Hoe to delete persistent files

[walter]

I am trying to delete remnants of a program than I uninstalled, but it will
not let me delete some of the files. The original program was DVDfab, the
files I cannot get rid of is the dvdfab_burn_vso.log and the
dvdfab_internal.log

How can I delete these deletion-resistant files? Can I delete them from the
command prompt? How

Thanks

 

[Paul in Houston TX]

I am trying to delete remnants of a program than I uninstalled, but it
will not let me delete some of the files. The original program was
DVDfab, the files I cannot get rid of is the dvdfab_burn_vso.log and the
dvdfab_internal.log

How can I delete these deletion-resistant files? Can I delete them from
the command prompt? How

Thanks

Try FileAssassin (built into Malwarebytes.)
Or delete them while running from a Linux boot cd,
like Avira or one of these:
http://www.livecdlist.com/

 

[Nil]

I am trying to delete remnants of a program than I uninstalled,
but it will not let me delete some of the files. The original
program was DVDfab, the files I cannot get rid of is the
dvdfab_burn_vso.log and the dvdfab_internal.log

How can I delete these deletion-resistant files? Can I delete them
from the command prompt? How

What is the location of those files?

 

[Brian Gregory [UK]]

I am trying to delete remnants of a program than I uninstalled, but it will
not let me delete some of the files. The original program was DVDfab, the
files I cannot get rid of is the dvdfab_burn_vso.log and the
dvdfab_internal.log

How can I delete these deletion-resistant files? Can I delete them from
the command prompt? How

It sounds like they are still in use.
What prevented you uninstalling the program properly?

 

[walter]

What is the location of those files?

The search in Win 7 does not indicate a location, merely shows the file
name, with the file icon grayed-out. They may be meant to be hidden.

 

[walter]

It sounds like they are still in use.
What prevented you uninstalling the program properly?

--

Brian Gregory. (In the UK)
(e-mail address removed)
To email me remove the letter vee.

I used the uninstall program in the control panel (Programs etc) but these
items were left behind after most of the program files disappeared. I also
used regedit to delete all references to the program in the win 7 registry.

It's no big deal. I was just puzzled. There must be a generic way of
deleting "undeletable" files. I have run into this problem before.

 

[Leala]

I used the uninstall program in the control panel (Programs etc) but
these items were left behind after most of the program files
disappeared. I also used regedit to delete all references to the program
in the win 7 registry.

It's no big deal. I was just puzzled. There must be a generic way of
deleting "undeletable" files. I have run into this problem before.

Try unlocker.

http://fileforum.betanews.com/detail/Unlocker/1115825635/1

 

[jbm]

I am trying to delete remnants of a program than I uninstalled, but it
will not let me delete some of the files. The original program was
DVDfab, the files I cannot get rid of is the dvdfab_burn_vso.log and the
dvdfab_internal.log

How can I delete these deletion-resistant files? Can I delete them from
the command prompt? How

Thanks

The only "obstinate" files I have come across are the annoying .db files
created in folders that include graphics files. The method I use to get
rid of those is to open Windows Explorer, highlight the offending
folder. Top right of the window enter .db in the search panel, and once
the offending files appear, select them all and hit Delete. Works every
time, so it might work with yours. In your case, select the program
folder and type *.* for the search. Delete those, then delete the
folder. This works through a multiple tree folders, finds all the
designated files in all the folders and deletes the lot.

jim

 

[Paul]

I am trying to delete remnants of a program than I uninstalled, but it
will not let me delete some of the files. The original program was
DVDfab, the files I cannot get rid of is the dvdfab_burn_vso.log and the
dvdfab_internal.log

How can I delete these deletion-resistant files? Can I delete them from
the command prompt? How

Thanks

http://www.dvdfab.com/faq

"How can I save and send the log files to your support team?

Please open Common Settings window, click on "Diagnosis", make sure that
all the log files are enabled (dvdfab_internal.log, dvdfab_burn_vso.log,
dvdfab_process.log) before you use DVDFab, if they are not, you won't get
the log files saved. Please find the "Directory" which is like

on xp/vista system:

C:\Documents and Settings\***(Owner/Administrator)\My Documents\DVDFab\

on windows7 system:

C:\Users\***(Owner/Administrator)\Documents\DVDFab\

following the Directory to find the "DVDFab" folder on your C drive.
Please open "DVDFab" folder, zip the "log" folder and send it"

So the files appear to be in a user folder, rather than jammed into a Program Files
folder. First, navigate to your User folder and see if the files in question are
down there. The files might be a soft link, rather than the file itself. Perhaps
the real file, is actually stored some place it shouldn't be.

