Need in windows

last SG · 2005-12-03T15:56:58+00:00

haiz.. windows windows windows... microsoft microsoft microsux...

Mr Soh SG

I recently changed my OS from win 98 to win 2000. The prob is i did not do clean install. There is a lot of junk now. But i cant afford to do clean install

So the prob now is how do i uninstall the programs which worked in 98 ( cant see them in the Uninstall options)
and did not work in 2000

In other words *PURGE old Remnants* of the past OS.

HOW DO IT?

snop_coolz SG

reformat? reformat using the 2k disk

Mr Soh SG

I stated i cant and wont do it because all the prog and files i need. Furthermre my CDRW is not working.

Other suggestions pls

ndmmxiaomayi SG

What do you mean by can't afford? No time or no money?

Because I feel that you really need a clean install to solve your problems.

Mr Soh SG

U see the thing is that thre programs i originally used in win 98 are some are not working. But they are not showing up in the uninstall prgrams list. How do i make them show up and uninstall them?

ndmmxiaomayi SG

Buy a new CDRW drive or get an external hard disk to back up your files, then do a clean install.

What program you need so urgently until you don't want to do a clean install? Microsoft Office? Programs are hard to back up, because the registry is involved. Unless you know how to back up your registry and copy the old registry to the new OS, I doubt it is impossible. I myself don't know how to do that.

launtpc SG

You cannot make them show up.

When a program is installed, the Installer writes a Registry value in the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall with the values of the Name, Uninstall Path and Icon.

When you upgrade, Windows 2000 apparently overwrites the whole Registry's Uninstall section.

Therefore -- you have to hunt around your Program Files, uninstallin the unneeded programs...

Mr Soh SG

Yes i think this is what happened. I am very sure. So is there any 3rd party programs to uninstall them? any other ways ect?

ndmmxiaomayi SG

Hmmm, I think it will be impossible. That is because Windows 98 and Windows 2000 is a totally different system.

But how come they are still inside your computer? Usually these files will disappear when you install new OS.

launtpc SG

1. Use the program's own Uninstaller. Normally in the Program Files folder, in each Program's folder there will be a unwise.exe or uninstall.exe or some sort of uninstaller. If there is, good, you can remove it by running the Uninstaller.

2. Use Norton CleanSweep (or some other free Uninstaller program, I do not know). It can analyze the program EXE and determine which other files the program uses, and remove it for you.

ndmmxiaomayi SG

Either that, delete the registry keys. Do so only if you know which one to delete. Delete the wrong one and you will really need a clean install.

launtpc SG

He did not do a clean install -- he upgraded.

For example, you install Program A in Win98. When you upgrade, Program A in the "program files" folder remains, but DLL it uses may be removed/replaced in the upgrade process, so Program A cannot run, cannot be removed via the Add/Remove Proggy interface.

ndmmxiaomayi SG

Overwrite should have gone already.........

Probably something went wrong during the installation.

launtpc SG

Reg keys are already removed by the upgrade, that is the soruce of the problem.

Without the Registry keys, the Add/Remove programs will not show the Program on its list.

launtpc SG

No, the installation is fine. This problem is typical.

Program A's files is in C:\Program Files
Registry is in C:\Windows\System32 (let's say)

When you upgrade, C:\Windows is overwritten, some useless WIN98 files are left behind. However Windows installation does not touch C:\Program Files.

So, without the registry, (which stores the list of programs installed), Windows does not even know that Program A exists!

ndmmxiaomayi SG

DLL removed, uninstall also cannot work even if the uninstall program is in the folder. I tried before, so I did a clean install again. The best way, unless you know the registry well.

launtpc SG

Some DLLs might not be removed... so you get wasted space.

Clean install still the best.... Neutral

launtpc SG

Forget about Microsoft Office, it has tons of Registry values in different Hives, you can might as well re-install. Very Happy

People who use their PCs regularly and customizes it usually needs to clean install every 2 years. Because Windows itself is bloated and wastes space. According to research. Mr. Green

ndmmxiaomayi SG

I didn't know that. I only know Microsoft Office takes up a lot of space.

Mr Soh SG

U see the newer programs are still working .things are fine. browser is working. Everything is intact. Passwords bookmarks files ect.

But the bloody uninstall programs is screwed. The only problem now.