what is this left over stuff from uninstall?

Hi .....I just uninstalled a program I no longer needed and it has left behind a folder containing the following files: comctl32.ocx and msinet.ocx. and I wanted to do a clean removal of this unwanted folder but am not able to delete it. What are these and how can I get rid of them.
Thanks for your help
Splitwheat

 

Maybe not that pecticular file but one by that name is being used by Windows.

To be on the safer side I would leave them.

That software apparently needed the two files in it own folder instead of using the ones Windows provides.

You could try going to the safe mode and see if you can move them to another location and a folder of some odd name. Then if all is well ( after a few days ) you could go back to safe mode and delete them.

I am not sure of those two files would be used in the safe mode or not. But I do not think so.

Also they should both be in the C:\Windows\System folder.

If still unsure, leave them as is.

BillyBob

 

These are files/folders created after installation of the program and during normal day to day usage. They are subsequently not part of the uninstall file. Log files are another type that causes this, for example.
Generally after running "uninstall" or "removal" files, the last dialogue box has a statement to the effect: Windows was unable to remove all files and these should be removed manually ".
They are safe to delete, but if you have doubts, consign them to the Recycle bin for a while and see if there are any ill effects.

BOL

 

Topdog

What you write is the way things do ( or are supposed to ) work.

But if the file in question ( or one with the same name ) is being used by Windows you may not be allowed to delete it And niether will the un-install.

I ran into this just a day or two ago. I tried to delete an unused Video driver folder. I could not do same as one of the file names was being used by Windows.

Went to the safe mode and all deleted just fine.

BilllyBob

 

I have lots of questions!

Where are the MSINET.OCX and COMCTL32.OCX copies located that you are trying to delete? For example, I have a copy of COMCTL32.OCX in the C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM folder (version 6.00.8022 Windows Common Controls ActiveX Control DLL) and another copy of COMCTL32.OCX in C:\IBMtools\Updater folder (version 1.0.2630 Chicago Control Pack OLE Control DLL). I do NOT have any copies of MSINET.OCX on my system so it is not a standard Windows 95 file.

What is the message you get when you try to delete?

Are you trying to delete the folder itself? If so possibly the folder has been marked "read-only ". Right-click it and check in Properties.

If Windows is not letting you delete the files, and they are not marked "read-only" then you may have a program running that is using them. In any case, leave them alone until you find out more.

I did a mskb search on MSINET.OCX and found out that MSINET.OCX is installed by Microsoft Access and other programs. See http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?sd=msdn&scid=kb;en-us;179117

It might help if you tell us the name of the program you uninstalled and what programs you see running when you do a Ctrl/Alt/Delete.

 

Billybob:
Understood and I agree with you re "that's the way things are supposed to work" ,but we know better, don't we. But, as I said, there are many programs which create housekeeping and save files which aren't part of the "Uninstall " log file, which is why Add/Removal leaves them ehind. Also some of these files installed by one program become shared files with other programs, which is another reason Windows won't let you delete them, at least not whilst in Windows..Some of these type come under the category of "delete at your own peril" and you really need to know what you are doing..If you don't know, leave them. They don't take up much room in the context of HDD capacity these days.