OT: Brief help with this computer problem?

[onomastikon]

Thanks so much people.
I will leave the registry alone then. I dont feel comfortable with that, especially not after the warning. I merely asked because I thought that is what an "uninstall" program should be doing -- my (poor, faulty) understanding of these things was that the "folder" in which the program files are stored is merely there as a base from which the program's "install shield" puts all the things it needs into place, and God only knows where those places are, so that the "uninstall" program goes and finds them and removes them. By clicking start -> config -> system -> software and checking out that list, I see HommV demo there, despite having used the uninstall program a year ago and having clicked "remove" in that list a couple of times, hence I figured something "tricky" must be done. But if you say that deleting the folder in the c:/programme directory will do the job, I am relieved.
Leaving entries in the registry is not harmful?
THANK YOU!!

[Endoperez]

Leaving entries in the registry is not dangerous, but it will clutter the registry, and if you always just remove the programs' directories knowing what you have and what you removed will become quite difficult.

[onomastikon]

Endoperez said:
Leaving entries in the registry is not dangerous, but it will clutter the registry, and if you always just remove the programs' directories knowing what you have and what you removed will become quite difficult.

So you recommend that I delete the folder only just this one time, but not make it a general practice, or do you recommend that I try that regedit program?
thank you

[Torin]

search for a clean registry application that cleans it for you.

[SlipperyJim]

Torin said:
search for a clean registry application that cleans it for you.

Yes, yes, a THOUSAND times yes! Personally, I recommend CCleaner. It's free, fast, and not loaded up with spyware. Just remember to clear the silly checkbox that asks if you want the Yahoo! toolbar.

Editing the Registry yourself is pretty safe if you know what you're doing, but it can be a bad place for a novice to go exploring. The Registry is not well-documented, and deleting (or changing) the wrong thing can have bad effects. If you're going to do it yourself, then take the time to learn how to do it safely. Read some articles about the Registry on the Microsoft Knowledge Base. Learn how to make a backup copy in case of a mistake. Learning about the Registry is an important part of learning how Windows actually works, and I highly recommend it. That said, if you aren't really curious about your computer, than the Registry is not the place to start learning.

Use CCleaner.

[Dedas]

Learning the registry can be a very rewarding experience. But so are most things that require some actual brain work. Just like Dominions.

[onomastikon]

THanks much folks.

Just to finish this thread off:

I deleted the folder, DLed and ran CCleaner (a few times), and it's all ok it appears -- except that HommV Demo still appears in /system/software with 750MB, and hitting "remove" still doesnt work. Weird!
Should I worry?
thanks much

[Jazzepi]

Endoperez said:
Leaving entries in the registry is not dangerous, but it will clutter the registry, and if you always just remove the programs' directories knowing what you have and what you removed will become quite difficult.

I just find that registry "clutter" is extremely relative. If you've actually poked around in there, it's filled with so many different items, that deleting a handful that aren't caught by an uninstaller just doesn't seem worth the risk. Especially since you don't look at the registry on a regular basis.

But to answer onomastikon's question, you should definitely use the uninstaller whenever possible. It will, as you said, get rid of all those other little things the program installs. The important thing to remember is that the vast majority of the install files end up in the Program Files directory.

Jazzepi