Cannot Uninstall Earthlink Accelerator

I accedentally installed Earthlink Accelerator, but now I Can't Uninstall it!
It is a program that helps dial up users' connections run faster, but I have DSL, and don't need it. I have done a search for it, checked in add and remove programs, and still no luck.

 

Hi,
My guess would be if Earthlink itself is still installed, it may be embedded in there and untill Earthlink is removed, uninstalling it may be an issue...Since the primary place for finding and removing the accellerator is in the add/remove and it's not there, I would go to start, search, and type in Earthlink Accellerator and see if that serarch shows it...If so delete it of course and if no luck then post back here and we'll see what we can do.

 

Hello lpdrummer,

How did you "install" the Accelerator? Did you click on an option?

Features like this are usually options that can be turned on/off. Is there a way to see the amount of acceleration? See if there is a way to vary the speed. If so, one option should be a "normal" setting.

Regards - Charles

 

It was on the earthlink updates window that comes up about ebery 3 weeks with new upgrades. I accedentally clicked the download icon, so it downloaded.

I think it is installed because in the right of my taskbar next to the clock, there is a earthlink accelerator icon.

 

Hello lpdrummer,

I think it is installed because in the right of my taskbar next to the clock, there is a earthlink accelerator icon.
If you right click on that icon, what are the options?

Can you disable it - or does it show varying degrees of acceleration from normal to high?

Start > run > type msconfig > startup tab: is there an entry there for it? If so try disabling it from starting up.

Regards - Charles

 

There is one option I can click on, "Quick Tour ", and the other options (Performance Meter, Enable Earthlink Accelerator, Acceleration Options, Image acceleration Level) are blurred out.

And no, it is not in my startup tab.

 

Hello lpdrummer,

I suggest that you get in touch with EarthLink help - either through a on-line option somewhere on the EarthLink page or by phone. Setup a system where EL was the ISP, so know both exist.

Regards - Charles

 

Also, you will have to edit your hosts file to remove the proxy redirect in some cases.

Locate C:\windows\hosts (win98.me)
or C:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts
(note not hosts.sam , it is hosts with no extension)
single left click to select, hold down shift key and right click and choose open with and select notepad. Make sure that always use is NOT checked , and open.
You will see the entry , it should be fairly obvious, probably a reference to port 8080
delete it , and choose save as "Hosts" with the quotes, all files as file type and the location you opened it from as location.

 

OK, this is what notepad had-


# Copyright (c) 1993-1999 Microsoft Corp.
#
# This is a sample HOSTS file used by Microsoft TCP/IP for Windows.
#
# This file contains the mappings of IP addresses to host names. Each
# entry should be kept on an individual line. The IP address should
# be placed in the first column followed by the corresponding host name.
# The IP address and the host name should be separated by at least one
# space.
#
# Additionally, comments (such as these) may be inserted on individual
# lines or following the machine name denoted by a '#' symbol.
#
# For example:
#
# 102.54.94.97 rhino.acme.com # source server
# 38.25.63.10 x.acme.com # x client host

127.0.0.1 localhost




What do I do to that?

 

That's the default hosts file included with Windows XP.

Apparently, you do not need to make any modifications to it.
.

 

If I read correctly this is in the Windows XP section.

Why not try doing a System Restore to a date previous to the accidental install ? ( hopefully one does exist )

Then. If A System Restore is done and it does fixed the problem.

I suggest shuting down and restarting SR as each RP made since the accidental install will contain it.

BillyBob

 

I can't do a system restore. It wont let me go before the month of september, which is when this happened.

 

I do not understand that as it is something new to me. And I usually do not have a RP more than a week or so old anyway.

I just looked and I see Sept dates are grayed out and only 1 RP made today shows. And I know that I have done nothing with SR few a few days.

BillyBob

 

If that is the hosts not the hosts.sam file then you do not have the accellerator proxy redirect in your hosts file; it is clean.

 

OK good. I didn't think I had the accelerator running, but I would still like to remove it from my taskbar and possibly my computer.