Uninstalled microsoft silverlight using revo - 47,190 files left over

CHRISX · 21 Dec 2022

Hello All,

I need help urgently please - I need to try and get answers to this before I have to turn off my Computer if possible because there is no way to find those 47,000 files again if I either close the Revo Uninstaller leftover files search results or turn off my Computer.

I had been getting frequent error messages about Microsoft Silverlight on my P.C. stating that it was not up to date and I then found out when I clicked onto `Update` that all updates and support for Silverlight has ended quite a long time ago so I decided to uninstall it using Revo Uninstaller.

I use Revo rather than Windows uninstall process because Revo starts up the program`s own uninstaller and when that has finished Revo looks for any leftover files and lets you select the leftover program files [only the files identified in bold] - and delete them.

I would have previously used the Windows uninstall process but I found out in the past that it does not find and identify any leftover files from programs that it uninstalls so they are left on your Computer - in this seemingly very extreme case over 47,000 leftover files ?

After Revo Uninstaller used the Microsoft Silverlight uninstaller it looked for leftover files and found 47,190.

I have attached 4 Screenshots taken at various points in the list of those files showing on the Revo results onscreen display - I cannot create a full list and even if I could it would be far too many characters to copy & paste to this thread - do I delete those 47,190 files using Revo ?

If I close down the Revo Uninstaller there is no way to get back to those 47,190 leftover Silverlight files so they would stay on my Computer.

Can I please get some expert opinions on whether to Delete these Microsoft Silverlight uninstall 47,190 leftover files ?

Thanks to Members for reading this and for any help with this - hopefully before I have to close down the Revo Uninstaller or my Computer.

My Regards, Chris

ATTACHED SCREENSHOTS HAVE NOT ATTACHED IN CORRECT ORDER THEY ARE:

1. START OF LIST

2. THE BOTTOM SECTION OF THE LIST

3. BOTTOM OF LIST AND SHOWING NUMBER OF LEFTOVER FILES AS 47,190

4. SECTION FROM ABOUT 25% DOWN THE LIST

SCREENSHOTS ARE HOPEFULLY TO SHOW KNOWLEDGEABLE MEMBERS WHAT TYPE OF FILES THESE 47,190 LEFTOVER FILES ARE.

torchwood · 21 Dec 2022

Hi Chris,

No need to worry, think of them of "road signs" they only point to the destination

see this

https://www.google.com/url?client=in...6oyChdbxSs-jbP

CHRISX · 21 Dec 2022

torchwood said:

Hi Chris,

No need to worry, think of them of "road signs" they only point to the destination

see this

https://www.google.com/url?client=in...6oyChdbxSs-jbP

Hello torchwood,

Thanks for your reply to my post and for the links contained in your message.

I have a newly created System Image from my P.C. from only a few days ago and I created a Restore point yesterday when the Silverlight uninstall by my Revo Uninstaller software found the 47,190 leftover files - so hopefully if anything did go wrong I could recover my Computer to the previous state using System Restore.

Sorry if it should be obvious to me but I have to make sure that I am understanding what you meant in your reply before I delete the leftover files:

Does your comment mean that the Microsoft Silverlight uninstall leftover files are not associated with other Microsoft / Windows programs or processes and that I can delete them ?

Thank You very much for helping me with this - I really appreciate it - I would have had no idea what all of those files were or if I could safely delete them without causing problems to my Computer.

My Regards,

Chris

SIW2 · 21 Dec 2022

those arent files they are registry entries.

if you are concerned about it do a registry backup before deleting the entries. You already have a restore point and system image so no need to panic.

file3456 · 21 Dec 2022

That's gotta be a world record for program splatter if I saw any. Well, I have, but not like that. LOL!

Revo will (or should) afford you the ability to make a system restore point prior removal of a program. Do you not use that perk? You need to. You also need to do data backups and full on 1:1 disk clones every now and then.

Let this help be a lesson in the fact that Revo's ability to give you the correct listing of left overs for removal may not be 100% correct at no time. Treat it like a ToS from some website or a contractual agreement. You are solely responsible for how you carry out the actions and how they could be irreversible. When I make mention on this forum someone should use Revo to remove a program, I make sure to include a disclaimer indicating to make sure all entries marked for removal pertain to the program being removed. If not sure don't do it.

