Help full uninstall SDC/Object desktop

Windows performance

from Stardock Forums
Hi,

I bought the complete Object desktop suite and installed it without problems like a month ago.

The nightmare started.

At first, I was very excited with the product (and still believe that all apps are great). But when I was done configuring everything and my desktop looked great and so much more efficient, I found out that my OS (windows XP pro SP1) was definetly underperforming and even crashing when trying to install new apps.

Now, even launching explorer or firefow takes ages (that would be in the range of about 3 minutes each).

I thus decided first to unload each indiviual apps, as the website commercial said that there was no need to uninstall them but simply kill them.

Just didn't work, my system remains a mess. I tried (several times, believe you me) to uninstall through the SDC uninstall wizard but then my system freezes and I have to reboot.

Now, although I trust I have a decent system (Sony vaio S1XP - Pentium M735 1.7 GHz 512 Mo), it still appears to be not quite decent enough to use SDC.

Could anybody please help me with getting that whole SDC suite out of my computer please?

Thanks for whoever's help.
8,128 views 5 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Try using add or remove programs to remove them. Also check you can back stuff up because you *might* need to format. (Sometimes It's just easier especially when your system's all punched out)
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
The first thing I would try is a system restore. There is a zapper utility to clean things out but I can't find it right now. Hopefully someone else will come along and provide a link for you.
Hope it helps.
Start11 - Customize the Start Menu and Taskbar in Windows 10/11.
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Zapper Link

If you have an IconPackager, start it > use Tools menu > select Restore all Icons > click Yes in confirmation pop-up > click OK.

Repeat procedure for Restore all Cursors, and then for Rebuild Icon Cache.

Unload WindowBlinds, as well as all other customization programs.

Right-click an empty spot on desktop > select Properties > click the Theme tab (if not already selected) > select Windows XP from the Themes drop-down list > click "Apply" to restore default Windows XP theme.

See my mini tutorial Link - use the information to delete the Stardock folder in "C:\Documents and Settings\USERNAME\Local Settings\Application Data" folder.

Note - all programs that write to cache must be unloaded before clearing cache.

Download zapper utility > double-click to run > use "uninstall" tab to remove all programs listed.

Start Stardock Central > uninstall any programs that were not listed in zapper utility "uninstall" tab.

Go to Start > Control Panel > Add or Remove Programs > uninstall Stardock Central (you can use the Custom option during removal and "Select All" button to specify removal of all possible files offered for uninstall) > click "Yes to all" on removal of common files during uninstall process.

Reboot computer

Delete all Stardock, Object Desktop, and SDCentral folders left behind from the following addresses:

- C:\Program Files
- C:\Program Files\Common Files
- C:\Documents and Settings\USERNAME\Local Settings\Temp
- C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs

That will remove all trace with the exception of registry keys, which is beyond the scope of this comment.
Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top
Thank you very much guys (or girls for that matter) for your time and help. I'll have to work on your solutions tonight and will feed back to you.

Try using add or remove programs to remove them. Also check you can back stuff up because you *might* need to format. (Sometimes It's just easier especially when your system's all punched out)


Already tried and got all frozen up. God knows if I eventually have to format I'll go berserk and...well won't enter into that until I tried other solutions

The first thing I would try is a system restore. There is a zapper utility to clean things out but I can't find it right now. Hopefully someone else will come along and provide a link for you.
Hope it helps.


As above, i'd like to avoid restoring my system.

There is a zapper utility to clean things out but I can't find it right now. Hopefully someone else will come along and provide a link for you.


Is that some kind of registry cleaner?

Zapper Link


Thanks for whatever it does. I'll check on it.

That will remove all trace with the exception of registry keys, which is beyond the scope of this comment.


Well...actually, some IT girl at Nokia (trying to help me install a basic nokia soft ) told me yesterday night that the problem could be with my registry being all messed up with SDC. So I downloaded RegCleaner, wiped away all SDC reg keys I saw ... but that didn't help. Hope it was not just stupid (but i guess I've seen a back up/restore feature there).
Reply #5 from Stardock Forums Top
Removing registry keys without removing the program is not a good plan.

At this point, I would recommend clearing the cache using the guidelines in comment #3> reinstalling the programs starting with Stardock Central > reboot > use Stardock Central to uninstall all programs "except" Stardock Central > use Control Panel\Add or Remove Programs to uninstall Stardock Central.

This is the normal procedure for removing all Object Desktop programs, including the Stardock Central hub program.

As for the zapper utility, it is a small utility from Stardock that assists in uninstalling the Object Desktop core programs when a file that is required for uninstalling has gone missing for some reason.

Removing registry keys should only be done when uninstallation is complete, and only if you know what you are doing - or if you trust a specific utility to make the correct adjustments.

It sounds to me like you either had a missing file, an active application, or a tied up ".dll" file when you attempted to uninstall.