Anti-AOL

Republished 12-30-08. Last updated 3-11-09.

Note: This tutorial will also help you remove AOL OpenRide, AOL Desktop Search and AOL Explorer 1.5. Unfortunately, I can't fit that many versions of AOL into the title of this post, or into the sidebar.

AOL 9.0 VR was the first version of the AOL desktop client to include a new version of the AOL Uninstaller, the tool that AOL includes to find and remove all versions of AOL for you. AOL has released four new versions of the desktop client since the day I wrote this post: AOL 9.1, AOL 10.0 Desktop, AOL 10.1 Desktop, and AOL 9.5 (formerly AOL Classic). I cover how to use both the 9.0 VR Uninstaller and later versions of it here.

You can use this tutorial alone or in conjunction with the jv16 PowerTools or CCleaner tutorials.

All visitors running Windows '98/2000/ME/XP: Before we get started, visit this page to learn how to back up your registry, files, and folders. See this tutorial to uninstall the AOL WAN Miniport after  you've removed AOL.

Mac users, please read this advice for removing AOL at Mac Rumors.

Issues for all AOL users running XP or Vista: I've had email that some PCs are infected by viruses when removing AOL, so run a scan with the free online Trend Micro tool before you get started. Some versions of 9.0 SE will not uninstall because a process won't shut down and all versions of AOL may become corrupted and unremovable by normal means; if that's the case use my instructions to stop the AOL Connectivity Service from running before you remove AOL. See this (for XP) or this (for Vista) if you can't find or run the AOL Uninstaller.

As you go along remember you can click on each screen shot to expand it to full size.

1. First, let's find the AOL Uninstaller...

For Win XP users: Click your Start button and click Control Panel. In Control Panel click Add & Remove Programs, then locate the AOL Uninstaller on the Add & Remove List and click Change/Remove.

For Win Vista users: Click your Start button and click Control Panel. In Control Panel click Programs and Features, then locate the AOL Uninstaller on the Installed Programs List and click Uninstall.

2. Choose which AOL programs to uninstall.

By default, the older version of the AOL Uninstaller (seen only in AOL 9.0 VR) won't display a full list of AOL products installed on your computer. It will only show that the AOL Connectivity Service is installed. Newer versions of the AOL software such as AOL 9.1, AOL Desktop and AOL 9.5 will automatically list all versions of AOL that are installed.

If you're using AOL 9.0 VR (you'll know if you are because your screen will look mine does in the picture above) place a checkmark next to the AOL Connectivity Service and go to the next step.

If you're using AOL 9.1, AOL Desktop, or AOL 9.5, place checkmarks next to all of the AOL programs that you wish to remove and go to Step 4 or Step 5.

3. AOL 9.0 VR users only: How to find every version of AOL...

Click on the words Search for Older Versions of AOL. Those words will be underlined in blue.

Wait while the Uninstaller searches for older versions of AOL.

You'll see a dialog box that says, "Searching for older versions of AOL. This may take a moment." It'll take a few minutes, so pour yourself a cup of coffee and chill; when it's done searching for older versions of AOL, place checkmarks next to the versions you would like to uninstall and go to the next step.

4. For hurried and/or expert users: Remove some or all of your shared AOL data now. Not in a hurry or don't know what you're doing? Go to Step 5.

Warning: this is not an option to choose which data to save. It's an option to choose which data to remove.

If you don't need to preserve sensitive data (such as passwords and email files) on a case-by-case basis, you can safely choose this step. Otherwise, hit the Cancel button and go to Step 5 now.

Click the Manage Data link on the right-hand side of the Uninstaller screen after you choose which AOL programs to remove.

You'll see a dialog box that says: Manage Your Personal Data. This box gives you the option to "clear" (delete) your passwords or to "clear" all of your data. Click the button that best matches your needs. You'll see the message: "All of your local data (or "All of your passwords") have been cleared." Click OK to close the message.