I've had that happen to me before. I saw all kinds of dependencies and whatnot Revo wanted to uninstall not even being related to the program I was removing. So I just unticked those and left the rest for removal. In some cases it's so far and away a cluster I just skip the whole lot. Thus Revo was useless. I also make sure Revo creates a system restore point to try and help on recovery if need be. Better than not have it. Plus, System Restore Explorer is a fine program...

CHRISX · 21 Dec 2022

SIW2 said:

those arent files they are registry entries.

if you are concerned about it do a registry backup before deleting the entries. You already have a restore point and system image so no need to panic.

Hello SIW2,

Thanks very much for your message and for the reassuring information about the 47,190 leftover items being Registry items and not Files.

I would not have known that as I was seeing quite a number [Thousands] with File in the name / title and I was worried that because there were so many that they were files that could have been related to other Windows programs / processes.

I have just spent 2.5 hours having to click onto / tick EVERY ONE of the 47,190 items individually to select them prior to deleting because although Revo Uninstaller has a Select All button I could not use that as there were what seemed to be Windows 7 Operating System Categories / Files etc. showing on the massive list.

Those items were not shown in Bold so there was a warning that they should not be selected for deletion - I assume that they were part of the Windows 7 Operating system.

I did try Select All and then go back through the list to deselect just those Windows items but when I did so all of the leftover items showing in Bold for deleting were also deselected so I had no choice but to manually select all 47,190 items by ticking the boxes.

I have removed the Microsoft Silverlight uninstall leftover Registry items and will now restart my Computer and hopefully there will not be any problems caused by doing that.

As Member torchwood and you advised I do already have a recent System Image and I created a Restore point yesterday when I saw that Revo had found the 47,190 leftover items so if I do need to restore my Computer because of any problem I can start by going back to yesterday afternoon`s operating state.

Thanks again for your interest, help and advice - I have really appreciated it.

I could not have proceeded with deleting the uninstall leftover items without your and Member torchwood`s replies to my thread in case I caused irreparable damage / caused something that might have even prevented a System Restore ?

And I would have been worried about just closing down the Revo Uninstaller and leaving 47,190 possible Junk files [?] on my Computer if they could have just been associated with the now removed Microsoft Silverlight program.

My Regards,

Chris

- - - Updated - - -

My reply to F22 Simpilot has been merged into my message above to SIW2 - I tried 3 times to submit a specific reply to F22 Simpilot.

- - - Updated - - -

F22 Simpilot said:

That's gotta be a world record for program splatter if I saw any. Well, I have, but not like that. LOL!

Revo will (or should) afford you the ability to make a system restore point prior removal of a program. Do you not use that perk? You need to. You also need to do data backups and full on 1:1 disk clones every now and then.

Let this help be a lesson in the fact that Revo's ability to give you the correct listing of left overs for removal may not be 100% correct at no time. Treat it like a ToS from some website or a contractual agreement. You are solely responsible for how you carry out the actions and how they could be irreversible. When I make mention on this forum someone should use Revo to remove a program, I make sure to include a disclaimer indicating to make sure all entries marked for removal pertain to the program being removed. If not sure don't do it.

I've had that happen to me before. I saw all kinds of dependencies and whatnot Revo wanted to uninstall not even being related to the program I was removing. So I just unticked those and left the rest for removal. In some cases it's so far and away a cluster I just skip the whole lot. Thus Revo was useless. I also make sure Revo creates a system restore point to try and help on recovery if need be. Better than not have it. Plus, System Restore Explorer is a fine program...

Hello F22 Simpilot,

Thanks for your interest and for your reply.

Unfortunately when I use Revo Uninstaller to uninstall a Program if after it uses the programs own uninstaller Revo then finds leftover Files or in this case leftover Registry items I have no choice but to then just delete them because I don`t have the knowledge of Computing to be able to identify what ANY of the leftover items might be.

I have never seen anything like the seemingly ridiculous amount of leftover Files / Registry items that were found by Revo yesterday = 47,190 !

I always do create a specific Restore point before using Revo so if Revo is also creating one automatically there would be 2 available - the fact that I had created a System Image a few days ago was just a coincidence.

The problem with Microsoft Silverlight just for some reason starting to display an error message frequently every day I found strange but it was irritating enough to make me want to uninstall it after I found out online that it was basically obsolete with no updating or support available.

Perhaps I should have asked on here about uninstalling Silverlight before doing so but I am guessing that even our very experienced and knowledgeable Members might not have been expecting that something like 47,190 leftover Registry items would have been found which required being individually selected by ticking each box prior to deleting ?

