Sony = Uninstalling VAIO Programs ???

[BuckSkin]

I have searched and searched and got lost in rabbit holes and read until my reader is sore and I know less than when I started.

I am rejuvenating an old Sony laptop and getting it ready to give to a 7-yr-old girl.
I have done miracles to it compared to what it was when I first started.
I have unloaded a ton of unnecessary programs and almost completely gotten rid of several GB of Norton anti-virus, save for a handful of folders that refuse to budge even though all other components are gone.
Before, it took forever to boot up; I often would think it was hung up; I am talking fifteen minutes or longer from push the button to finally seeing the desktop; I have trimmed that time down to about 90 seconds.
I have five more VAIO programs that I think need to go but wanted some experienced opinions before I messed up.

All are VAIO:
1. CARE
2. CARE Recovery
3. Messenger
4. Smart Network
5. Application Manager for VAIO

A YouTube video shows a Sony HTTP address to download "Vaio Applications Uninstaller Software", but trying the address repeatedly takes me to the generic Sony support page and searching for the product by name yields the same.


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Not to confuse the issue, but this thing has a very annoying situation that none of our many other Windows 7 machines has; every couple hours, there is a light blue message that completely fills the screen, taskbar and all, telling me that Windows 7 is no longer supported and all my kids will be born naked and bald-headed if I don't do something quick.

I almost never figured out how to get rid of the message and regain control again.

I suspect that this message is the reason for the original owner abandoning the machine, personal files, pictures, and all.

What can I do to make this message never appear again ? I think it may be somehow connected to that CARE business.

For what it is worth, I am very familiar with going into regedit and deleting remnants of programs.

Thanks for reading and all help is appreciated.

 

[file3456]

First and foremost, I would have just formatted the computer and installed a new install of Windows 7. Now all of the crap, etc is gone. If you don't have the OS install disk or simply don't want to do that, then read on.


This link may or may not give you some more information on what all those tools do. VAIO Care, a new and powerful software application that helps you maintain, diagnose and troubleshoot your VAIO | Sony UK

A lot of that stuff is already built into Windows, they just put it here in one program for ease of use for those that don't know anything about computers.

Here's how to uninstall it if you want to. How to uninstall the VAIO Care utility. | Sony USA

And here is a VAIO application uninstaller. Though, it has an average rating. https://www.softpedia.com/get/Tweak/Uninstallers/VAIO-Application-Uninstaller.shtml I scanned the download at Virus Total and no engines detected it. If you download this, I would rescan it again at virustotal.com to be sure that file wasn't altered just in case. Probably don't need to, but it would be better if you did.


That blue Windows popup is just a way for Microsoft to get you to use the so-called "latest and greatest" Windows 10. It's being invoked probably from an update. Since Windows 7 has no more updates I would just disable the update service. To do so, type in services.msc in the search box under the start orb and find the service called, "Windows Update." Stop it, and from the drop down, disable.

This annoying blue text popup can be disabled by following these instructions: Disable Windows 7 End of Support Reminder Notifications

I'm not sure if that's what you're seeing though. But that specific update might be involved so it may be worthwhile to uninstall it.

 

[file3456]

If you want to go the format route, according to this post the product key on the laptop should work for a retail version of 7. But it would have to be the same version of Windows and 32 or 64. So if it's Windows 7 Home it has to be Home.

For the ISO Windows download you can go here. Not sure if the product key will work. https://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/software-download/windows7

AH! This is probably what you're seeing. Read here to disable that annoying crap. Disable Your Windows 7 PC is Out of Support Full Screen Notification

 

[BuckSkin]

First and foremost, I would have just formatted the computer and installed a new install of Windows 7.

Thanks for all the info.

I would have done so if I were certain that the license key would work for the disc I have.

I have an install disc that has all Windows versions in both 32 and 64; I have used it a few times on various machines; but, it not being an OEM Sony disc, I was afraid it might not accept the key.

Your information was a big help to me; I got everything gone save for the Vaio Smart Network; I read that uninstalling it can cause a host of problems so I just left it.

I got Norton all gone save for one stubborn folder in Program Data that keeps telling me a file is in use and therefore cannot be deleted; everything associated with it is gone, yet it still claims a file is in use.

All the main Norton folders are gone and anything Norton in the registry and app data is gone; I don't see how that silly file can still be in use.

 

[SIW2]

You can backup the activation, so no worries about reinstalling.

SEE HERE

 

[BuckSkin]

You can backup the activation, so no worries about reinstalling.

SEE HERE

Thanks; that is good to know.
I am guessing the tool in the screenshots is something downloaded from the "dism+..." link, right ?

 

[file3456]

Thanks for all the info.
I got Norton all gone save for one stubborn folder in Program Data that keeps telling me a file is in use and therefore cannot be deleted; everything associated with it is gone, yet it still claims a file is in use.

All the main Norton folders are gone and anything Norton in the registry and app data is gone; I don't see how that silly file can still be in use.

This is more than likely due to a process or service still using that folder. Ideally anti-virus software have their own uninstaller programs to use to completely remove the anti-virus.

In this case it might help to look through the running processes and all services to see what might be using that folder. You could also use Autoruns to help find out what is starting that grabs a hold of that folder.

