Unpin Items from Vista Start Menu

Vista Home Premium:
Gateway branded model, got several items such as AOL and Net Zero pinned to
the Start Menu. I've deleted the actual programs, can't get rid of the
shortcuts. "Right-click remove from this list" only works until a re-start.
Any ideas on where to track down something permanent?
Thanks,
Bill W
--
"Vox Populi, Vox Dei"

On Mon, 10 Nov 2008 11:59:56 -0500, "Bill Wolcott"
<> wrote:

>Vista Home Premium:
>Gateway branded model, got several items such as AOL and Net Zero pinned to
>the Start Menu. I've deleted the actual programs, can't get rid of the
>shortcuts. "Right-click remove from this list" only works until a re-start.
>Any ideas on where to track down something permanent?
>Thanks,
>Bill W

Ask yourself this question:
Did you use "Add/Remove Programs" (now called "Programs and Features"
in Vista) to remove those applications? IF not, they are still on
your disk.

If this is so, I would reinstall them, then remove them via "Programs
and Features", rather than simply deleting their program folders.

That is the correct way to remove a program in Windows. Otherwise,
you leave crap all over your HD, and in your Windows Registry. Sadly,
most programmers fail to add the ability to remove the registry
entries when writing the uninstall programs for their products. Some
don't even remove the program folder for a particular software
product.

BTW, AOL and Net Zero are notoriously difficult to get rid of. Even
if one removes them properly, they leave crap on your HD and in your
REgistry.

--

Donald L McDaniel
Please reply to the original thread and newsgroup.
======================================

"Donald L McDaniel" <> wrote in message
news:...
> On Mon, 10 Nov 2008 11:59:56 -0500, "Bill Wolcott"
> <> wrote:
>
>>Vista Home Premium:
>>Gateway branded model, got several items such as AOL and Net Zero pinned
>>to
>>the Start Menu. I've deleted the actual programs, can't get rid of the
>>shortcuts. "Right-click remove from this list" only works until a
>>re-start.
>>Any ideas on where to track down something permanent?
>>Thanks,
>>Bill W
>
> Ask yourself this question:
> Did you use "Add/Remove Programs" (now called "Programs and Features"
> in Vista) to remove those applications? IF not, they are still on
> your disk.
>
> If this is so, I would reinstall them, then remove them via "Programs
> and Features", rather than simply deleting their program folders.
>
> That is the correct way to remove a program in Windows. Otherwise,
> you leave crap all over your HD, and in your Windows Registry. Sadly,
> most programmers fail to add the ability to remove the registry
> entries when writing the uninstall programs for their products. Some
> don't even remove the program folder for a particular software
> product.
>
> BTW, AOL and Net Zero are notoriously difficult to get rid of. Even
> if one removes them properly, they leave crap on your HD and in your
> REgistry.
>
> --
>
> Donald L McDaniel
> Please reply to the original thread and newsgroup.
> ======================================

Thanks for the reply, Donald.
Those two programs are (were) not in the Add/Remove Programs location as
they weren't yet installed. I looked there first.
Thanks,
Bill W

Bill Wolcott <> wrote:
>
> >
> > > Vista Home Premium:
> > > Gateway branded model, got several items such as AOL and Net Zero
> > > pinned to
> > > the Start Menu. I've deleted the actual programs, can't get rid of the
> > > shortcuts. "Right-click remove from this list" only works until a
> > > re-start.
> > > Any ideas on where to track down something permanent?
> > > Thanks,
> > > Bill W
> >
> > Ask yourself this question:
> > Did you use "Add/Remove Programs" (now called "Programs and Features"
> > in Vista) to remove those applications? IF not, they are still on
> > your disk.
> >
> > If this is so, I would reinstall them, then remove them via "Programs
> > and Features", rather than simply deleting their program folders.
> >
> > That is the correct way to remove a program in Windows. Otherwise,
> > you leave crap all over your HD, and in your Windows Registry. Sadly,
> > most programmers fail to add the ability to remove the registry
> > entries when writing the uninstall programs for their products. Some
> > don't even remove the program folder for a particular software
> > product.
> >
> > BTW, AOL and Net Zero are notoriously difficult to get rid of. Even
> > if one removes them properly, they leave crap on your HD and in your
> > REgistry.
> >
>
> Thanks for the reply, Donald.
> Those two programs are (were) not in the Add/Remove Programs location as
> they weren't yet installed. I looked there first.