Thanks for your comments about the Revo Uninstaller program - could you please help me with a few more details regarding comparing it to the Windows Uninstaller facility:

I mentioned in my original thread starting message that I use Revo Uninstaller in preference to the Windows Uninstaller facility because Revo searches for leftover Files / leftover Registry items enabling one to delete them.

I was under the perhaps false impression that this was a much better process than using the Windows Uninstaller facility ?

Would you be able to comment on what does the Windows uninstaller do in comparison to Revo regarding whether there is the possibility of there being leftover items after it carries out a program uninstall that would not be listed so I would never know that they existed ?

Is it possible that Windows Uninstaller carries out a much more detailed Search and Delete process but without showing any results after uninstalling a program or does it leave possibly thousands of leftover items which would be found by Revo ?

Thanks again for your interest and comments - I really appreciate your reply to me.

My Regards,

Chris

SIW2 · 21 Dec 2022

You are welcome

file3456 · 23 Dec 2022

CHRISX said:

My reply to F22 Simpilot has been merged into my message above to SIW2 - I tried 3 times to submit a specific reply to F22 Simpilot.

The forum software here is called vBulletin and has recently been updated to a new version. The Admin (or it's the software's default core functionality) set it so that posts withen a certain time frame (of which I don't know) are merged together in one giant lump of post. This is out of user control. It might be after 12 hours or something a new post will be created if no one posted after you.

I run my own (albeit not very popular) project website forum like this one here myself, but I use the free and open source (FOSS) software called phpBB (Hypertext Preprocessor Bulletin Board). PHP means Hypertext Preprocessor... Like HTML (Hypertext Markup Language), but a very fast code that can melt a face. LOL This website as well as scores of others use PHP for their base core functionality. Anyway...

CHRISX said:

Unfortunately when I use Revo Uninstaller to uninstall a Program if after it uses the programs own uninstaller Revo then finds leftover Files or in this case leftover Registry items I have no choice but to then just delete them because I don`t have the knowledge of Computing to be able to identify what ANY of the leftover items might be.

Don't just delete them if you don't know what they are. You could cause computer issues. Just look at the items wanting to be removed and if the program's name is not shown alongside the entry then untick it. By in large you really don't have to mess with removing old registry entries at all. It really depends on what software or driver you're removing and if the removal of registry entries is warranted in that case. Let me give two examples:

1) You used Revo Uninstaller to remove the graphics card (GPU) driver. Then I'd be apt to have Revo remove the registry entries. Though, I believe there are better, custom tailored programs for better GPU driver removal. I think there's one for Nvidea cards actually.

2) You want to reinstall a program but you don't want left over registry entries conflicting with the reinstall of the program if the program's uninstaller doesn't accomplish that by default already.

Having said this, usually a program's uninstaller will work just as good over using Revo. It should, as the coder for the program would have made the uninstaller go through all of its known install directories and registry entries for removal upon initializing the program's uninstaller. If a program doesn't have that functionality, then Revo would help. Most programs now-a-days have their own uninstaller and you should be able to find that in their respected install directories. Typically the programs x86 of programs folders under C drive.

CHRISX said:

The problem with Microsoft Silverlight just for some reason starting to display an error message frequently every day I found strange but it was irritating enough to make me want to uninstall it after I found out online that it was basically obsolete with no updating or support available.

Correct.

Silverlight End of Support - Microsoft Support

Minimize if at all possible what plug-ins you add to your browser. Today they are mostly not needed save for DRM (Digital Rights Management) plug-ins or what ever since HTML5 can do all of what plug-ins back then would need to be used for. For example HTML5 replaces Flash and so much more... Having unnecessary plug-ins installed in the browser opens a gate for possible malware and hacking in your browser. Believe me when I say that. Someone could take advantage of users still having Silverlight or Flash installed in their browser, code some webpage or email that uses Flash or Silverlight for a hack vector. Think Ransomware or password/credit card theft. Sky's pretty much the limit. I wouldn't even use Java unless it's absolutely needed computer side. If it is then I'd disable the plug-in in the browser since Java would only be used on the computer for a program. I'd actually shy away from anything requiring Java on the Internet (Not JavaScript. That's different code). Programs on the computer that are coded in and require Java would be different. Just make sure you scan those said programs at VirusTotal. The general consensus is four hits and you toss, but it depends on what it is you got there. Game hacks and whatnot will show up on radar. So it's a matter of trust and knowing what you're doing, reading and interpreting the posted Behaviors at VirusTotal, etc.

