Removing aol

Grandpaw,

I don't know smartdrv, so I can't answer your question about that, but I know for sure that you can delete cookies as much as you like with Explorer, especially if you don't want to use them any more.

So delete the cookies, and then tell more about the folders or files (a folder is in the Explorer left pane, and in the Explorer right pane of the above-folder, a file only in the right pane when you select the folder in the left pane) still left. If you specify the filenames and the folders they are in, somebody will be able to tell you what they are, I hope.

Kees

I'm trying to clean out my "to do" list. I intended to mention that someone told me that to delete cookies, history, etc, I should go to DOS mode, get the C prompt, and type in smartdrv, and then get access to deleting those various things. I just assumed that was a standard way of doing it instead of the person's particular way. grandpaw

Generally, uninstallations do not delete files created after the installation or which were created by your use of such. Only a list of those originally installed will usually go. Because files remain, the folders that contain them will as well. These will be found in more than one place and you can manually delete them if you are sure they no longer needed. Drop them in the recycle bin for a time as a temporary measure. One place you will need to definately look is in the My Documents folder that relates to you as a user. Lots of trash stays there and even Windows cleanup doesn't get into these nooks and crannies.

I'm trying to clean out my "to do" list. I intended to thank you for your input. It was some education that I needed and that helps me. grandpaw

grandpa, I had the same problem as you. My solution was to get into the registry in two areas that refer to "Software" and delete those remaining folders and sub-folders named "AOL". That is the only thing that finally got everything for me.

I note you are uncomfortable in the registry so, if you try, do be careful and make a backup of the registry before starting. An aside... I have found many/most programs leave trash in the registry after uninstall. I make it a practice now to visit the registry before uninstall and find all references to the program to be deleted and then after uninstall I return to see what remains and delete them... just my quirky way of doing some things. This may not work for everyone!

Best of luck,

Glenn

that I did what you suggested. Thanks, grandpaw

1.) In Explorer remove any and all folders that mention AOL.

2.) Open Regedit, Start, Run, type in regedit, click ok. Click File, Export. Export/Save the registry to a folder or the Desktop. Click Edit, Find, type in AOL On every registry entry it finds, delete it. Click Edit, Find again and continue. Deleting the AOL entries should not affect the operation of the PC but backing up the registry is just insurance.

Since you didn't mention your OS, here are a couple of tools. If you're running XP, go to Google and search for RegscrubXP This is an excellent tool for XP. Let it run and it will find all the other "junk" left over. You'll be amazed at what it finds. It also has some great XP tweaks. If you're running W98 do a Google on Regcleaner. Same type of tool.

Good for you in breaking away from AOHell. It's the most invasive program ever written.

that I did as you suggested. (I have 98 so I don't have the RegscrubXP you mention, but I'm in the process of getting a computer with XP.) Thanks, grandpaw

First, I once again failed to subscribe to this thread when I opened it and so didn't realize I had replies.

I decided to pursue what Coryphasus suggested. So I downloaded Regcleaner, and had it fix or remove all the items it came up with, though I did back up the registry before doing so. I guess I'll now see how things work now.

And I just deleted all files that showed up in Find with the aol in them. Again, I guess I'll see if I was too hasty.

The reason I kept using aol is that I bought my computer under one of those deals where I got a discount but had to sign up for three years with aol. The three years won't be up for a couple of months but I recently had to get a new credit card and so aol told me that if I didn't update my credit card info with them they would cancel me. Hey, thanks a lot.

Thanks for the input, gentlemen, and ladies for all I know. I'm grateful. grandpaw

Hi
You may wont to look at this site I have used it for over a year with good luck

Registry First Aid
< http://www.rosecitysoftware.com/reg1aid/ >

sfctracey@msn.com

I looked at the website but need to review it a bit better. I did download a program to help with registry problems, the name of which I can't now recall, that someone recommended. Thanks for the suggestion. grandpaw

I will get too the point, its like hundred of ants walking and talking all through your registry and more, so the best way too get AOL OUT, is restore your system in all.

I mean just that.

I presume you are suggesting a reinstallation of Windows 98. I am thinking about having someone do that but need to talk to someone first and get better informed as to how much it would cost and have much trouble it would put me to. I did a reinstall a few years back myself and of course ran into a number of snafus. grandpaw

Grandpa,

Why should you want to remove all and every trace of aol? What harm does it do to have an icon-file here or there, or and exe-file or dll not used or a spurious line in the registry? None at all, most of the time.

A clean reinstall of Windows should be viewed as a last resort in case of unsolvable and fatal trouble, in my opinion. If your system runs satisfactory, leave it as it is.

If you feel you've got time and knowledge to play and experiment with computers and regularly install and uninstall software (let me say: to have the PC as you primary hobby) then invest money in a second computer and a program like Ghost or Driveimage.

If, however, like me, you view your PC as a tool to support your other hobbies and businesses, simply mess around with it as little as possible. Any professional system manager will have stability as his primary purpose and discourage every change, unless absolutely necessary.


