I have just removed (part of) a program with Add/Remove, and I got the oft seen message that parts of the program remained and could be removed manually. I wish!
I have tried opening Program Files and using the option of selecting and deleting the folder, and also right clicking and choosing delete. Either way I get a message saying that the folder cannot be removed because the directory is not empty, but when I look inside the folder there is another folder with a name like 27BK35GP. When I mouse over this I get a little pop up saying folder is empty.
I have done a little housework whilst in Program Files, ie removing another unwanted program, and that just exited to the Recycle Bin.
I have also tried Eraser, Revo Uninstaller, and Unlocker, and I cannot get rid of the little bugger. At one stage Eraser said it could not remove the program and did I want to remove after the next restart? I did a restart but made no more progress.
Just to clarify, the program is a small utility program I got from my ISP. It is supposed to check in every so often with the ISP, and update my usage figures. When it works right I just mouse over the tray icon and get a close number on where I stand with my download allowance. I have been a little sceptical that it has been accurate over the last couple of weeks, and when I logged into my account I found a discrepancy of 1.2GB on my peak allowance. I was intending to uninstall the unreliable program and install another copy; when it works right it is handy.
So before I try a brick some constructive suggestions would be appreciated.
And seeing this is my first post of 2010, I hope everyone had a good Christmas and New Year.

Hi Xero happy New year to you to.

I'm surprised Unlocker can't remove the item.

If you don't have CCleaner download it from here CCleaner - Home
Install run it then click on the Registry button and then the scan for issues button.
Once the scan is completed click on the fix selected issues button.
A box will open and ask if you want to backup changes. click yes
In the save in box select a place were you can easily find the backup then click save.
Now click the Fix all Selected Issues button. When Issue Fixed comes up close the box.
Then close CCleaner. can you now remove the empty folder?
Or Install the utility.


If cannot remove folder or install utility.
When I want to ensure I had removed all remnants of a program I will edit the registry.

If you feel confident in doing this you will need to back the registry up before proceeding.

First go to run and type regedit. In the Registry Editor select File then Export
The Export Registry File box opens up.
In the File name box give the file a name. One that associated with the program your removing such as Before Usage Utility.
In the Save in drop down menu save the file in a place you can easily find should you need it and click the save button.
Once saved go back to the Registry editor and press F3 in that box put the exact name of
the utility you wish to remove and click on Find next button.
When it finds an item check that its associated with the program.
If you are unsure do not delete it, If the item is associated with the program press the Delete button on your keyboard.
Once deleted press F3 on your keyboard again and Regedit will search for the next value.
Do the same as above with next value and keep pressing F3 until the Finished searching the Registry Box appears.
Now run CCleaner (as instructed above) to ensure there are no remnants of the program.
You should now be able to install the utility again

If editing the registry causes you problems you can revert the changes by running regedit and clicking on file then select the import option.

Now find the backup you have saved either the one created by CCleaner or the one you
created. Then and click the Open button and your registry will revert back to the position
before you started this process.

Jim

Hi Jim,
Thanks for the instructions.
I am wary of messing with the registry, last time I had to reinstall Windows without being able to back up first.
However I followed the instructions exactly as you set them out, especially the backups (already have CCleaner but something Broni said has made me wary of using the registry part indiscriminately) . There were 3 items in that bit of the registry, one refused to be deleted, the other 2 are gone.
Unfortunately there is no change in trying to remove the utility. The folder is still showing as empty, but ... a straight Delete command doesn't work (would a command from the Run dialog work?). Unlocker and Eraser also won't remove it. Is there an application called sandblaster perchance? This is all quite a puzzle.

Hmm, Eraser, which uses DBAN technology is usually pretty good that this. Did you try to delete the folder with a name like 27BK35GP first? Can you rename it? Can you rename the parent folder? If you can, and reboot your computer, does everything work? Any error messages about something not loading?

Make sure Show Hidden Program or System Files is enabled. When you drill down to the folder 27BK35GP, instead of mousing over it, drill down into it. See anything in there now?

You are wise to be concerned about editing the Registry - certainly there are many horror stories based on truth. But CCleaner's registry cleaner is probably the least aggressive of them all and is the only registry cleaner I recommend. You said one item refused to be deleted - did that appear to be related to this? Have you tried Safe Mode?

I understand your concerns with the registry as I said in my previous post
"If you are unsure do not delete it"
I am slightly concerned that one item related to the program could not be deleted.
Could you tell us what the name of the program is?
As well as doing Digerati suggestions have you checked this folder with your antivirus and malware tools?