CHRISX said:

Perhaps I should have asked on here about uninstalling Silverlight before doing so but I am guessing that even our very experienced and knowledgeable Members might not have been expecting that something like 47,190 leftover Registry items would have been found which required being individually selected by ticking each box prior to deleting ?

You could have just ran Silverlight's uninstaller and would have been fine.

CHRISX said:

Thanks for your comments about the Revo Uninstaller program - could you please help me with a few more details regarding comparing it to the Windows Uninstaller facility

Done.

About the add/remove functionality in Windows, I [think that just invokes the program's uninstaller if it has one that can be detected. If not, Windows may try to go through its own uninstall routine. That's where Revo Uninstaller might be more applicable. This is just an educated guess. I'm probably right. LOL

CHRISX · 23 Dec 2022

F22 Simpilot said:

The forum software here is called vBulletin and has recently been updated to a new version. The Admin (or it's the software's default core functionality) set it so that posts withen a certain time frame (of which I don't know) are merged together in one giant lump of post. This is out of user control. It might be after 12 hours or something a new post will be created if no one posted after you.

I run my own (albeit not very popular) project website forum like this one here myself, but I use the free and open source (FOSS) software called phpBB (Hypertext Preprocessor Bulletin Board). PHP means Hypertext Preprocessor... Like HTML (Hypertext Markup Language), but a very fast code that can melt a face. LOL This website as well as scores of others use PHP for their base core functionality. Anyway...

Don't just delete them if you don't know what they are. You could cause computer issues. Just look at the items wanting to be removed and if the program's name is not shown alongside the entry then untick it. By in large you really don't have to mess with removing old registry entries at all. It really depends on what software or driver you're removing and if the removal of registry entries is warranted in that case. Let me give two examples:

1) You used Revo Uninstaller to remove the graphics card (GPU) driver. Then I'd be apt to have Revo remove the registry entries. Though, I believe there are better, custom tailored programs for better GPU driver removal. I think there's one for Nvidea cards actually.

2) You want to reinstall a program but you don't want left over registry entries conflicting with the reinstall of the program if the program's uninstaller doesn't accomplish that by default already.

Having said this, usually a program's uninstaller will work just as good over using Revo. It should, as the coder for the program would have made the uninstaller go through all of its known install directories and registry entries for removal upon initializing the program's uninstaller. If a program doesn't have that functionality, then Revo would help. Most programs now-a-days have their own uninstaller and you should be able to find that in their respected install directories. Typically the programs x86 of programs folders under C drive.

Correct.

Silverlight End of Support - Microsoft Support

Minimize if at all possible what plug-ins you add to your browser. Today they are mostly not needed save for DRM (Digital Rights Management) plug-ins or what ever since HTML5 can do all of what plug-ins back then would need to be used for. For example HTML5 replaces Flash and so much more... Having unnecessary plug-ins installed in the browser opens a gate for possible malware and hacking in your browser. Believe me when I say that. Someone could take advantage of users still having Silverlight or Flash installed in their browser, code some webpage or email that uses Flash or Silverlight for a hack vector. Think Ransomware or password/credit card theft. Sky's pretty much the limit. I wouldn't even use Java unless it's absolutely needed computer side. If it is then I'd disable the plug-in in the browser since Java would only be used on the computer for a program. I'd actually shy away from anything requiring Java on the Internet (Not JavaScript. That's different code). Programs on the computer that are coded in and require Java would be different. Just make sure you scan those said programs at VirusTotal. The general consensus is four hits and you toss, but it depends on what it is you got there. Game hacks and whatnot will show up on radar. So it's a matter of trust and knowing what you're doing, reading and interpreting the posted Behaviors at VirusTotal, etc.

You could have just ran Silverlight's uninstaller and would have been fine.

Done.

About the add/remove functionality in Windows, I [think that just invokes the program's uninstaller if it has one that can be detected. If not, Windows may try to go through its own uninstall routine. That's where Revo Uninstaller might be more applicable. This is just an educated guess. I'm probably right. LOL

Hello again F22 Simpilot,

Thank You very much for your very detailed message - I really appreciate the time and effort that you gave to write the advice to me.

Before I started using the Revo Uninstaller I had a situation on my Computer where I used the Windows uninstall facility to uninstall an Anti Virus program - I cannot remember whether it was Avira or Avast but it was one of those two - immediately after that my Computer went to Blue Screen and to begin with I could not even Start it up to try and find out what to do to repair the problem - every time I turned it on it went to Blue screen and some of the information on the screen was out of sight - off the screen view.

