BAD Google - persistent REG Key

[Press any key]

I installed and tried, for a while, MSN Desktop Search, then uninstalled it. Did the same thing with Google Desktop Search. None does the same for me as Windows Search. (Although slower.)

But Google will not surrender its Reg Key.

Does anyone know how to permanently delete this Reg Key. It keeps returning.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run]
"Google Desktop Search"="\"C:\\Program Files\\Google\\Google Desktop Search\\GoogleDesktop.exe\" /startup"

[coconut]

some process is putting it back maybe, boot into safemode and delete

[Press any key]

some process is putting it back maybe, boot into safemode and delete

It's been a long time since I booted into 'Safe Mode'. Think it was on Windows 95. I have an Acer Notebook with OEM WinXP SP2 Home.

Would that be Press F8 ? Think that's what it used to be. All I get is the option to access the limited Bios on Boot.

[Zxian]

It should be F8.

You should also try manually searching for anything Google related on your hard drive and see if you can find something suspicious.

Either that, or the uninstaller didn't complete properly. You could try reinstalling GDS and then uninstalling it again.

[Press any key]

Either that, or the uninstaller didn't complete properly. You could try reinstalling GDS and then uninstalling it again.

You may be onto something here. If, say GDS was left running while uninstalling. But I usually use Enditall to shut down everything first before uninstalling anything.

But the programmers should have anticipated that if GDS was running it would close before the uninstall through the programming of the install/uninstall program. And all Reg keys should have been removed.

As the Reg Key is persistent, it seems to indicate that they left something else on my PC that keeps replacing the Key. It's interesting that you can delete the Key with RegEdit, refresh, and it is replaced.

google you suck !

It's annoying that if you do not click YES, then this will pester you every 3 seconds ..

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Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run]

"ccleaner"="\"D:\\pc tools\\CCleaner\\ccleaner.exe\" /AUTO"

"SpybotSD TeaTimer"="C:\\Program Files\\Spybot - Search & Destroy\\TeaTimer.exe"

"AWMON"="\"C:\\Program Files\\Lavasoft\\Ad-Aware SE Professional\\Ad-Watch.exe\""

"Dexpot 1.3"="D:\\pc tools\\Dexpot - virtual desktops\\Dexpot.exe"

"Google Desktop Search"="\"C:\\Program Files\\Google\\Google Desktop Search\\GoogleDesktop.exe\" /startup"

I cannot get rid of Google Desktop Search /startup. It replaces itself continually. If you do not click Yes on WinPatrol it will pop back up every 3 seconds.

Not by deleting in Safe Mode, from MsConfig, WinPatrol or Spybot S&D or deleting from the Registry and turning off System Restore. It is not listed in MS AntiSpyware Start up programs at all.

Downloaded Autoruns and tried that - no luck.

So, Google does not have the best programmers after all - YOU SUCK. Stinkers.

INSTALL google SOFTWARE AT YOUR OWN RISK!

[Claymore1746]

If it won't uninstall automatically with Add/Remove Programs, you can try uninstalling manually. Here are the instructions:

Uninstall Google Desktop Search manually

[eyeball]

and when your done with that download "copernic" desktop search its the best!

when you first start it and type something in the box be sure to select something that will be stored locally e.g music or video, that way it wont bring up the web search and will search only your HDD'S.

honestly try it its the best

[Press any key]

If it won't uninstall automatically with Add/Remove Programs, you can try uninstalling manually. Here are the instructions:

Uninstall Google Desktop Search manually

Thanks. Unfortunately this does not work.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Google\Desktop

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Google\Google Desktop

I only had :

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Google\Desktop

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Google\

by the way, and both deleted. But then, why should I have to delete anything, or even muck around with the Registry, because Nazi Google are leaving suicide bombers on my PC.

Something has permission, and is watching the start-up Reg Key. Delete it, and Refresh and it is replaced immediately.

Thanks anyway ....

[oioldman]

get of your horse about google being bad, you've had one bad experience with one particular piece of software.

I'm inclined to say that it didn't un-install correctly when you ran it, and go with Zxian, and re-install and then un-install.

Also, do you have the folder path still in existence?

Have you logged into XP Home, as the Super Admin to see if you can delete?

