I can't uninstall Vidalia

[AlwaysScrewed]

So I was trying to uninstall Vidalia today and now I'll probably never be able to uninstall it.

Because some things popped up from my Comodo Firewall and it said something about malware activity so I freaked out basically and kept hitting "Block" on my Comodo Firewall.

Now... I can't uninstall Vidalia. Whenever I select and attempt to run the Uninstall.exe for Vidalia it says this:

"NSIS Error. Error launching installer"

Is there any way to fix this so I can uninstall Vidalia or am I properly screwed now?

I'd really appreciate any help with this.

Thank you.

[Allan]

http://www.revouninstaller.com/revo_uninstaller_free_download.html

[AlwaysScrewed]

http://www.revouninstaller.com/revo_uninstaller_free_download.html

Do I REALLY have to install ANOTHER program JUST to uninstall a program I don't want?

That seems a little ridiculous IMO.

Is there another way to uninstall it?

[TechnoGeek]

Sounds like all that firewalling broke the uninstaller or a dependency in some way. Remove all entries in comodo's firewall that block vidalia, and try it again. If it still fails you can try re-installing vidalia to fix the uninstaller. Revo does a good job of cleaning up leftovers from uninstalls, but the free version won't fix a broken uninstaller (if that's even possible).

[jason2074]

It seems that Vidalia is associated with Tor Project : https://www.torproject.org/docs/faq.html.en

How do I uninstall Tor?

This depends entirely on how you installed it and which operating system you have. If you installed a package, then hopefully your package has a way to uninstall itself. The Windows packages include uninstallers. The proper way to completely remove Tor, Vidalia, Torbutton for Firefox, and Polipo on any version of Windows is as follows:

A.    In your taskbar, right click on Vidalia (the green onion or the black head) and choose exit.
       Right click on the taskbar to bring up TaskManager. Look for tor.exe in the Process List. If it's running, right click
       and choose End Process.
B.    Click the Start button, go to Programs, go to Vidalia, choose Uninstall. This will remove the Vidalia bundle, which    includes Tor and Polipo.
C.    Start Firefox. Go to the Tools menu, choose Add-ons. Select Torbutton. Click the Uninstall button.

If you do not follow these steps (for example by trying to uninstall Vidalia, Tor, and Polipo while they are still running), you will need to reboot and manually remove the directory "Program Files\Vidalia Bundle"

The FAQ also states that it is detected by certain protection softwares as a virus or false positive.

[Allan]

Do I REALLY have to install ANOTHER program JUST to uninstall a program I don't want?

Nope. It's your system and you can do whatever you want to do. If it were mine, I'd do exactly as I suggested.

[AlwaysScrewed]

Sounds like all that firewalling broke the uninstaller or a dependency in some way. Remove all entries in comodo's firewall that block vidalia, and try it again. If it still fails you can try re-installing vidalia to fix the uninstaller. Revo does a good job of cleaning up leftovers from uninstalls, but the free version won't fix a broken uninstaller (if that's even possible).

I'm not really entirely sure how to do that either though. I suppose if I don't have any other choice, I'll install that program and uninstall it that way.

[patio]

You could also try booting to safemode...turn off Comodo...re-boot and try and uninstall it from safemode.

[AlwaysScrewed]

Alright. I guess I don't have a choice. Obviously.

I'll install that program and uninstall Vidalia that way. Doing it this way is a pain in the you-know-what, but, like I said, I obviously don't have a choice.

I'll do it when I can find the time to do it. I'll update this thread when I do it and say if it worked or not.

Once again, thank you for giving me all of this help.

[AlwaysScrewed]

I have no choice but to double post.

I installed Revo Uninstaller. However, Vidalia isn't showing up in Revo Uninstaller.

Now what?

 

[patio]

Re0install Vidalia as some components are sandbox hidden from the protection app...

Then run Revo.

[AlwaysScrewed]

Re0install Vidalia as some components are sandbox hidden from the protection app...

Then run Revo.

Why? Installing it once already made me worried that it would screw up my computer. Should it just show up in revo uninstaller?

This... doesn't make any sense...

 

[patio]

It's explained above why Revo doesn't list it...

Did you try my method in Post #7 ? ?

[Allan]

Alternatively, you can try Revo's "Hunter Mode"

[Linux711]

If it doesn't show in revo, then it's not stuck in the add/remove programs list. I'd just go to msconfig if it is an autostarting app and disable it, then delete the files in program files. If you want it 'nice' you can then go in regedit and go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER, software and look for Vidalia (or company name) and delete it. If it's not there, then go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE instead, then do the same as above.

After all this, you can also run a reg cleaner, although many people will advise against it. It really isn't necessary.

[Allan]

Re the above post: DO NOT use msconfig to make permanent changes to startup processes. Use a dedicated app such as Mike Lin's Startup Control Panel for apps and services.msc for changes to services. MSCONFIG was designed to be a diagnostic utility and should only be used as such.

Additionally, the fact that Revo doesn't find it at first does not mean it won't find portions to delete in "hunter" mode.

Last, NEVER - NEVER - NEVER use a registry cleaner. They CAUSE problems, the do not cure them.

[AlwaysScrewed]

k.

Thanks for all of the help.