They certainly were/are installed. How do you think they got into your
Start Menu otherwise? How did you "delete the programs"?

ss.

"Synapse Syndrome" <> wrote in message
news:...
> Bill Wolcott <> wrote:
>>
>> >
>> > > Vista Home Premium:
>> > > Gateway branded model, got several items such as AOL and Net Zero
>> > > pinned to
>> > > the Start Menu. I've deleted the actual programs, can't get rid of
>> > > the
>> > > shortcuts. "Right-click remove from this list" only works until a
>> > > re-start.
>> > > Any ideas on where to track down something permanent?
>> > > Thanks,
>> > > Bill W
>> >
>> > Ask yourself this question:
>> > Did you use "Add/Remove Programs" (now called "Programs and Features"
>> > in Vista) to remove those applications? IF not, they are still on
>> > your disk.
>> >
>> > If this is so, I would reinstall them, then remove them via "Programs
>> > and Features", rather than simply deleting their program folders.
>> >
>> > That is the correct way to remove a program in Windows. Otherwise,
>> > you leave crap all over your HD, and in your Windows Registry. Sadly,
>> > most programmers fail to add the ability to remove the registry
>> > entries when writing the uninstall programs for their products. Some
>> > don't even remove the program folder for a particular software
>> > product.
>> >
>> > BTW, AOL and Net Zero are notoriously difficult to get rid of. Even
>> > if one removes them properly, they leave crap on your HD and in your
>> > REgistry.
>> >
>>
>> Thanks for the reply, Donald.
>> Those two programs are (were) not in the Add/Remove Programs location as
>> they weren't yet installed. I looked there first.
>
>
> They certainly were/are installed. How do you think they got into your
> Start Menu otherwise? How did you "delete the programs"?
>
> ss.

ss,
They got to the Start Menu because Gateway's got something that's sticking
them to the recently opened programs part of the list, although the programs
have never been opened or used.. I deleted them both by tracking back from
the shortcut's properties pointer. Again, neither program showed up in the
Vista "Programs" location, so there was no option to uninstall from there.
Bill W

--
lucky me I guess


"Bill Wolcott" wrote:

> Vista Home Premium:
> Gateway branded model, got several items such as AOL and Net Zero pinned to
> the Start Menu. I've deleted the actual programs, can't get rid of the
> shortcuts. "Right-click remove from this list" only works until a re-start.
> Any ideas on where to track down something permanent?
> Thanks,
> Bill W
> --
> "Vox Populi, Vox Dei"
>
>
Hi there
Many programs have a Uninstall Utility, I don't Know if these ones have.
Revo Uninstaller Freeware, does find Registry Crap and other crap.
If not already.
May be search your computer for the Programs,(advance anywhere all files)
then Reinstall and Uninstall as Donald says

--
lucky me I guess


"silver hair" wrote:

>
> --
> lucky me I guess
>
>
> "Bill Wolcott" wrote:
>
> > Vista Home Premium:
> > Gateway branded model, got several items such as AOL and Net Zero pinned to
> > the Start Menu. I've deleted the actual programs, can't get rid of the
> > shortcuts. "Right-click remove from this list" only works until a re-start.
> > Any ideas on where to track down something permanent?
> > Thanks,
> > Bill W
> > --
> > "Vox Populi, Vox Dei"
> >
> >
> Hi there
> Many programs have a Uninstall Utility, I don't Know if these ones have.
> Revo Uninstaller Freeware, does find Registry Crap and other crap.
> If not already.
> May be search your computer for the Programs,(advance anywhere all files)
> then Reinstall and Uninstall as Donald says
>
I Google this one

http://www.brothersoft.com/downloads/aol-uninstall.html

On Mon, 10 Nov 2008 10:57:01 -0800, silver hair
<> wrote:

Actually, "Programs and Features" simply calls the registered
uninstall program provided by the program developer and registered
with Windows. when the software is installed.

Third-party uninstall programs also do the same thing. But they can
do something else native Windows utilities can't do: They track where
registry entries are made and remove them when uninstalling, and so do
a better job of removing the crud, usually. Sometimes, however, they
don't do such a good job.

