Unable to Remove Quick Time

I attempted to uninstall Quick Time via the add or remove programs list. On clicking on Quick Time in this list a box appears which says:

“Removing Quick Time system extensions can cause applications to malfunction. Click uninstall to remove the applications that came with Quick Time.

Click uninstall everything to remove the system extensions as well. Not recommended”.

I have tried repeatedly to uninstall Quick Time by clicking only on the Uninstall button and when I do this a box appears which says:

“Uninstall successfully completed”.

However, Quick Time still appears in the Currently Installed Programs list. Also a box entitled Multimedia Installation frequently appears which says:

“Quick Time application is not currently installed on you computer, which means you may not be able to able play certain music and video files. Would you like to install it now?”

How can I remove the Quick Time listing from the Currently Installed Programs list and stop the Multimedia Installation box from popping up?

Thanks (OS: XP Pro)

 

Hi, kesher.

I suggest you try downloading and running the Windows Installer CleanUp Utility to remove QuickTime from the Add/Remove Programs list.

I don't know if it will take care of your "Multimedia Installation" popups but I expect it will solve part of your problem anyway.


Event Viewer might provide helpful details about your "Multimedia Installation" popups issue.

Instructions About How to Access and Use "Event Viewer ":

• Click Start.
• Right-click My Computer.
• Select "Manage" to open the "Computer Management" window.
  (Event Viewer will be displayed under the "System Tools" directory item.)
• Expand "Event Viewer" and then select "Application ", "Security ", and "System" to view the logs.
• Look for "error" events that occurred around the time your problem occurred. These events will be displayed as icons with either a white X on red background or a black exclamation point on yellow background. In the security section of Event Viewer, events of possible concern are ones that display a padlock icon instead of a key icon.
• Double-click on an individual event to open the "Event Properties" window which shows details about the event.
  • You can use the up/down arrow buttons in the "Event Properties" window to move your focus to other events in the list.
  • Use the button below the up/down arrows to copy the details for an event to your clipboard for pasting elsewhere.
  • Click on the "http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp" link in the "Event Properties" window to view more information from Microsoft about the event.

Alternatively, Event Viewer may be accessed as follows.

• Click Start > Run...
• Type eventvwr.msc in the "Open:" field.
• Click the OK button.

Please let us know whether these suggestions help or not. If you want further assistance, please let us know that as well.

 

I have downloaded the Windows Installer CleanUp Utility; however, Quick Time does not appear in the installed products list in the Installer CleanUp dialogue box.

Although Quick Time is still showing in the currently installed programms list.


I have looked in the Events Viewer and there are no error events that seem to be assocciated with this problem.

The only error events (application & system), of which there are quite a number, are the following:


Event Type: Warning
Event Source: Userenv
Event Category: None
Event ID: 1517
Date: 07/08/2007
Time: 13:01:45
User: NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM
Computer: MY-19F5ED0D66C2
Description:
Windows saved user MY-19F5ED0D66C2\Girw registry while an application or service was still using the registry during log off. The memory used by the user's registry has not been freed. The registry will be unloaded when it is no longer in use.

This is often caused by services running as a user account, try configuring the services to run in either the LocalService or NetworkService account.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.





Event Type: Error
Event Source: Symantec AntiVirus
Event Category: None
Event ID: 45
Date: 07/08/2007
Time: 12:34:12
User: MY-19F5ED0D66C2\Girw
Computer: MY-19F5ED0D66C2
Description:


SYMANTEC TAMPER PROTECTION ALERT

Target: C:\Program Files\Symantec AntiVirus\DoScan.exe
Event Info: Set Information Process
Action Taken: Blocked
Actor Process: C:\Program Files\AOL 9.0\waol.exe (PID 220)
Time: 07 August 2007 12:34:12




Event Type: Warning
Event Source: Userenv
Event Category: None
Event ID: 1524
Date: 07/08/2007
Time: 11:21:12
User: MY-19F5ED0D66C2\Me
Computer: MY-19F5ED0D66C2
Description:
Windows cannot unload your classes registry file - it is still in use by other applications or services. The file will be unloaded when it is no longer in use.



