Clean up after deleted apps




I uninstalled CorelDraw in Windows 3.x, but in my word processor I still see "CorelDRAW! Graphic" on the list of possible objects to insert. How do I remove it?
- Terry Chow


If you merely delete the directory in which you installed an application, you've only partly removed that software from your system. Chances are, files still lurk in Windows' system directories. The only foolproof method of ridding your system of an app is to contact the manufacturer for a complete list of files to remove (and who has time for that?). Otherwise, you must guess which files belong to the application -- and should save backup copies of the files you remove in case you guess wrong.
In your case, you need to remove Object Linking and Embedding information, which is often stored in two places, the infamous win.ini file and the registration database.
Here's the remedy. Make a backup copy of the reg.dat and win.ini files in your Windows directory. (Use these backups to restore the files if problems crop up.) Next, start the Registration Info Editor: choose File--Run in Program Manager or File Manager, type regedit, and click OK. The window displays a list of file types; you should be able to spot the same words that you see in your word processor's Insert Object dialogue box (in your case, "CorelDRAW! Graphic").
Select the file type and choose Edit--Delete File Type, or just press <Delete> and click Yes to confirm the deletion.
That should fix up your word processor; you may need to restart it to see the change. But other information is probably still lurking in win.ini. To open win.ini in a text editor, choose File--Run in Program Manager or File Manager, type win.ini, and click OK. Search for the [embedding] heading and find a line that refers to your application (in CorelDraw's case, the line begins with CDraw=). You can delete the line or, if you're afraid you might need it again, just put a semicolon at the beginning of the line to disable it.
That takes care of OLE, but while you're in win.ini, it's a good idea to look in [extensions] or other areas for additional references to your defunct software. Try searching for the program's executable file name or old file extension and disable or delete those lines as well.
- Scott Dunn


Category: Windows 3.x
Issue: Nov 1996
Pages: 173

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