on your computer.

Now do a manual registry search for these items and remove. Do this manual registry cleanup "before" running the full-fledged reg cleaners I suggest below. By doing the manual first you have a higher chance of exposing more of these items that may look like legit entries to the reg cleaners.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Get these if you don't already have them but only run them in safe mode in this case after doing the above:

Registry and System cleaners

RegCleaner <http://www.vtoy.fi/jv16/shtml/regcleaner.shtml>
Look in first 2 cols for programs you thought you uninstalled or removed, these are the dregs left by the uninstaller. Also tag and remove any that you are POSITIVE are not supposed to be on your computer. After removing these go to the top Tools-Registry Cleanup-Do them all. Delete all it finds.

EasyClean1.7 <http://gswi.com/downloads.htm>
Run only unnecessary files and registry clean delete all it finds. If you have XP or ME in the "Unnecessary Files" type the word HELP in the skip box. Do not do Duplicate files!
NOTE: Easy clean breaks XP help but it is so easy to put back I still recommend and use EasyClean, so after Easy clean go here and click the top left hand corner to fix online or below download it to your computer for later. http://dougknox.com/xp/scripts_desc/fixwinxphelp.htm

System Mechanic <http://www.iolo.com/sm/index.htm> Do not do Duplicate files!

RegScrubXP http://www.majorgeeks.com/downloadget.php?id=2048&file=2&evp=50bd078f62c11086d8d7693510554b73
NOTE: W2K and XP only
Select RegScrub finds problems and remove all it finds.

RegSeeker http://www.hoverdesk.net/freeware.htm Do RegSeeker last, I advise again looking for Xerox and Pagis again because recently for some reason I decided to use RegSeeker immediately after a manual registry edit for the same item (additionally I had already ran all of the above too). Amazingly it found more entries. I credit this to a smarter seek engine.

Now boot back to full and install the new printer. If this is a USB make sure if it is one of those (most) that do not want the printer connected first but only when the install program requests the connection.

Mike

 

Thanks, Mike!
I did manual deletions, rebooted, and started doing the Reg cleaners. Deleted a lot of stuff! (HP even put AOL on my comp! I'm sure I didn't see mention of AOL in the HP EULAs I agreed to!) Did them all without being in Safe Mode...because, well, nothing to lose at this point. You can gamble when everything is backed up! Last, I ran Reg Seeker and it had found 154 problems when the system locked up. I shut down, rebooted and all seems okay. These 3 files cannot be deleted for some reason, and they are from the Xerox/Pagis software:
PGFldRes.dll
ctxmfind
p9folder
but it doesn't seem to be bothering anything. Reinstalled the HP printer, deleted all the garbage, and it scans and prints fine. I used Norton to limit its Net access- every application wants to call home. What are they doing with all that data, anyway? So far, so good.

Out of curiosity, have you ever experienced any conflicts using so many diff reg cleaners? I have a pretty tight set up, so I noticed some differences of opinion running all the clean ups. If you had to pick one reg cleaner, which one would you choose? And why?
And what is your opinion of Win Doctor (Symantec- Norton Utilities)? I'm sure this would be of general interest to many, so if you have time to answer that, maybe we should start another thread.

Thanks for helping me. I appreciate the way you always come through with valid advice and sensible explanations for my (sigh) many problems. Experience beats theory any day!

Johanna

 

Lol!!

So you trusted me enough to do everything but "Safe Mode" huh?

Nothing to lose, huh?

Yes you did have something to lose!

Here they are:

PGFldRes.dll
ctxmfind
p9folder

And perhaps few more you do not know about.

There are no undeletable files or folders in windows. One way or the other all the way down recovery console any file can be deleted.

I didn't advise safe mode just so I could type a few extra words. Smile!

I knew it was possible that it could work OK with one good regcleaner in full mode. But I suggested this proceedure and the order, to more insure that "everything" would be gone at then end of the steps. Not only the 2 printers that were now tangled up, but the other unknown registry items that may have been a factor.

Safe mode would have reduced the open files and other programs and device drivers that could interfere with this process.

Most likely you would not have locked up in Regseeker in safe mode.

OK enough lecture!

No I never have had but execellent results running "these" regcleaners in sequence one after the other. I have found each to have different strengths and weaknesses. What is weak for one it strong in the other. Matter of fact I have others that I run in addition to these.

I do it to shotgun "do it all to the max in one shot" or sequence of shots in this case.

I don't do it for routine maintenance but mostly for unknown eratic or severe problems.

I do it before a big service pack install, after a virus hit that has been cleaned, especially if multiple hits or some of the more potentially damaging ones.

I also mostly do it for my clients and friends etc as on my personal workstations at work and my computers at home have not had a virus in years. Because I stay on top of these. Now there have been hits that were caught but none got in.

If I had to pick 2. Well I am glad I don't have to pick. But I would choose RegCleaner and RegSeeker.

Mike

 

Oops..never thought of that (safe mode would allow me to delete the stubborn files!) Okay, tonight, after the kids go to sleep, I'll do it all again -in SAFE MODE- like you told me to the first time... and I'll bet RegSeeker works this time, too...

I'll let you know how it goes...and thanks for the help!
Feeling foolish for not following instructions,
Johanna

 

I wouldn't run any more Reg Cleaners. Just go to safe mode and find and delete the files that didn't go away in full!

Mike