5. For casual or worried users: Remove shared AOL data on a case-by-case basis now.

If you prefer to remove saved data on a case-by-case basis, this is the step for you. Once you've placed a checkmark next to an AOL program you wish to remove, a dropdown box will open and you'll see the message: "Shared Data: This application shares storage for settings and personal data...Click to remove this shared data now." Click on the word Click in that message. It will be underlined in blue. Your shared data for that AOL program will be removed. Repeat this step for every AOL program on your computer. If you don't wish to take this step on a particular AOL program, hit the Cancel button and proceed to the AOL program that you wish to remove some or all data from.

6. Select which files you'd like to keep.

Look at the bottom, right-hand corner of your Uninstaller Screen. It will say, "Select which files you would like to keep." The choices are Downloaded Files and Cabinet Files (click the links to learn what the files contain). AOL assumes you want to keep those files, so the boxes for them will be checked by default. If you don't want to keep those files, uncheck the boxes to discard them, then click Uninstall.

7. Confirm the uninstallation(s).

You'll see a dialog box that says, "Are you sure you want to uninstall these AOL products?" Read the list of installed products to make sure, then click the box marked "Yes."

8. Restart your computer to finish removing AOL.

You'll see the message: "Your computer must be restarted to complete the AOL uninstallation." Click the Restart button in the dialog box. Your computer will automatically be restarted.

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Back to the jv16 PowerTools tutorial or the CCleaner tutorial...

Further Reading: Check the FAQs if you have a question; if your question is not answered in the FAQs, please feel free to send me an email. See my How-to Section for more ways to get AOL out of your life.

I cannot believe this thing. Seriously, I'm in awe.

I've been eying it for months but never touched it because I wasn't using Vista when I found it. And it's just a simple, lowly batch script. Haven't had much luck with those in the past!

Ran it just now and words can't even do it justice - or maybe they can - let's see: it bypasses AOL's uninstaller entirely (except for one brief stop at the AOL Toolbar Uninstaller), removes almost every AOL reg entry (just 12 entries left afterward), and requires just one restart no matter how many AOL programs you've got installed. And it's quick! Naturally I want to marry whoever wrote it - or at least reincarnate as him in my next life.

Vista users: try it. XP users: don't. It only works on Vista, at least as far as I can tell.

You may get a few "cannot find uninstall.exe" warnings. Just click through them and the UA warnings (if UAC is enabled on your PC) - I promise, you won't be sorry.

5-22-08, Update: This product made my Honorable Mention list as one of the three Greatest AOL Removal Products of All Time. Check out my latest post for details.

When I use Vista I pull my hair out. Why, you may ask? Because using Vista is just like using XP - until you try to delete something. Then it acts more like Fort Knox than an operating system. Gaining complete control over Vista isn't easy. This post aims to get you over that hurdle.

I've added this post to my help pages for people leaving AOL because some of you use Vista. Deleting AOL's leftover files and folders can't be done on Vista without knowing these tricks to access your system-protected folders. As usual, take these steps at your own risk. If you have a question, you can leave a comment or email me.

How To Disable UAC

• Here's four methods to disable UAC (User Account Control). Disabling UAC will save you time by giving you minimal Administrator rights over your computer. However, you'll still need to choose one of the methods below to delete all of AOL's folders.

How To Run as Admin

• Here's one method for working as the Administrator in Vista on a folder-by-folder basis. You may still need to elevate your privileges to successfully remove all of AOL's files and folders.

How to Elevate Your Admin Privileges

Here's how to elevate your privileges in Vista on a folder-by-folder basis. I've shamelessly stolen my instructions from a comment written by "Alan" on The How-To Geek.

1. Assuming you already have admin privileges: Right-click the AOL folder you wish to delete, click Properties, then click your Security tab.
2. The bottom half of the Security window will list the current user permissions. Click the Advanced button you'll see there.
3. Click the Owner tab, then click the Edit button (you'll be asked for permission if UAC is enabled).
4. Change the Owner to your own account, then place a checkmark next to the words, 'Replace owner on subcontainers and objects' and click the Apply button. This results in all files including system files being switched to your account as the owner.
5. Now click 'Advanced Security Settings for (your folder) '. Now you can edit the permissions: select your account (the one you just used to take ownership) and click the Edit button.
6. You will now see the Permissions tab. Select your user account (first doublecheck that the permission set for it is Full Control). Place a checkmark next to the words, 'Replace all existing inheritable permissions…', then click Apply.