Have you tried to change the startup shortcut that is running and removing the "/startup" switch, as it looks to me like the .exe is their which is why it runs or you'd get a message saying bad shortcut upon login.

[Press any key]

get of your horse about google being bad, you've had one bad experience with one particular piece of software.

I'm inclined to say that it didn't un-install correctly when you ran it, and go with Zxian, and re-install and then un-install.

Also, do you have the folder path still in existence?

Have you logged into XP Home, as the Super Admin to see if you can delete?

Have you tried to change the startup shortcut that is running and removing the "/startup" switch, as it looks to me like the .exe is their which is why it runs or you'd get a message saying bad shortcut upon login.

Please don't suck their rock. Ever tried Google Maps if you don't live in the US? Two guys made a great search engine and floated it and made a few dozen billion$. What else works?

[Zxian]

Please don't suck their rock. Ever tried Google Maps if you don't live in the US? Two guys made a great search engine and floated it and made a few dozen billion$. What else works?

You seem to be in a bad mood today...

And for Google Maps, do you now want Google to record all the street names of every city in the world? That's a pretty tall order.

Oh and making a great search engine like Google grants them each a few billion IMO. 99% of the people who use the internet use Google. It's Capitalism 101 - plain and simple.

GMail (Google Mail) works too. It's officially still in "beta", but it's better than any other online e-mail system I've ever used. Clean simple interface, no big fancy graphics, and all the features you'd ever need from e-mail. They use their "great search engine" to help you find your e-mails more easily. If I had that kind of searching power in Outlook... boy would that be great.

Google Adsense works as well. Ever noticed how many sites (including this one) keep themselves running by using Google Ads?

[Press any key]

Maybe Google is an innocent ..oogle?

Sinister new development ..

I've been hanging out at Microsoft. I figure 'getting rid of Google' would elicit some response to my dilemma. Right on. And all sensible. Use Msconfig to delete the Startup entry, etc. Unfortunately as we all know - this does not work.

As I've had Dexpot 1.3 - virtual desktops installed for some time I find that I am still basically using the one desktop. Maybe old habits. But the other 3 desktops where accumulating more and more icons (folders & shortcuts) so it had to go.

Uninstalled it - and guess what - right, the Reg Key will not delete and is alongside Google.

GOD. Now I'm going to have to strip off buck naked and walk through a shopping center as penance. At 5 to 6pm near closing time although there are bound to be plenty of digital little camera bugs still about. Be posted - and - on Google search by 7.

I'll have to buy a Google book page. Give me page 357 of any Wilbur Smith.

I'll have to say I live on Sunset Blvd so Google maps can find me.

I'll have to hire a software-as-a-service. What have you got Google?

So, if Google was NOT TO BLAME for leaving the Reg Key behind - who is??????

Microsoft MVP's tried to help, but were unable to. Like I've said before, if you can't beat them - buy them.

So, I thought it must be Group Policy, used to stop the workers from making changes. (Hello to the Microsoft group in India - way to go guys.) But it's not.

*This led me to suspect it might be one of my Antispyware Resident programs. But which one???

Scotty the dog (WinPatrol)

AdWatch (Ad-Aware)

Couldn't be Spyware Blaster?

Teatimer (Spybot S&D)

Microsoft AntiSpyware Beta

My bets on Microsoft in Real Time Protection - Application Agents - Startup Registry Files.

Turn everything off except MS. It's not that.

What about Teatimer (Spybot S&D)

Turn everything off except Teatimer. It's not that.

NO. There is a setting in AdWatch (Ad-Aware) called Blocking Options - Lock start-up section. You must disable this.

Not too easy to pin down, but this is it, apparently ................

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*WinXP SP2

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You must still delete the Startup program Key in RegEdit..

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run]

Then delete the Startup program Key..

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You must still delete the Startup program Key in RegEdit..

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnceEx]

Then delete the Startup program Key..

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*You should now be able to do it with Msconfig if you want..

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At last, after a week of midnight-to-dawn hair pulling. The solution is so simple. Should have seen it before.. But then there still is the problem of the naked walk as ..oogle penance!

To sleep .. perchance to dream. At last. Chow bambino.

[Bezalel]

My suggestion if to run RegMon from sysinternals to determine what is putting the key back.