SOLVED How to fully uninstall certain applications from a zip file.

[Heathsideboy]

I downloaded the application below thinking that it could be useful to me.

https://www.softwareok.com/?seite=Microsoft/AlwaysMouseWheel

However, it wasn’t so I decided to ditch it. This was one of those applications where you unzipped it and there was no uninstaller in the software. It also did not show up in Programs and Features so there was no way to uninstall it there either.

Because of this, all I did was delete the zip file. However, the application stays in the system tray hidden behind the up arrow on the bottom right hand side of the taskbar.

Just to let you know, I have already tried to find on Google whether there are any registry entries that I need to delete and I have exhausted all these. I have also exhausted all the searches in the C drive.

On the software itself there is an ‘ESC’ button that when I press, then the software disappears from the system tray. However, when I reboot the computer, it is back there once again.

The only thing I haven’t tried is a backup and restore but before I do that, I wondered whether anybody in here would know of another way to rid myself completely of this dreaded application?

Thanks

HB

 

[davehc]

It is a portable utility ,which means that it should be self contained in a folder somewhere on the computer.

Try and type the name in the search box "AlwaysMouseWheel", and, if it finds something, delete it. You might, also, look in the task manager start-up tab and see if it is starting with the computer.

 

[Heathsideboy]

Hi Dave,

Thanks for your advice.

I have tried this before but I tried it once more as you advised and typed in, “AlwaysMouseWheel” in the search box but nothing came back.

Then I went to the task manager and it was there on the start-up tab. I then right clicked on it and was able to find the file location from there. The file location was:

Users > My Username > AppData > Local > Temp > Rar$EX91.128

I deleted this folder and AlwaysMouseWheel then stopped showing on the taskbar system tray. (Can I also delete all the temporary files/folders safely in this location?)

Now it is gone from the taskbar system tray. Thanks for that.

However, now when I click on the Startup tab in the task manager, AlwaysMouseWheel is still showing there for some reason. The Startup impact is telling me that it is ‘Not measured.’ The status is telling me it is Enabled so I have right clicked on it and set it to be Disabled.

If I have completely removed all remnants of this program from the computer, why is it still showing up on the start-up tab of the task manager even though I have now disabled it?

Is there any way to remove it from this location as I will not need it anymore?

Thanks

HB

 

[davehc]

Are you familiar with searching in the registry?
Open HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run and you should see the entry there. Just delete it.

 

[Heathsideboy]

Yes, I have already looked in the registry for entries. When I go to the entry that you advise: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

Below is what is showing. What one would I need to delete as none of them mention 'AlwaysMouseWheel' anywhere and I am reluctant to delete anything there that does not mention this?

 

[Heathsideboy]

Okay, I finally found where all the remnants were in the Registry Editor for this particular application and deleted them so I can now mark this thread as solved.

To find them all, I did this (that I thought might be handy for other users out there if they come across this problem).

Carry out Davehc's excellent advice first. Then after that if you need to:

In the Registry Editor, click on Edit and then click on 'Find.' Type in the name of the application that you want to find the remnants to and then click 'Find Next.'

Once that search has been done, it should find any instance or remnants of the application you want to completely get rid of on your computer. Once it has found a remnant, you can export it to the desktop, then delete it from the registry.

After that, in the Registry Editor again on the Edit menu, click on 'Find Next' and any more remnants on the same application should be found and the above procedure repeated.

You can keep on clicking on 'Find Next' in the Edit menu of the Registry Editor until all the remnants of the application have been found. You will know this because the Registry Editor will eventually show you a window saying, 'Finished searching through the registry.'

You then reboot the computer and if everything is okay after that and there are no errors, you can then delete the registry values that you imported to your desktop.

I hope this will be useful for any users in the future.

HB

 

[davehc]

Excellent feedback - Thanks.