If it's a service, that can easily be removed, or should be. There is a few commands that'll do it, and I remember some tool with a GUI that can do it, but I'd have to find it now since I don't remember its name.

If it's a process, I'm not too sure what the proper way would be to remove that. What I'd personally do is fire up the computer in safe mode and use Everything.exe to find the DLL name of that process, go to its location and nuke it. However, this may not be advised if the DLL is a Window component or is shared among other programs, etc. But if it is just a Norton DLL and probably could be removed without issue. I've done stuff like this many times.

Autoruns for Windows - Windows Sysinternals | Microsoft Docs

Downloads - voidtools

How to Delete a Windows Service in Windows 7, 8, 10, Vista, or XP

 

[BuckSkin]

This is more than likely due to a process or service still using that folder.

Thanks !

I had not even thought about SAFE mode.

I went all the way to the bottom of that folder and deleted hundreds of various things, mostly dll files; and have it narrowed down to maybe five remaining files that are still holding tight.

One thing I forgot to mention, after I got everything gone save for that one stubborn folder in Program Data, when I restart, I get a message saying "This process was unable to something or other"; it does not give a clue as to what, which, or how.
I "X" away the message and everything works fine.

Whatever those few little files left in that folder are doing doesn't seem to negatively affect anything; but, it just worries me something fierce that they are still there.

 

[torchwood]

Hi

There is likely a COA sticker, with a back-up key in the battery compartment.
i'd opt for a clean install as well

Malwarebytes has an option to remove OEM bloatware in built.

if your happy with its current status, i would now run the 3 standard repair tools
sfc /scannow
chkdsk /r

and kb947821
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=20858



if you really want to go ballistic, run this tool copy/paste
the >> 2 << reports i'll give them the once over

please save it to your desktop
Just a moment...


Roy

 

[BuckSkin]

Hi

There is likely a COA sticker, with a back-up key in the battery compartment.
i'd opt for a clean install as well

Malwarebytes has an option to remove OEM bloatware in built.

if your happy with its current status, i would now run the 3 standard repair tools
sfc /scannow
chkdsk /r

and kb947821

I wish the sticker was in the battery compartment; intelligent Sony put it on the bottom outside surface and I had to get real up close and personal with my big magnifying glass to make it out; even at that, there is one digit that has three possibilities as to what it may be.

Thanks for reminding me of those chores; I had been so much head and ears in the rest of it that those had slipped my mind.

I just copy/paste the scan and check disc in the Command Line, probably as Administrator, right ? (of course, not both at the same time --- or can I ?)

 

[torchwood]

hi

yep thats correct.

run them seperately please. i would also reboot between them


and

Microsoft product keys does not contain any of the following characters:
Numbers 0, 1 and 5
Letters A, E, I, L, N, O, S, U, and Z


Roy

 

[BuckSkin]

Microsoft product keys does not contain any of the following characters:
Numbers 0, 1 and 5
Letters A, E, I, L, N, O, S, U, and Z


Roy

That is interesting to know; of course knowing now makes me wonder why they don't use those particular ones.
I can understand and appreciate them not using 0 and O, 5 and S, and 1 and I; that leaves A, E, L, N, U, and Z to wonder about.

 

[BuckSkin]

run the 3 standard repair tools
sfc /scannow

Results of sfc /scannow "Windows Resource Protection did not find any Integrity Violations"

Now moving on to chkdsk

 

[file3456]

Thanks !

I had not even thought about SAFE mode.

I went all the way to the bottom of that folder and deleted hundreds of various things, mostly dll files; and have it narrowed down to maybe five remaining files that are still holding tight.

One thing I forgot to mention, after I got everything gone save for that one stubborn folder in Program Data, when I restart, I get a message saying "This process was unable to something or other"; it does not give a clue as to what, which, or how.
I "X" away the message and everything works fine.

Whatever those few little files left in that folder are doing doesn't seem to negatively affect anything; but, it just worries me something fierce that they are still there.

This is because a DLL you removed was auto starting and now it's gone. Like I said, a service or an autorun something or other is the reason. If you go back and read my post you might be able to figure it out.

 

[BuckSkin]

chkdsk finally finished.

At each step of five, it gave a clean bill of health (as best I could understand).

One or both of these operations sure did take care of something and created a new mystery in the process.

As I have already described, I had a stubborn Norton folder in the Program Data folder that was dug in like a tick on a dog's ear.

Also, at each restart, there would be a message box saying something about a program couldn't do it's thing.

After running the sfc scannow and subsequent restart, the error message box did not show up.

After running chkdsk and restart, the error message box still stayed away ----- and ----- seeing as how the error box had went away, I checked to see if maybe I could now delete that stubborn folder that was in the Program Data folder.

I looked in (C, right in there where I knew the way by heart, and --- lo and behold --- I no longer even had a Program Data folder ----- nothing - zip - completely vanquished into the elements.

No Program Data folder and therefore no stubborn Norton folder.

I would have swore there were other non-Norton folders in the Program Data folder; if there were, I hope they weren't important, because they're for certain and sure gone now.

I have played around with it and everything seems to click along quite lively; enough time will tell - I guess.