For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.




Event Type: Warning
Event Source: Userenv
Event Category: None
Event ID: 1524
Date: 07/08/2007
Time: 11:21:12
User: MY-19F5ED0D66C2\Me
Computer: MY-19F5ED0D66C2
Description:
Windows cannot unload your classes registry file - it is still in use by other applications or services. The file will be unloaded when it is no longer in use.



For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.







Event Type: Warning
Event Source: Symantec AntiVirus
Event Category: None
Event ID: 6
Date: 06/08/2007
Time: 17:19:29
User: N/A
Computer: MY-19F5ED0D66C2
Description:


Could not scan 1 files inside C:\System Volume Information\_restore{0D87D742-B243-4FD5-86CE-0CB3298C84F0}\RP99\A0049592.exe due to extraction errors encountered by the Decomposer Engines.










Event Type: Error
Event Source: Service Control Manager
Event Category: None
Event ID: 7034
Date: 06/08/2007
Time: 18:50:32
User: N/A
Computer: MY-19F5ED0D66C2
Description:
The LiveUpdate service terminated unexpectedly. It has done this 1 time(s).

For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.



Event Type: Error
Event Source: Service Control Manager
Event Category: None
Event ID: 7000
Date: 06/08/2007
Time: 18:50:12
User: N/A
Computer: MY-19F5ED0D66C2
Description:
The LiveUpdate service failed to start due to the following error:
The service did not respond to the start or control request in a timely fashion.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.


Event Type: Error
Event Source: Service Control Manager
Event Category: None
Event ID: 7009
Date: 06/08/2007
Time: 18:50:12
User: N/A
Computer: MY-19F5ED0D66C2
Description:
Timeout (30000 milliseconds) waiting for the LiveUpdate service to connect.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.



Event Type: Error
Event Source: DCOM
Event Category: None
Event ID: 10005
Date: 06/08/2007
Time: 18:50:12
User: MY-19F5ED0D66C2\Me
Computer: MY-19F5ED0D66C2
Description:
DCOM got error "The service did not respond to the start or control request in a timely fashion. " attempting to start the service LiveUpdate with arguments " " in order to run the server:
{03E0E6C2-363B-11D3-B536-00902771A435}

For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.






The following relating to the installer cleanup utility are also shown in the Event Viewer but not as errors, only as information:










Event Type: Information
Event Source: MsiInstaller
Event Category: None
Event ID: 11729
Date: 07/08/2007
Time: 18:37:42
User: MY-19F5ED0D66C2\Me
Computer: MY-19F5ED0D66C2
Description:
Product: Windows Installer Clean Up -- Configuration failed.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.
Data:
0000: 7b 31 32 31 36 33 34 42 {121634B
0008: 30 2d 32 46 34 42 2d 31 0-2F4B-1
0010: 31 44 33 2d 41 44 41 33 1D3-ADA3
0018: 2d 30 30 43 30 34 46 35 -00C04F5
0020: 32 44 44 35 32 7d 2c 20 2DD52},
0028: 31 36 30 32 1602

Event Type: Information
Event Source: MsiInstaller
Event Category: None
Event ID: 11707
Date: 07/08/2007
Time: 18:35:58
User: MY-19F5ED0D66C2\Me
Computer: MY-19F5ED0D66C2
Description:
Product: Windows Installer Clean Up -- Installation operation completed successfully.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.
Data:
0000: 7b 31 32 31 36 33 34 42 {121634B
0008: 30 2d 32 46 34 42 2d 31 0-2F4B-1
0010: 31 44 33 2d 41 44 41 33 1D3-ADA3
0018: 2d 30 30 43 30 34 46 35 -00C04F5
0020: 32 44 44 35 32 7d 2DD52}

 

Microsoft KB247501: How to Manually Remove Programs from the Add/Remove Programs List

I'm guessing the Uninstall registry key for QuickTime will be
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\{95A890AA-B3B1-44B6-9C18-A8F7AB3EE7FC}

(That's the QuickTime Uninstall key in my registry anyway ... Windows XP Home SP2.)