Take Symantec's uninstall program provided with their software for
example: using the provided uninstall program leaves crap all over the
Registry in places one would never expect. NOT Using it is just as
bad, if not worse. Almost any Symantec program leaves hundreds
(literally) of entries in the Registry, most of which are left in
place when uninstalling the product.

This is not so much Symantec's fault, but the fault of the Registry
itself. The registry was supposed to be the cure for "DLL HELL", but
turned out to have many more problems than the problem with each
program's DLLs themselves. Now programmers use the Registry for
settings which used to be kept internally in the program code or its
DLLs or in .ini files, creating nothing but confusion and open doors
for hackers.

If any one thing could improve Windows, getting rid of the Registry is
it. Personally, I would rather have DLL HELL and a return to ini
files.

I personally like Apple's way of installing and uninstalling a program
in OS X (one of the few things about OS X I do like). Provide the
installer in a compacted folder with both program and data, and just
de-compact the folder into the user's Home directory. To uninstall,
just delete the program folder and the very few (usually) ancillary
files associated with the program. Sweet, Clean,
Thought-and-trouble-free. However, while OS X programmers are usually
consistent with reuse of code, many times they AREN'T consistent with
providing the necessary installers/uninstallers. Some use the above
method, and some use specialized installer/uninstaller programs. Those
that use specialized installer programs also should consistently
remove ancillary files on deinstallation, but manytimes they don't,
leaving the user to hunt down those no-longer-necessary files to
delete them.

At least the Windows way is usually consistent, so one knows what to
expect when uninstalling a product.

But the Windows Registry is a large (sometimes approaching hundreds of
MB) piece of hell designed to help control a lesser piece of hell.
PLEASE, Microsofties, stop using the dang Registry for keeping program
data. And Microsoft, get rid of the Registry alltogether. It's
outmoded and decrepit, and has long since outlived its usefullness in
a "healthy" way as a data keeper compartment outside the data areas of
a program. That's what DLLs were designed for. Why stop using them
as a general rule? Ah, the limitations of 16 and 32bit registers in
the CPU!

Crap! now I'm starting to ramble.

--

Donald L McDaniel
Please reply to the original thread.
==========================

On Mon, 10 Nov 2008 15:50:27 -0800, Donald L McDaniel
<> wrote:

>On Mon, 10 Nov 2008 10:57:01 -0800, silver hair
><> wrote:
>
>Actually, "Programs and Features" simply calls the registered
>uninstall program provided by the program developer and registered
>with Windows. when the software is installed.
>
>Third-party uninstall programs also do the same thing. But they can
>do something else native Windows utilities can't do: They track where
>registry entries are made and remove them when uninstalling, and so do
>a better job of removing the crud, usually. Sometimes, however, they
>don't do such a good job.
>
>Take Symantec's uninstall program

[snip]

>Crap! now I'm starting to ramble.

STARTING???

You started at: "Take Symantec's uninstall program..."

DDW
--
Reply via this group
No email please

On Mon, 10 Nov 2008 18:22:41 -0600, DDW
<> wrote:

>On Mon, 10 Nov 2008 15:50:27 -0800, Donald L McDaniel
><> wrote:
>
>>On Mon, 10 Nov 2008 10:57:01 -0800, silver hair
>><> wrote:
>>
>>Actually, "Programs and Features" simply calls the registered
>>uninstall program provided by the program developer and registered
>>with Windows. when the software is installed.
>>
>>Third-party uninstall programs also do the same thing. But they can
>>do something else native Windows utilities can't do: They track where
>>registry entries are made and remove them when uninstalling, and so do
>>a better job of removing the crud, usually. Sometimes, however, they
>>don't do such a good job.
>>
>>Take Symantec's uninstall program
>
>[snip]
>
>>Crap! now I'm starting to ramble.
>
>STARTING???
>
>You started at: "Take Symantec's uninstall program..."
>
>DDW

Yeh,yeh, yeh, I know. But I'm in my twilight years. Rambling is what
i do for a living now. So will you, friend. SO WILL YOU.

BTW, do you love Symantec or something, or are you just too young to
understand that its easy to ramble when one gets older.

--

Donald