The only identifiable detail showing was what looked to me like a File title / name - I went onto another very reputable Microsoft / Windows Forum and posted a thread asking about solving the Blue screen problem and included the File name / title that I saw on my Computers Blue screen information - it was one `leftover file` from the Anti Virus Windows uninstall process that had caused the Blue screen problem - the Windows uninstaller had somehow missed it and that one file caused my Computer to malfunction enough to cause a Blue screen shutdown.

After that I researched various Computing Software websites for Uninstaller Software reviews and found the Revo Uninstaller had very good reviews and was stated to have the facility to conduct a Search for leftover files after uninstalling a program - I wanted to have that facility to hopefully prevent Files being left on my Computer after an uninstall which might again cause a Blue screen shutdown.

It was only because the leftover file from the Anti Virus software had actually been identified on the Blue screen information that I was able to note it and type the name / title into my Forum thread which was then recognised by one of the `Blue Screen of Death` Forum experts who instructed me on how to get into my Computer [Booting to Safe Mode] and where to find the file and delete it that I managed to get my Computer working again,

That is why I obtained and started using Revo Uninstaller - to search and find any leftover Files or other items that should have been removed during the uninstall process.

Thanks for mentioning that I should not be deleting anything that does not have the program / software name in the details - I have always been very careful to check that for every File / item that I select for deleting for the program name.

However an exception to me being able to do that was in the Silverlight uninstall leftover items - in this case there was a `Heading` title with files below that which are indicated to be associated with it but there were not any item names / titles - there was a `Component` section with tens of thousands of leftover Registry items which although they did not have Silverlight identified in any way I thought must be associated with it - if I had not deleted those items there would have been tens of thousands of them left on my Computer.

I had to individually select / tick all of the item boxes for deletion - as I mentioned previously all 47,190 Registry entries - if only I had seen your reply to me first the information would have saved me from worrying that the Revo search results was going to shut down / freeze and I would have `lost` the results list forever and doing what you advised would also have saved me the very laborious / mind numbing task of 2 hours and 40 minutes of ticking 47,190 individual boxes.

I have never seen that before on Revo so I would have previously done exactly what You advised - not selected any item for deletion that did not have the program / software name / title - although I have not really used Revo very much apart from when I was advised to uninstall some Scanning software which I had a few of and which I was advised could conflict with each other.

I have had absolutely no Computing training - I just bought my Computer in 2009 with the attitude that I would be able to find out how to use it just for the very simple things that I need it for - online shopping and Emailing plus storing some Documents and Photos etc. so Computing problems are immediately very daunting to me.

After the Blue screen shutdown was caused by a leftover File I wanted to try and make processes such as uninstalling programs / software `idiot proof` and hopefully ensure that leftover files were something that did not happen again.

I have realised since then that I was being a bit naive in expecting that Revo would be a fool proof method of ensuring that nothing could go wrong with an uninstalled program / software.

Sorry that this message is so long winded and contains details that You probably would not be interested in reading - I just wanted to try and explain why I use the Revo Uninstaller.

My Regards,

Chris

file3456 · 31 Dec 2022

Yes, anti-virus software now-a-days- is so entrenched in the operating system (OS) that it requires the manufacture's removal tool. I'm sorry you didn't know this before.

Avira uninstall Tool - Removal Tool (Free Download)

I don't see it on their website anymore though and these are the current instructions which I think are false as you have had issues using that method. I'm sure Avast has a removal tool of sorts as well. Just Google it I guess.

Anti-virus software today is a joke, really. The biggest is that it sits between you and the Internet as man in the middle reading your traffic because it has too due to 98% of all websites using TLS encryption. God only knows what Info. is sent back to the anti-virus company in the form of telemetry and your browser habitats...

I just use Sandboxie classic for my browser, scan ALL downloads at VirusTotal and create periodic full disk clones should disaster strike. I don't and have not used anti-virus software since Trump was elected. So circa 2016. Despite that I have not been infected or hacked and I use tools and whatnot most don't even know of let along use. I search for alternative data streams, Ring 3 hooks, etc. I'll even do an offline full HDD scan every now and then. If you use VirusTotal the general consensus is four hits and you toss, but it does depend on what you have there.

- - - Updated - - -

If you just surf the Internet and print then perhaps Linux would be more suited. Really don't need and anti-virus in that. There are Linux viruses, but not as prevalent as there are for Windows due to popularity.

Zorin OS - Make your computer better.