Every now and then, you’ll probably come across some program on Windows that you simply cannot uninstall from the “Uninstall a Program” page in Control Panel.
Normally, it will give you some kind of error that makes no sense whatsoever.
I recently ran across this very issue when I accidentally installed the wrong WiFi driver package. It was an Intel Pro WiFi driver/software set. Only problem was, the puter didn’t have an Intel WiFi card – oops!
Worse yet, I couldn’t uninstall the software because the uninstaller first looked for the hardware. When it couldn’t find the hardware, it bombed with an error saying (you’ll love this): “Please install hardware first.”
I wish I was kidding.
Then I discovered a really handy tool to make everything all better.
First, I tried my normal utilities for removing an un-uninstallable piece of software. No dice.
So, I googled it.
That’s when I found, quite to my surprise, a page on Microsoft’s very own web site:
Fix problems with programs that can’t be installed or uninstalled
That’s right, Microsoft has a tool for this very problem, and I’m pretty sure you’ve never even heard of it. I sure hadn’t.
It works like this:
Step 1: Go to the Microsoft Fix It page
Step 2: Click the green “Run now” button
Just follow the instructions. That’s it.
You will be able to select your annoying “not-uninstallable” program, and Mr. Fix It will clean everything up for you.
Really makes you wonder why Microsoft didn’t just build that into Windows, ya know?
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