Completely Remove AOL 9.0

By war
in Essential Guides

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Experienced

war

Posted
Posted (edited)

Hi,

This evening I had the task of removing AOL 9.0 crap from over 50 PCs. :(

Well, in doing so I came up with a simple set of batch files to get the job done.

Figured I'd ago ahead and post it for those of you who are also in the business of cleaning up crap off of clients PCs.

http://rapidshare.com/files/8351265/cleanUpAOLFull.exe.html

I've modified the script a bit so you know what is happening and asks permission first of course... So no problem if you run on accident.

It gets rid of everything installed by AOL including Quick Time and Real Player, so if you want these appz you will have to reinstall after running the script. Or just modify the script so it no longer does. It's pretty simple to figure it out...

Also make sure you reboot after running the script as the uninstall is not completed yet...

Let me know if you have any trouble,

Will

Update:

Small Update!!

This one removes AOL Version 10, also known as AOL Desktop Version 2.7.11.1.

Download Mirrors:

Again it is just a simple batch script...

So double click the .exe and it will extract to a folder on the desktop and launch the script.

Again the script will ask if you wish to continue first if you did not mean to run it.

AOL did a pretty good job this time around, but they did change IE's home page so this sets it back to google.com.

This time around, it also removes some left over registry keys and again removes left over files and folders.

OH and when its done it will delete everything in the TEMP directory so make sure there is nothing in there you need.

Enjoy,

Will

Edited by war
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https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/523319-completely-remove-aol-90/
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Veteran

halcyoncmdr

Posted
Posted

Is there a specific order that they need to be run in? I'm not an expert in batch files, so I feel the need to ask. :)

My guess is you start with start, but I want to make sure that's all I really need to do lol.

Veteran

halcyoncmdr

Posted
Posted

Well, like I said I'm no expert, heck I'm a novice let's face it :). I got confused when there was more than a simple "click here to let it go" kind of thing. I thought batch files had a .bat ending also?

Grand Master

Rappy Veteran

Posted
  • Veteran
Posted

Even better would be to not install it in the first place :p

I had to disable it on my dads laptop last night but unfort his laptop comes with the darn thing so you have to get rid of so this tool will be useful thanks!!! :)

Grand Master

ZonoBurk

Posted
Posted

What all AOL programs does it remove? Does it also clean out registry items of AOL and folder/files left behind? This may be useful has I beta test a lot of AOL products and after a while I like to do what I call a "clean up" of all of AOL programs on my computer and reinstall. This would save a lot of time.

Experienced

war

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)

MchWalte, it removes all programs installed by AOL. Take a look at the simple batch files in the install directory.

All desktop and shortcut items are removed, as well as Services. And yes it also removes all left over folders.

Also stops aol from running on startup and then uninstalls all the programs installed by AOL.

At the time I did not really care about registry left overs.... Dont have the time to test at the moment...

But feel free to post left over registry items and I'll add to the batch to remove them all...

Is there a specific order that they need to be run in? I'm not an expert in batch files, so I feel the need to ask. :)

My guess is you start with start, but I want to make sure that's all I really need to do lol.

Yes that is correct.. That is all the simple rar .exe does.. That is it first runs start.cmd ...
Grand Master

ZonoBurk

Posted
Posted
MchWalte, it removes all programs installed by AOL. Take a look at the simple batch files in the install directory.

All desktop and shortcut items are removed, as well as Services. And yes it also removes all left over folders.

Also stops aol from running on startup and then uninstalls all the programs installed by AOL.

At the time I did not really care about registry left overs.... Dont have the time to test at the moment...

But feel free to post left over registry items and I'll add to the batch to remove them all...

Yes that is correct.. That is all the simple rar .exe does.. That is it first runs start.cmd ...

Thanks. I'm not going to do it right now, but I will right before I install Vista (31st). I'll let ya know. ;)

  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...
Experienced

war

Posted
  • Author
Posted
I noticed one of the links doesn't work. Do we only need the cleanupAOL.exe to do this or am I missing something?

Thanks,

peace out,

daddylogan

Yes that is all you need, simply run it! :) It's just a simple batch script. Feel free to extract it via the likes of winrar to see exactly what happens.
  • 1 year later...
Experienced

war

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Small Update!!

This one removes AOL Version 10, also known as AOL Desktop Version 2.7.11.1.

Download Mirrors:

Again it is just a simple batch script...

So double click the .exe and it will extract to a folder on the desktop and launch the script.

Again the script will ask if you wish to continue first if you did not mean to run it.

AOL did a pretty good job this time around, but they did change IE's home page so this sets it back to google.com.

This time around, it also removes some left over registry keys and again removes left over files and folders.

OH and when its done it will delete everything in the TEMP directory so make sure there is nothing in there you need.

Enjoy,

Will

  • 2 months later...
Grand Master

ozgeek

Posted
Posted

Why not integrate all these scripts into one file by using IF and GOTO commands and if you'd like you could add this to the one where it tells you can delete the install folder. Deleting the install folder can be done automatically by using:

rd %systemdrive%\install /S /Q

/S tells it to delete this install folder and it's files inside. /Q does this silently but if you want it to ask you if you want to delete, remove /Q.

  • 6 months later...
Neowinian

minunel

Posted
Posted

Hello,

I registered this forum just because i found this thread on google :D

Great post btw and hell of a good job... although I have 9.1 installed and it worked the tool made for version 10.

I used it , restarted and everything went fine.

Then i started reinstalling to see if everything was indeed removed, so i made a new free account and made a broadband profile for Home Network and it seems it is the same ip i had before removing the other one - so it means some things remained in the sistem that told AOL i had an instance of the software before and gave me the same ip !

So if anyone knows how and what should I do to remove everything (i think there are some registry files that need to be removed but i don`t know wich ones ) I could help with a donation if it helps :D

Friend of mine could do it but only after formatting the harddrive - but i don`t want that ! THank you !

Minunel

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