Kees

And it was, very, very wet. I can't even remember what fooling around I did. But I'm using my daughter's computer if you need a hint as to the results of my foolishness. I can't get online with mine. However, rather than divorce my old clunker, we've decided to separate long enough for her to get counseling from a computer counselor who will reinstall her to her virginal self. Your advice, and that of others, seem to have needed my unpleasant experience to gain access to my brain. One thing I don't have to ask is where did all that time go; it went into my hard drive.

I very much appeciatte your concern and that of others. Hopefully, in a few days my queries will be about much less grave matters that how can I get this or that to working once again as it did before I "fixed" it.

Actually, reinstalling is not my last resort. There was always suicide. But I thought I'd try reinstalling first, especially since I won't be able to screw things up more when it is going on.

grandpaw

the adage "Grandpa knows best" doesn't seem to work in your case. Good luck in counseling!

The best to you!

Glenn

please don't mention it to the grandchildren. grandpaw

Congratulations! Welcome to the beginning of your long and adventurous computer education. Many of us may not admin it, but the truth is, this is how most of began learning everything we know. Experiment, trial and error... sometimes success, sometimes format & reinstall the OS and start all over.

grandpaw

Grandpaw, I run a computer support business and a grandpa too, and I read your trials and tribulations with a sense of deja vu. I don't know if your computer counselor has already started surgery on your old machine, but I'll just say that sometimes fdisk, format and reinstall of Windows is the quickest and most expedient way to get a computer back to a clean virginal state. Before he or she does that, I hope an inventory of programs you want to keep (reinstall) has been made, favorites, email, address book & email accounts exported, family pictures & other important documents saved to disk or CD. If your motherboard, graphics card, modem & sound card came with an installation CD or disks, locate them.

Once Windows has been reinstalled and all hardware drivers installed & working properly, install a good antivirus program first, then go to the Windows Update site to update and patch Win98 with all the latest patches & upgrades (with the possible exception of DirectX 9.0 and Windows Media Player).

Reinstall only the software that you need or desperately want back, and check the manufacturers sites for any updates or free upgrades that may apply to you or you may qualify for.

I further recommend that you install some spy-ware tools (spy-bot and/or ad-aware are good, and free for personal use), and a personal firewall (Zone-Alarm has a good basic one that is also free for personal use).

Finally, you might want to consider a pop-up blocker. There are many decent ones out there that are free and don't come with spy-ware of their own. Google has one included in their toolbar, for example.

After all this is done, have your computer counselor clean out all the temp directories and installation leftovers, run RegClean, then run a full scandisk and defrag. After all that, you should be in fine shape!

Good Luck and Happy Computing!

I have neglected my life so much in favor of my computer that I'm going to have an expert-type do as much as possible of what needs to be done, more than most people, or I, would normally have done. I'm now toying with getting a new computer. I want XP instead of 98, and I want a CD-R, and I think the cost of all that, especially when I want my hand held so tightly, will make it pretty economical to spend not too much more on a new computer that alread has XP and Cd-R. But, of course, I'll still need to do all the housework you mention, that is, I and my expert.

Much obliged for your concern, granpa.

grandpaw

Since you hate messing with the regestry( and i don't blame you) I suggest running a REG cleasner app. I use one called reg supreme that you can get here: http://www.macecraft.com/
This sould eliminate all the regestry entries left after the uninstal.

That's one of the things I am considering. grandpaw

Go to Start, click on Run, type in REGEDIT, then click on edit, then find, a box will pop up asking "Find what" type in aol, make all boxs are checked in the pop up box, it will then find the first file of aol in the registry, delete it, then click on find next, keep doing this untill aol is gone! I had the same problem on my Dell, I hate AOL, it had also attached itself to the Earthlink file. Dell couldn't tell me how to do this I had to figure it out for myself, PLEASE BE CAREFULL ONLY TO DELETE THE AOL REGISTRY FILES! Make a backup to be safe

I appreciate the info. grandpaw

I'm going there now. grandpaw

Grandpaw,

the suggestions posted here were good, but there are some caveats.

1. If you decide to use a registry cleaner, it's *not* good to simply let it wipe out everything it finds. Ideally, you should only be wiping out entries that you understand. It can happen that you let it wipe out everything and then you run into some trouble. What you can surely wipe out is AOL stuff under HKCR\Software and HKLM\Software. Since this is AOL, there will probably be a lot more than that in the registry. Most of what a good registry cleaner will find is probably safe to delete, but not all of it. Also, different registry cleaners find different things.

2. You can definitely delete any AOL stuff under C:\Program Files and C:\Windows\Application Data.

3. Did AOL leave an installation or uninstallation log file that you could look into, perhaps?

4. Reinstalling Windows can be a very good thing. If you haven't done so in a long time, I would suggest that you do it. And don't be afraid to do it yourself. You can get help online at places like this, or in the Microsoft Windows 98 newsgroup. Depending on what you want to use your computer for, you might not necessarily need a new one.

The best way to "learn" a guy not to mess with Registry unless knowledgeable, is my way: mess with it and bear the consequences. Hopefully, no more.

I don't find HKCR on my computer. I have one non-aol item on HKLM. And, no, there is no aol log.

For a number of reasons, I've given up on reinstalling 98 and instead am gettig a new computer with XP. I did reinstall 98 a couple of times, though I needed to get MS Help to help me out of jams I got into.

Thanks, grandpaw