# Help me get this crap off my computer!

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-get-this-crap-off-my-computer/213655>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 17, 2003, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-get-this-crap-off-my-computer/213655 "2003-11-17T06:16:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\
**Post date:** [November 17, 2003, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-get-this-crap-off-my-computer/213655/1 "2003-11-17T06:16:24Z")

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I’m trying to uninstall a few programs that I never use, in the interest of clearing up some space on my drive. However, when I go to “Add/Remove Programs,” and try to uninstall two in particular, I get some wonky error messages.

For instance, when I try to uninstall Kazaa (which I downloaded, but have NEVER used), I get “Error loading C:\windows\system\cd\_clint.dll  
System cannot find file specified”

And, when I try to uninstall Ulead COOL 360 1.0, I get “Unable to locate installation log file C:\program files\ulead systems\ulead\cool360\unins.isu”

So how can I get these things off of my computer?

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**Author:** ![DougC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@DougC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DougC)\
**Post date:** [November 17, 2003, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-get-this-crap-off-my-computer/213655/2 "2003-11-17T12:33:01Z")

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- 
  - 
    - Well first, download Spybot Search and Destroy and install.

- Second, if they won’t uninstall by their own uninstallers, then just delete the entire program directory for that program.
- Third, run Spybot allowing it to completely search all of the computer’s hard drives, and let it delete anything it says is bad.  
~

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**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\
**Post date:** [November 17, 2003, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-get-this-crap-off-my-computer/213655/3 "2003-11-17T15:02:25Z")

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You can install the programs again & then uninstall right after.

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**Author:** ![Toddly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/22d042/32.png) [@Toddly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toddly)\
**Post date:** [November 17, 2003, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-get-this-crap-off-my-computer/213655/4 "2003-11-17T16:25:17Z")

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You might check each of the individual program directory folders and look for the un-install files and try running them from that point.

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**Author:** ![GawnFishin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e9bcb4/32.png) [@GawnFishin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GawnFishin)\
**Post date:** [November 17, 2003, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-get-this-crap-off-my-computer/213655/5 "2003-11-17T16:48:02Z")

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What sounds more likely is that the program directory has been deleted while the registry entries still persist, try using a registry cleaner as well to remove any old bones that may be hidden in the registry.