I always get such strange problems with my computer

Why can't I be normal and get "Cannot delete x because it is being used by another program or process"

:<





Ps- Photobucket converted my nice AVI format video to s***ty quality FLV.

are you happy, mac users? :<

Would you like to give a bigger clue as to what problem you are talking about?

There are free file hosting services that won't mess with your original format!

The fact I have a bunch of things on my list classified as "INVALID" and they go away if I hit remove, but come back when I close the list

also when I hit Remove they leave invalid uninstaller references >_<

What's up Winapp2.ini,
All those freaky things happen to people who do freaky things.YOU know that.
Since you have already tried the first normal thing to do, now you can try some alternatives.
First thing experienced users do is make sure they Create a System Restore Point and create a back-up of the Registry using ERUNT. http://www.larshederer.homepage.t-online.de/erunt/index.htm

1) Contact the software manufacturer and find if there is an Uninstall tool for this product.That way you may luck out and get one that resets the Registry and deletes a lot of old files and stuff.Experienced users always try the easiest things first.

2) Search the net to see if somebody has already created a tool or method to clean up after this software.This works more often than you would believe.DON'T be fooled by sites that offer all kinds of fixes without checking with other experienced users.THE BAD GUYS often wear white hats.They promise and guarantee or whatever to get you to download their "malicious" software.

3) Use the WINDOWS INSTALLER CLEAN UP UTILITY to see if it is listed in its list and "Remove" it this way. This will also remove more than the next step.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301/en-us WINDOWS INSTALLER CLEAN UP UTILITY

4) Use CCleaner > Tools > Uninstall Highlight the item and try the Uninstall.Probably won't work but do it anyway.Then use the "Delete" button.This more than likely will successfully delete the item.

5) Registry editing but only as a last resort.

Good Luck,
davey

What about trying to delete it in safe-mode? Doesn't it only load those files that are needed to run Windows and nothing else?

That is correct.
You may have been mislead by his first post as I was.He is not getting the message he states.He says that would be more normal.
The problem he is having is explained in Post #4.We were all waiting for him to tell us as he forgot to say what it was in his first post.
davey

Also see here

http://windowsxp.mvps.org/AddRemove.htm

I was able to use a registry searcher and about 30 minutes of my time (what the hell? explorer.exe just ended) to get rid of TWO of the invalid things. I'll take a look at what Hazelnut posted - it looks promising but I can't use it right now because Spyware Terminator / winclam are eating up my CPU because I'm pretty sure I've got a security issue (my msn cant connect to the key port, unknown reason. apparently an error code isnt enough for Microsoft to id my problem?)


oh- It didn't work. Programs dont seem to pick up the invalid entries. I guess I'll have to do it by hand. (though I tried this, and all my norton anti vir. entries and my ventrilo client became "Invalid" ~ Please insert the invalid install disk



edit- I felt my problem was aptly explained in the video.

^ just imho

Are you saying you have been running around the internet "naked".No AV? For how long?
Well, you check in every now and then. So we know you aren't broke down somewhere.
This is sounding worse and worse.When is the last time you took a good backup?
davey

Backups?
We don't need no steenkin backups!

Some people learn from their mistakes and some learn from the mistakes of others but I find that I prefer to do it the second way.

Maybe "winclam" is supposed to be "ClamWin." I don't know exactly how Spyware Terminator uses it, i.e.; does it give it real-time protection since ClamWin itself doesn't have real-time protection and is an on-demand antivirus only.

Yes- I meant clamwin. Little mixup

Spyware terminator does just that- integrates it and gives it real time protection.

I also fixed my msn problem which was caused by a browser help object editing my internet explorer security settings !

damn you, IE6.



Also- I'm sure that if I looked into it enough, I can probably get a few more things out of there.


As for "delete entry" via CCleaner, I get an error message "Cannot delete MSI" or something to that effect, I've tried it before.

To clarify- my problem was shown in the video in my first post, I didn't forget to say it !

IE6? (O.o)

Have you scanned with Spybot? That caught too much junk that most of my other AV/ASW miss.

also :


Taken from : http://nwitimes.com/articles/2007/07/26/co...3230053df5d.txt

I don't know about Add-Remove Pro, as I use Revo Uninstaller, but, perhaps, you should consider the Microsoft.com fix? Although, I warn you now, it's registry editting.

[edit]:doh. I just watched the video. You tried to delete the registry keys already. What... what if you try deleting them in safe mode? Or have you tried that as well?

I got rid of what ever it was because Spyware Terminator deleted 4-5 things but spyware is not the cause of my Add Remove Program List errors

Whatever I'll keep looking for things.

i need help please! have not used a computer for a long time and am trying to get used to this. i am trying to get rid of recentl places i have been on the computer as other people have acess to it but i can't figure out how. i tried to do it with the tutorial but it didn't work. any help would be greatly appreciated thanks

i can't figure out how to get rid of the places i've been searching. when i click on anything to search every place i've been shows up

You mean your browsers' History? It keeps a record of all the websites you've visited. What browser do you go on the internet with? Internet Explorer? Firefox? Opera? Safari? Etc.

You could have a look at Kelly's Add or Remove and maybe Kelly's Tips and Tweaks.

Hi Pud,
If you mean searching with Windows Explorer then you can run CCleaner and make sure Search Autocomplete option is checked at Cleaner > Windows tab > Windows Explorer list.

If you mean Internet Explorer than you click on the Tools icon and select Delete Browsing History and click on Delete all.However this will delete everything related to your Internet Explorer browsing.You can use CCleaner to selectively clean that data.

Good luck,
davey
P.S. If you are trying to hide things from MOM and DAD, pretty soon you are going to get caught.Follow the rules and make your own rules when you get older.Your parents rules are the best to follow.
You seem to be pretty "stressed out".Take my "Word" for it as a kid, as a Dad and a Granddad.I am all three.

Someones been naughty?

You can close this topic now! I figured out how to fix it.

I had to trawl through the classes folder and delete all the entries containing "Product name = "Invalid"

It was a chore but I did it!