WA2L/WinTools — hot-rodding Windows!

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FREEWARE SPOTLIGHT By Deanna McElveen Hot-rod enthusiasts like to have cars with features that the factory models don’t have. Geeks like us like to ha
[See the full post at: WA2L/WinTools — hot-rodding Windows!]

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I installed WA2LWinTools and found nothing in it that would benefit me.  When I tried to uninstall it, I right clicked on it under all apps and nothing happened.  That program does not show up under Programs and Features or Apps and Feature, and does not appear in Revo Uninstaller.  It also is not in the registry under HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall.  How do I delete it from my computer, short or rebuilding the system?

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Terry.M

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k6jav wrote:

How do I delete it from my computer …

Check out Figure 1 in the article. You’ll notice a big “Uninstall” button in the center at the bottom. Deanna tells me that’s the way out.

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Wrong!  When you click that button it tells you it will remove all “settings”, but no software will be deleted!

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Terry.M, wavy

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Apparently the only way to get rid of it is to go to the config page, uncheck every item that is currently checked, and then apply / install.  Then, delete all of the files that were installed.  Lastly, reboot the computer.  That seemed to do it for me.

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Perhaps before “certifying” the software on their site, OlderGeeks might consider ensuring the software has a simple and straightforward built-in Uninstall mechanism.  Or at least a documented procedure (as provided by k6jav) that works!

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Terry.M, wavy

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I knew right away reading the article that this software was going to be a headache for most people.    1st  sentence paragraph 3:  “Go ahead and click the .exe file that you downloaded.”.

Huge bloatware and 3rd party ware peddler.     What could possibly go wrong?  

I only came this forum (which I rarely do)  to see if someone already posted the warning DO NOT TO INSTALL THIS SOFTWARE.

Why does AskWoody let recommendations like this be published?

 

 

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Terry.M

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Will Fastie wrote:

k6jav wrote:

How do I delete it from my computer …

Check out Figure 1 in the article. You’ll notice a big “Uninstall” button in the center at the bottom. Deanna tells me that’s the way out.

Sorry, but that big UNINSTALL button on the config window does almost nothing.  It even says it does not uninstall any of the software when you click it.  I am still waiting for a definitive guide to uninstalling this horrible mess.

 

DO NOT INSTALL THIS SOFTWARE.

Why does AskWoody let recommendations like this be published?

Terry.M

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Hey all. k6jav is correct. The program is simply a portable tool to
install other free/open source tools. To uninstall those other tools,
you just uncheck any that were checked and click apply/update. Think of
it as the way you used to add and remove parts of Microsoft Live Essentials.

Once you have removed all the tools, just delete the program’s folder that you expanded on  install.

Sorry for the confusion.
Deanna
OlderGeeks.com

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Deanna, you say “just delete the program’s folder that you expanded on install”.  The key word here is “JUST”.  Not so simple.  The install took off on its own and installed dozens if not hundreds of files.  I have no idea where it put them.

And now my AVG antivirus has alarmed on the DownloadFile.exe and quarantined it.

This is a horrible mess.

Could you please be more specific about how to uninstall /delete this mess from my computer!

Where is the WA2L install folder located and what is its name?

DO NOT INSTALL THIS SOFTWARE.

Why does AskWoody let recommendations like this be published?

Terry.M

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I was told to uncheck all the checkboxes on the config screen, then click “Install” or whatever the leftmost button was named.  That supposedly uninstalled all those items.  I then deleted all the folders in ProgramFiles that contained all the junk.  That seems to have worked for me, but I agree wholeheartedly with you that recommended software should have a simple and straightforward uninstall process!

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WSabfinger0 wrote:

I was told to uncheck all the checkboxes on the config screen, then click “Install” or whatever the leftmost button was named.  That supposedly uninstalled all those items.  I then deleted all the folders in ProgramFiles that contained all the junk.  That seems to have worked for me, but I agree wholeheartedly with you that recommended software should have a simple and straightforward uninstall process!

That sounds a bit counterintutive.  The bottom buttons only work on the boxes that are checked.

And the leftmost button says “Install/Apply” not uninstall.

 

Terry.M

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Deanna McElveen wrote:

To uninstall those other tools, you just uncheck any that were checked and click apply/update.

Uncheck those that were checked.
Choose “Apply” Update.

Deanna McElveen wrote:

Once you have removed all the tools, just delete the program’s folder that you expanded on install.

This will probably be the folder where the install file that you clicked on is located, of the folder that was listed in the install process where it said it was expanding the files.

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As I said, clicking on the leftmost button (whatever its label) worked for me.I know it’s counterintuitive, but so is labeling a button “Uninstall” that does no such thing.  If you’re hesitant about using counterintuitive processes, then by all means keep looking for alternatives!

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I also naively assumed this software would have been tested before hand by the recommender.  (When I finally deleted it I noted that the exe file handed installed just under 1GB of programs which is had unzipped.) Now I notice that in Windows File Manager, the option to create a txt file has disappeared from the right click context menu.  Any advice on how to restore would be appreciated.

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