There are various utilities to list all the files on the disk, which might be
another way to track it down.

Paul

 

[Ed Cryer]

http://www.dvdfab.com/faq

"How can I save and send the log files to your support team?

Please open Common Settings window, click on "Diagnosis", make sure
that
all the log files are enabled (dvdfab_internal.log,
dvdfab_burn_vso.log,
dvdfab_process.log) before you use DVDFab, if they are not, you
won't get
the log files saved. Please find the "Directory" which is like

on xp/vista system:

C:\Documents and Settings\***(Owner/Administrator)\My Documents\DVDFab\

on windows7 system:

C:\Users\***(Owner/Administrator)\Documents\DVDFab\

following the Directory to find the "DVDFab" folder on your C drive.
Please open "DVDFab" folder, zip the "log" folder and send it"

So the files appear to be in a user folder, rather than jammed into a
Program Files
folder. First, navigate to your User folder and see if the files in
question are
down there. The files might be a soft link, rather than the file itself.
Perhaps
the real file, is actually stored some place it shouldn't be.

There are various utilities to list all the files on the disk, which
might be
another way to track it down.

Paul

They're in My Documents/DVDFab/Log. I have 3 there, including
DVDFab_process. They all delete first time here, simply using Win Explorer.
I have DVDFab installed, but hardly ever use it.

Ed

 

[Rob]

I am trying to delete remnants of a program than I uninstalled, but it
will not let me delete some of the files. The original program was
DVDfab, the files I cannot get rid of is the dvdfab_burn_vso.log and the
dvdfab_internal.log

How can I delete these deletion-resistant files? Can I delete them from
the command prompt? How

Thanks

Just to stop the BS - The way to delete these files is with this.

http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/System-Miscellaneous/Unlocker.shtml

 

[RJK]

I used the uninstall program in the control panel (Programs etc) but these
items were left behind after most of the program files disappeared. I also
used regedit to delete all references to the program in the win 7
registry.

It's no big deal. I was just puzzled. There must be a generic way of
deleting "undeletable" files. I have run into this problem before.

The BEST way of AVOIDING the debris left behind, after an application
install* then uninstall, (*that's almost always supplied with a WOEFULLY
INADEQUATE "uninstallation" script), is to create a system restore point,
(if the aforementioned appplication install procedure doesn't create one -
which is an immediate indication that it is a heap of rubbish!), before even
installing the aplication, ...then when you discover that you want no more
to do with it, uninstall it, then drop your ssytem back to the
aforementioned restore point.
The above will not prevent "orphaned" and useless files remaining on your
computer so,
AN EVEN BETTER way is to FIRST image your Windows boot drive, with Norton
Ghost, or Acronis True Image, (preferably onto a 2nd or external hard disk),
THEN install the aforementioned application program, ...then when you want
no more to do with that proggy, .....boot from your Norton or Acronis boot
cd, and restore your entire boot drive to the condition it was in before you
installed that proggy

regards, Richard

 

[Char Jackson]

The BEST way of AVOIDING the debris left behind, after an application
install* then uninstall, (*that's almost always supplied with a WOEFULLY
INADEQUATE "uninstallation" script), is to create a system restore point,
(if the aforementioned appplication install procedure doesn't create one -
which is an immediate indication that it is a heap of rubbish!), before even
installing the aplication, ...then when you discover that you want no more
to do with it, uninstall it, then drop your ssytem back to the
aforementioned restore point.

I really don't think System Restore was ever intended to be used that
way. It seems to be a great feature, one I've never used myself, but I
have a hard time believing it was meant as a tool to help clean up
after uninstalling a program, or as others have suggested, as a way to
get rid of malware, along with a myriad of other tasks. When you go
back to a previously-set restore point, (that's redundant, I suppose,
since by definition all restore points were previously set), you get
absolutely no indication or confirmation of what changes will be made
as a result of selecting each restore point. That's way too much
uncertainty for me.

Transitioning, you referred to the method above as the BEST way.
Immediately below, you refer to an EVEN BETTER way. ;-)

The above will not prevent "orphaned" and useless files remaining on your
computer so,
AN EVEN BETTER way is to FIRST image your Windows boot drive, with Norton
Ghost, or Acronis True Image, (preferably onto a 2nd or external hard disk),
THEN install the aforementioned application program, ...then when you want
no more to do with that proggy, .....boot from your Norton or Acronis boot
cd, and restore your entire boot drive to the condition it was in before you
installed that proggy

I make backups on a regular schedule, (every Mo-We-Fr). For me, it's
way too much trouble to make an additional image before I install a
program. I really don't mind if a stray dll gets left behind, or a
stray Registry entry, and I NEVER go trawling through the Registry
looking for references to uninstalled programs. There's only a
potential downside to doing that and no upside.

