Uninstall programs not in add/remove list

Occasionally an installed program does not appear in the Ad-Remove Programs list. Go to start menu item or program file and there is no uninstall file. Yet the program is available through its shrortcut and is functioning. I'm concerned that just deleting the program folder will bolex up the registry.

What's the safe way, if any, to get rid of the program?

 

Is there a 'uninstall' program included in the program's file? Sometimes there can be a file, such as, 'uninstall.txt' that will give you instructions on how to remove the program. If not, you could use a program like Cleansweep or several other applications that are written to uninstall programs from Windows. If you do a search on Google you could probably come up with a freeware or shareware program that will take care of your problem.
You were right about not wanting to just 'delete' the program folder as this can cause related headaches

B

 

remove program

if a prog is not in the add-remove list here is what i do;

- blow away the directory for it

- delete the key with the program name under HKLM\Software

- delete the key with the program name under HK CURRENT USER\Software


usually works for me
btw, what program are you talking about?

 

The latest one was Tweakmaster. I did an uninstall with Add/Remove Programs, then found a shortcut Icon on the C drive. (don't remember where) When I clicked the Icon, the program ran, even after uninstall. It was no longer listed in add remove. What I did was move the shortcut to the desktop and then used Norton's Clean Sweep (program didn't show up in their uninstall program files list either) which says it uninstalled 1,656,704 MB. I then discovered the same program was installed on the 'D' drive, I don't know how it got there. I did the same thing to it with Norton, which says it uninstalled another 1,656,704 MB. I did a registry seach and didn't find any reference to it.

I just hope its gone.