How to Uninstall Stubborn Programs From a Hard Drive

Remove stubborn programs with the registry.

Microsoft Windows contains an Add or Remove Programs tool that you can use to remove programs you do not need. However, some programs do not have an uninstall wizard for this tool to use and some are not wiped off completely. Such programs are problematic and could leave elements that will interfere with future installations. The registry is the best way to uninstall stubborn programs completely.

Instructions

1. Click "Start" and type "regedt32" in the search box (do not include the quotation marks).

2. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows|CurrentVersion\Uninstall.

3. Create a copy of this folder. Click on the file menu at the top the window and select "Export." Select "Desktop" from the "Save in" list, and type "Uninstall" in the "File name" field. Click "Save."

4. Click a key under "Uninstall" in the left pane. Search for the name of the associated program beside "DisplayName" in the right panel. Repeat this process until you find the program you wish to uninstall.

5. Right-click the key for the program you wish to uninstall and select "Delete." Click "Yes" to delete the key.

References

• Microsoft: How to Manually Remove Programs From the Add or Remove Programs Tool