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

The BEST way of AVOIDING the debris left behind, after an application
install* then uninstall, (*that's almost always supplied with a WOEFULLY
INADEQUATE "uninstallation" script), is to create a system restore point,
(if the aforementioned appplication install procedure doesn't create one -
which is an immediate indication that it is a heap of rubbish!), before even
installing the aplication, ...then when you discover that you want no more
to do with it, uninstall it, then drop your ssytem back to the
aforementioned restore point.

That and your other methods are OK if the program was installed and
uninstalled in a short time interval.

What if the installation was two years ago?

One method I use is the Revo or IObit uninstallers, but unfortunately I
have no idea if they would solve the OP's problem.

To the OP: it may work if you reinstall the program and then use one of
the above uninstallers to remove it. But I still like the unlocker or
Linux boot CD methods mentioned by other posters best.

 

[RJK]

That and your other methods are OK if the program was installed and
uninstalled in a short time interval.

What if the installation was two years ago?

One method I use is the Revo or IObit uninstallers, but unfortunately I
have no idea if they would solve the OP's problem.

To the OP: it may work if you reinstall the program and then use one of
the above uninstallers to remove it. But I still like the unlocker or
Linux boot CD methods mentioned by other posters best.

You, and Char Jackson are of course both correct in all your observations.
Occasionally, in the past, I trialled progs. that claim to track, and undo
ALL changes to ones sytem during an application program installation, ...on
the whole NEVER works !
Of course, restoring a system image to remove a program, that was taken
after several others have been installed is no answer, ...either !
....and I've forgotten what the OP was !
....reviewing.....

....somone suggested, reinstalling, and then uninstalling it, ...good
approach, ...sometimes works

Just realised that I always take a system image before installing a new
program, and never install another one until I'm sure that I'm going to keep
the previous one,
and then of course in addition to ones normal backup regime, take a new
system image before installing, another new porgram,
....not that I install programs very frequently, ...very rarely in fact.
....having said that, I remember buying something from NCH software a couple
of weeks ago, and I can't even remember what it's for !!! poss. to convert
a video format that AVS couldn't deal with.

regards, Richard

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

You, and Char Jackson are of course both correct in all your observations.
Occasionally,

I had fun trimming the above post before replying

If I can do that kind of quoting, I should be a politician, don't you
think?

Now to the serious part of this post:

It seems that installation and uninstallation are things where the
programmers know what to do (or *should* know), but don't always do it.

I think we all are justified in being annoyed in many cases...

BTW, people tend to blame Windows, but actually, the uninstallers are
provided by the software makers. All Windows does is provide the
services that their scripts use.

Of course, when the software being uninstalled is a Microsoft product,
we can legitimately blame them if the process is not done right.

I'm going to just lurk in this thread now, before I or others start
getting religious

 

[RJK]

I had fun trimming the above post before replying

If I can do that kind of quoting, I should be a politician, don't you
think?

Now to the serious part of this post:

It seems that installation and uninstallation are things where the
programmers know what to do (or *should* know), but don't always do it.

I think we all are justified in being annoyed in many cases...

BTW, people tend to blame Windows, but actually, the uninstallers are
provided by the software makers. All Windows does is provide the
services that their scripts use.

Of course, when the software being uninstalled is a Microsoft product,
we can legitimately blame them if the process is not done right.

I'm going to just lurk in this thread now, before I or others start
getting religious

You're quite right ! ...in addition to often woefully inadequate / token
gesture un-install scripts, there's the often very bad quality of the
appication program itself.
Many years ago, Mcafee anti-virus/internet security was VERY poorly written,
and would simply not tolerate MOST IBM PC compatible envitonments into which
it was installed,
i.e. Mcafee simply crippled almost every PC into which it was installed. I
'phoned their tech. support, and the advice was, "reinstall Windows 98se,
then install Mcafee and don't install anything else..." ...before
you all pile in to defend Mcafee, I realise that Mcafee, and also general MS
Windows "DLL Hell" is somewhat improved in this regard during recent years,
and subsequent Windows platforms.

regards, Richard

 

[Jeff Layman]

Just to stop the BS - The way to delete these files is with this.

http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/System-Miscellaneous/Unlocker.shtml

I used Unlocker for years with XPH (32bit). Worked very well, but it
never worked properly under Win7HPx64. The last version I tried was
1.9.0 beta a couple of years ago.

I now use MoveOnBoot first, to get an "undeletable" file to the desktop,
then erase it with Eraser. I used to need only Eraser to erase at boot,
but even that has trouble deleting some files. That is why I prefer to
move first, then erase.