[patio]

I agree with Allan...
On top of that editing the registry should be a last resort for most users taking into account skill level and what can go wrong.

[Linux711]

Re the above post: DO NOT use msconfig to make permanent changes to startup processes. Use a dedicated app such as Mike Lin's Startup Control Panel

Yeah I know it doesn't actually delete the item (just disables it). For deleting permanently:

What I use:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb963902.aspx

I agree with Allan...
On top of that editing the registry should be a last resort for most users taking into account skill level and what can go wrong.

Well, he's not stupid. I mean if it doesn't say vidalia, then don't delete it. I think more people need to learn how to use the reg. It's not the system part of the reg anyway, it's the programs part.

Last, NEVER - NEVER - NEVER use a registry cleaner. They CAUSE problems, the do not cure them.

I knew someone would say that. All I am going to say is that I have been using reg cleaners for five years (two of them), with absolutely no problems at all. I can't say they actually fix much though. I've only had them fix an error once or twice, but never cause any problems. I am not suggesting that the OP uses reg cleaners, just saying that it really isn't as bad as what everyone says. And I like my system to be free of garbage even if it doesn't effect speed, that's just how I am.

[patio]

I never stated that...of course he's not stupid...

But if you are going to suggest registry fixes here each post should include info on disc-imaging/backups and or instructions on backing up the registry and how to restore it should something go awry.

After all you can render a PC unbootable if you do not know what your doing.

[Allan]

Well, he's not stupid. I mean if it doesn't say vidalia, then don't delete it. I think more people need to learn how to use the reg. It's not the system part of the reg anyway, it's the programs part.

Yeah I know it doesn't actually delete the item (just disables it). For deleting permanently:

What I use:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb963902.aspx

Well, he's not stupid. I mean if it doesn't say vidalia, then don't delete it. I think more people need to learn how to use the reg. It's not the system part of the reg anyway, it's the programs part.

I knew someone would say that. All I am going to say is that I have been using reg cleaners for five years (two of them), with absolutely no problems at all. I can't say they actually fix much though. I've only had them fix an error once or twice, but never cause any problems. I am not suggesting that the OP uses reg cleaners, just saying that it really isn't as bad as what everyone says. And I like my system to be free of garbage even if it doesn't effect speed, that's just how I am.

I knew someone would say that. All I am going to say is that I have been using reg cleaners for five years (two of them), with absolutely no problems at all. I can't say they actually fix much though. I've only had them fix an error once or twice, but never cause any problems. I am not suggesting that the OP uses reg cleaners, just saying that it really isn't as bad as what everyone says. And I like my system to be free of garbage even if it doesn't effect speed, that's just how I am.

1) Re: editing the registry, what you think is secondary to the fact that MOST people are not comfortable messing with the registry. At the very least, you should have suggested that before modifying the registry you should make sure you have a valid backup of either the registry or the system drive.

2) Re: registry cleaners, again - what you do is not important. What you recommend to others, however, is - especially if you do it on this forum. The best registry cleaners do absolutely nothing beneficial but are essentially benign. The worst, however, can leave your system unusable. Here's something you might want to glance through:


    Registry cleaners are extremely powerful applications that can damage the registry by using aggressive cleaning routines and cause your computer to become unbootable.

    The Windows registry is a central repository (database) for storing configuration data, user settings and machine-dependent settings, and options for the operating system. It contains information and settings for all hardware, software, users, and preferences. Whenever a user makes changes to settings, file associations, system policies, or installed software, the changes are reflected and stored in this repository. The registry is a crucial component because it is where Windows "remembers" all this information, how it works together, how Windows boots the system and what files it uses when it does. The registry is also a vulnerable subsystem, in that relatively small changes done incorrectly can render the system inoperable. For a more detailed explanation, read Understanding The Registry.

    Not all registry cleaners are created equal. There are a number of them available but they do not all work entirely the same way. Each vendor uses different criteria as to what constitutes a "bad entry". One cleaner may find entries on your system that will not cause problems when removed, another may not find the same entries, and still another may want to remove entries required for a program to work.

    Not all registry cleaners create a backup of the registry before making changes. If the changes prevent the system from booting up, then there is no backup available to restore it in order to regain functionality. A backup of the registry is essential BEFORE making any changes to the registry.

    Improperly removing registry entries can hamper malware disinfection and make the removal process more difficult if your computer becomes infected. For example, removing malware related registry entries before the infection is properly identified can contribute to system instability and even make the malware undetectable to removal tools.

    The usefulness of cleaning the registry is highly overrated and can be dangerous. In most cases, using a cleaner to remove obsolete, invalid, and erroneous entries does not affect system performance but it can result in "unpredictable results".


Unless you have a particular problem that requires a registry edit to correct it, I would suggest you leave the registry alone. Using registry cleaning tools unnecessarily or incorrectly could lead to disastrous effects on your operating system such as preventing it from ever starting again. For routine use, the benefits to your computer are negligible while the potential risks are great.

    Ed Bott's Webog: Why I don't use registry cleaners (http://www.edbott.com/weblog/2005/04/why-i-dont-use-registry-cleaners/)

    Do I need a Registry Cleaner (http://www.whatthetech.com/2007/11/25/do-i-need-a-registry-cleaner/)