Solved Completely remove AutoHotKey program from Win7

[loninappleton]

This started innocently enough: a wanted to replace my old Launchboard program run on XP with a keymap to remember some passwords, library card numbers etc.

AutoHotKey is a commonly recommended program. But it has no uninstaller that I can find. It is easy to make mistakes with to glitch my system. I'm recovering a backup disk now which does not have the wretched 'script not found' error printed on every OS load.

But the program is still on my backup in a Programs folder where it installs.

I want to safely remove it. It doesn't show up in Programs for the uninstaller to work. That in itself is outrageous.

How can I safely remove AutoHotkey? Has this happened to others or am I the first to be stymied by it?

Something possibly related: I have various .ini files on the desktop. These should not be there. One is called desktop.ini and another backup.ini

Once a backup is secured, I will look at restore points.

 

[Gator]

You are going to need to find its leftover files in the registry. This is very dangerous so make sure you create a backup first
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/4230-registry-backup-restore.html

Try this:
(Backup registry first: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/4230-registry-backup-restore.html )

Mostly, users can remove unneeded software by using the standard procedure. Now you can uninstall AutoHotkey with the following tips:
1. End all the running applications with task manager.
2. Click on Start and proceed to the Control Panel.
3. Then you will have to go to the Add/remove programs option present in the Control Panel for Windows XP; Uninstall Program in case of Windows Vista; Program in Windows 7.
4. Change programs or Remove programs have to be selected then from the top left corner but the position will vary depending on the Operating System.
5. Highlight and select the AutoHotkey from the list. Then click on the Uninstall or Remove.
6. Reboot your PC.
It is necessary to clean up any leftover files associated with AutoHotkey. Relevant tips:
1. Click Start and choose Run in the menu.
2. Type regedit and hit Enter.
3. Delete the following keys from the registry settings tree:
HKey_Current_User\Software\ AutoHotkey
HKey_Local_Machine\Software\ AutoHotkey
HKey_Local_Machine\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\User Agent \ AutoHotkey

 

[loninappleton]

@Gator,

Thanks for answering. I'll report back on how it goes. There just doesn't seem to be any simple replacement for Launchboard which was free at one time: select a function key and put some text in it.

I resisted learning AHK and it went badly when I did. I didn't understand all the
program shifts to just get it into the start menu.

 

[loninappleton]

The link given is not a direct reference to SevenForums. I did read through it. As a first step, I'll try Perfect Uninstaller which I had seen in my search but thought it might be dangerous to use. But before attempting the regedit I'll try that. Going to test on a scratch disk first however....

Will reply sometime tomorrow or so.

 

[Gator]

The link given is not a direct reference to SevenForums. I did read through it. As a first step, I'll try Perfect Uninstaller which I had seen in my search but thought it might be dangerous to use. But before attempting the regedit I'll try that. Going to test on a scratch disk first however....

Will reply sometime tomorrow or so.

I haven't used it but I did google it and it seems safe to use. If you're going the uninstall route, I would recommend installing autohotkeys once again, then downloading Revo uninstaller (instead of perfect) and remove it that way.

Completely Uninstall Programs And More With Revo Uninstaller

 

[loninappleton]

There may be some method with Revo Uninstaller I don't know but....

Revo does not see it in it's regular uninstall list. And Hunter mode did not find it either. Hunter mode went after prog.s 'nearby' so far as I can figure. But I'll look at what you have.

I've been sold on the Revo free version for some time. A great tool but it could not find AHK by any known method I've used.

Will get after Perfect Uninstaller soon.

 

[loninappleton]

Just catching up here for anyone following. Perfect Uninstaller seems a problem. There are two
Perfect Uninstaller sites one hyphenated, one not. And lots of other sites are shown with no --
how to say-- critique as to whether it works or breaks systems.

I may proceed to the Regedit method given my doubts about the perfect uninstaller. Will try that
on a backup.

 

[loninappleton]

Marked solved with an additional remark.

I successfully used the regedit technique given in the how-to, restarted and things seem
stable.

However any recommendations for Perfect Uninstaller should be cautioned.
The installer routine is a scam to run a scan and then demand payment. Here is the
link to the person who actually did the test might as well be vaporware:

Software review: Perfect Uninstaller | Applications | Computer repair, personal computer instruction in Safety Harbor, Clearwater, Tampa, St Pete

A good and helpful review by someone who took a chance going through the hoops
and found it isn't free only the 'download action' is free.

A youtube of the same procedure is out there.

 

[Gator]

Marked solved with an additional remark.

I successfully used the regedit technique given in the how-to, restarted and things seem
stable.

However any recommendations for Perfect Uninstaller should be cautioned.
The installer routine is a scam to run a scan and then demand payment. Here is the
link to the person who actually did the test might as well be vaporware:

Software review: Perfect Uninstaller | Applications | Computer repair, personal computer instruction in Safety Harbor, Clearwater, Tampa, St Pete

A good and helpful review by someone who took a chance going through the hoops
and found it isn't free only the 'download action' is free.

A youtube of the same procedure is out there.

Thank you I will take the link down.

 

[UsernameIssues]

@Gator,

Thanks for answering. I'll report back on how it goes. There just doesn't seem to be any simple replacement for Launchboard which was free at one time: select a function key and put some text in it.

I resisted learning AHK and it went badly when I did. I didn't understand all the
program shifts to just get it into the start menu.

I've not used Launchboard - so, I'm not familiar with how it gets things into the start menu.

If AHK was suggested as a replacement for Launchboard, then AutoIt should do what you want. (AutoIt has an uninstaller.) When AutoIt changed its syntax to be more like Visual Basic, some of the developers did not want to make the change. Those developers used the AutoIt source code and created AHK. (History of AutoIt.) I've used AutoIt since 1999. If need be, I might be able to help you write the script(s) that you need.



"to just get it into the start menu"
Perhaps I'm not understanding you, but for AutoIt (or AHK) all that it takes "to just get it into the start menu" is to put the script (text file) into one of the startup folders. Watch this video (no audio):



You do not have to compile the script, you can move the text version* of the script into that folder. There is one startup folder that will start things for all users. The is also a startup folder for each user. The video above, shows the script going into the startup folder that only impacts one user. Just right click on the startup folder in the Start Menu to see your options in the context menu.

*move the text file (the file with the au3 file extension) or keep the au3 text file somewhere else and put a shortcut to that au3 file into the startup folder of interest.


If you want to try AutoIt, you can get it from here:
https://www.autoitscript.com/site/autoit/downloads/
You only need the AutoIt installer. You don't need the advanced Editor (yet). When installing AutoIt, just accept the default settings of the installer.