I expect the Microsoft KB247501 article also applies to Windows XP Pro and Home.

 

In Registry Editor under: SOFTWARE/Apple Computer, Inc./QuickTime/

There are a number of related branches:

Active X; Favourite Movies; Installed File Types; Installed Files; Installed MIME Types; Installed Plugins; LocalUser Preferences; QuickTimeUpdateinProgress; Recent Movies; Registry Backup; SystemPreferences.

Just to be clear, should anything be done directly with these branches before following the instructions in Microsoft KB247501?

THANKS

 

Good question! I also commend you on your apparent cautionary stance.

I don't know the answer to your question though.


Since you're proceeding with caution (and your stated experience level is "Intermediate "), I feel more comfortable suggesting the following that I have been thinking about the last day or two.


You might want to try downloading jv16 PowerTools (jv16PTs) and using it's "Registry Cleaner" utility to scan your registry for errors (by clicking on the Registry Cleaner's "Start" button). I think you can download and use jv16PTs for 30 days before deciding whether to purchase or not.


You should be connected to the Internet when you run jv16PTs because it will update its database information to maximize your safety. I'm curious about what QuickTime-related errors it may identify. You will also be presented with a "System health indicator" (after the scan completes) that is interesting.

However, to be on the safe side, I recommend you do not have the Registry Cleaner fix or remove any "errors" it finds yet without fully investigating and preparing.


jv16PT's Registry Cleaner has worked well for me every time I have used it (even in "Agressive" mode) so I have grown to trust it. Occasionally, repairing my registry with jv16PTs's Registry Cleaner has created a minor glitch with other software but nothing major. For example, if I recall correctly, it has affected the Windows Explorer right-click context menu functionality of one of Karen's Power Tools before but I was able to fix that by reinstalling Karen't utility.

PeteC and charlesvar (staff members here at Windows BBS) also use jv16PTs. The help documentation included with jv16PTs is very extensive. jv16PTs also prompts the user to have jv16PTs automatically create a registry backup before it will fix or remove registry entries.

I'm tempted to suggest having jv16PTs' Registry Cleaner fix errors related to QuickTime but will hold off on suggesting that at least until other avenues have been tried, we have more information, and/or jv16PTs registry repairing recommendations are made by someone else with more experience than me.

At the very least, if you decide to proceed with having jv16PTs Registry Cleaner fix or remove registry errors, then be sure you research ahead of time how to recover your registry and prepare ahead of time in case things go awry.

 

This is going to sound odd, but you need to reinstall Quicktime in order to uninstall it. The reason for this is Apple in their alleged good sense stores the Uninstall.Dat file in the Windows Temp folder, where it ends up being deleted by folks innocently cleaning out their system.
I would do this before using a registry cleaner.

 

I had a hellofaproblem uninstalling Quicktime some time ago. The problem was that attempting to reinstall Quicktime failed because it could not remove a previous installation!

The best solution is to try to reinstall Quicktime - and then uninstall. But if this fails - the only solution which worked for me was to back up my registry - then, using regedit go through it thoroughly removing all references to Apple, iTunes, Quicktime from Keys, then from Values, then from Data (for some reason I couldn't fathom, it was more thorough doing it this way than having having them all checked at once!).

Then check your system still works properly - It should, but if not, reinstate your registry and ... dunno...

Unfortunately - that was not the end of it. I then found I needed to search my computer (using Agent Ransack) to find all stray files which referenced Quicktime - and delete them too.

Some files may be left over in - probably - ..Windows/System32 (If XP) which are are called qtsomethingorother, but not actually Quicktime. Note - it is possible that some of these will be crucial system files that have nothing to do with Quicktime!! So you have to do a Google (or whatever) search on them to find out if they are quicktime files or not. If they are - delete them.

A short-circuit approach might be to search your files first (especially the System32 files) - and delete any which !genuinely! belong to Quicktime. This may be all you need to do.

Please - someone leap in immediately if I've recommended something far too dangerous. But it worked for me.