Jim

Hi to Digerati, and Jim,
Okay, first of all the one item that I could not delete, it is in the registry.
Name: Default (with a little tag preceding it that says "ab")
Type: REG_SZ
Data: value not set

Jim, as I said I am wary, I don't go messing in the registry except when I have specific instructions from a trusted source, DAL being a prime example. I trusted your instructions, and followed them exactly. Apart from no change in being able to delete the utility program, no ill effects. I have just checked the program file folder with Avast, mbam, and Spybot. The first 2 reported no errors, Spybot could not find anything to scan. For all I can see it is 2 empty folders, and that is what Spybot saw also. In the last general scan of the system one of those apps reported a problem with something in that program folder, an entry it created itself on 2 January. The last general scan was not the first since 2 January, I try to do scans once a week at least, and no errors reported for the program file prior to that last scan. When attempting to delete the folder contents I had to specifically track down the entry for 2 January as it did not want to move. Either Eraser or Unlocker did the job.

Digerati, I think I have done a restart since, and there are no problems. I have been able to open browser, email client, Photoshop all with no problems or error messages.
I did try renaming the folder 27BK35GP as Freddo, then tried Eraser. It renamed it with another random collection of numbers and letters. I renamed the main folder in Program Files Johnno, and it still refuses to delete.
I have Hidden Folders set to be visible, Program Files are usually visible, I have yet to go looking in Application Data, that was a bridge I was intending to cross when I was able to delete the program file.
I am not sure what you mean by "drill into" so please explain that if you would be so kind.
I just tried starting Eraser from the Start Menu rather than the context menu, the message I got was "There was nothing to erase."

I am still concerned because you though you had a problem with this program because
I found a discrepancy of 1.2GB on my peak allowance.
You also say
In the last general scan of the system one of those apps reported a problem with
something in that program folder, an entry it created itself on 2 January.
Which could suggest a virus was trying to disguise its usage from you
Do you recall what the problem was?
You obviously take care to keep your PC clean but if the problem was virus related and was
cleaned from your PC it may have some bearing on why its difficult to remove.

Have you tried Digerati's suggestion of going into safe mode to delete the folder.

We could also try going into Safe Mode and selecting Safe Mode with command prompt
First right click on Folder you renamed Johnno and select properties now make a note of
were exactly the program is located i.e C:\Program files\Johnno
If its not C:\Program files\Johnno then please let me know what directory the johnno folder is in. so I can give instruction on how to get to that folder.
These instructions are on the assumption the Johnno folders in the Programs Files folder
Now restart in Safe Mode and select the option Safe Mode with Command Prompt

If you enter a password when starting your PC you will arrive at the log on screen.
If there are two options i.e Your log on Name and Administrator select Administrator.
If you have given the Administrator a password enter in the box if not then just press enter.
If the Administrator is not there. Then log on in the usual way.
When safe mode as loaded you will be at the Command prompt blinking at
C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\your name
At prompt type CD C:\ and press enter (note the space between D and C
You should now be at C:\ If you now type DIR you will get a list of all directories and file on your C:\ drive one of which will be the Program Files directory.
At the C:\ prompt type CD Program Files
You will Now be at C:\Program Files now type DIR
You will get a list of all your program files one of the folders should be Johnno
Now at the C:\Program Files prompt type DELTREE Johnno again note space between E and J
Hopefully the folder and all subfolders will be deleted.

Jim

By drilling into, sorry - geek term. It just means to click on and enter folders and subfolders and keep going deeper into the folders and subfolder (down the "directory tree") until you are sure there are no more subfolders to enter.

Okay, now I know what is meant by "drilling into" I have drilled into and found the one empty folder, when I drill into that there is nothing to see.
The actual Program File is called "Westnet Usage Grabber, Westnet being my ISP. The folder inside is calling itself DKMOAD today.

As to the discrepancy of 1.2GB, I had over the last couple of weeks been concerned that the program was not accurately reflecting my usage, so I logged into my account at the ISP which is where I found the discrepancy between what the program was showing and what my ISP had me down as downloading. Given what I have done in that period I believe the ISP's figure is correct, hence the decision to remove and reinstall a fresh copy of the usage app. Also to clarify, to set up the app I need to put in my user name and password, and choose how often I want it to update.

After my, kind of silly, renaming the Program File Johnno I have renamed it with its correct name.

I have tried going in in safe mode and deleting the Program File, result = "the directory is not empty", and this is the same if I try deleting the empty folder inside.
I have tried going in in Safe Mode with Command Prompt. DELTREE is not recognised as a command. (Is this term a Vista command?) I also tried DEL and DELETE, followed by the Program File name. I did this with spaces between the words, and also with_underscores_ between_ the words. I have used a "\" between DEL and DELETE, and the program name, and made no progress.
I just had another go with Eraser from the Start menu and the message is "there is nothing to delete."
This is a tad vexing, but thanks nonetheless to Digerati and Jim for the help.

Additional Information.
This may indicate a course of action, to someone smarter than me.
As part of general housekeeping I defragged my C Drive, and a small number of files could not be defragmented.
Here is the relevant section of the report:
Fragments File Size Files that cannot be defragmented
2 4 KB \Program Files\Westnet Usage Grabber\L0CBOR\3 November 2009.xml
3 72 KB \Program Files\Westnet Usage Grabber\L0CBOR

And this is me