Vista may still ask for permission to delete your folder, but now you have the permission you need to delete it.

How to Take Over Vista

Best of all (and my favorite kind of step - the most dangerous one)...

• Here's how to access Vista's top-secret Super Admin account (this renders all other methods to delete folders from Vista unnecessary since it makes Vista work just like XP).

Related posts:

• How to Remove AOL 9.0 VR (Vista Ready), AOL 9.1, and AOL Desktop From Any PC
• How to Uninstall AOL Without the AOL Uninstaller On Vista

Last updated 3-11-09.

Issue: You want to remove AOL, but you're missing the AOL Uninstaller.

Solution: Remove AOL without it.

Difficulty Level: Easy

So you want to remove AOL from your Windows PC but when you check Add/Remove programs you're missing the AOL Uninstaller (or the entry for "AOL Choose Which Version to Remove").

What to do? This is one of the most frequently asked questions about removing AOL. What follows is a pretty simple way to remove AOL that doesn't harm your computer. Whether you're a tech who's looking for the easiest way to get AOL off of your customer's computers, or a beginner who can't get AOL off of your PC, this page is for you.

I tested this method on AOL 9.0 SE, AOL 9.0 Optimized, AOL 9.0 VR, AOL 9.1 GM (the first public release of 9.1), AOL 9.1, and AOL Desktop on both Windows XP and Windows Vista. This method works well on both operating systems. See this tutorial if you're an XP user.

Before we get started, visit this page to learn how to back up your registry, files, and folders.

Issues for AOL users running Vista: I've had email that some PCs are infected by viruses when removing AOL, so run a scan with the free online Trend Micro tool before you get started.

The first thing you'll need to do is shut the AOL Connectivity Service down.

1. Shut the AOL Connectivity Service down (works on Windows XP and Windows Vista)...

Click Start, right-click My Computer, and click Manage.

The Computer Management window will open. Click Services and Applications at the end of the list you'll see on the left hand side, then double-click on the word Services.

Find the AOL Connectivity Service on the Services list on the top right hand side of the window. Right-click and choose Properties, then click Startup Type Disabled, click Apply, then click Service Status Stopped and click OK. Now the AOL Connectivity Service is disabled.

All you need to do now is uninstall the copies of AOL you don't want, delete the leftover AOL files on your computer, and (optionally) clean up your computer's Registry.

2. To finish removing AOL without the AOL Uninstaller...

Click Start, click My Computer, click Program Files, then click on any AOL folder in your Program Files (such as 9.0, 9.0 VR, 9.1, etc.) to open it. Look for an executable file called the uninstall or the uninstaller (the name of it may depend on which version(s) of AOL you have installed). An easy way to find it is to use the View Option in Explorer to tile the files within the folder, then arrange the tiles by group. When you find the uninstaller click on it to uninstall AOL.

Special note for AOL Desktop users: You will not find an uninstaller in the AOL Desktop Program Files. Navigate instead to Program Files, Common Files, aol, then click on the uninstaller file that has AOL's blue icon next to it. Screenshot for AOL Desktop users:

Screenshot for all other AOL software users:

The uninstaller will search for every version of AOL on your computer, then it will ask you which versions you would like to uninstall. Select the copies you want to uninstall by clicking on them. If you don't want the Cabinet and Saved Files, uncheck the boxes next to those choices. When you're done with that, click Next and Uninstall. Since these are very brief instructions, you may feel you need a more thorough guide to this. Use the one here.

The uninstaller will run for a few minutes, then prompt you to restart your computer. It's important to restart your computer so you can finish removing all of AOL's files.

3. To remove leftover AOL files and folders from your computer after uninstalling AOL...

Do an Explorer search for "AOL" (without the quotes) with Advanced Options enabled to get rid of all the leftover junk in your Program and Common Files and in your Temp and Application Data folders.

Special step for Windows Vista users: Even with UAC disabled, when you try to remove any leftover Program File (not just AOL's) you will often see the message: "You need permission to perform this action. Try again." "Trying again" will not grant you sufficient access to delete the folder. Neither will elevating your privileges or sharing permissions.

My workaround: Say you are trying to delete your AOL 9.0VR folder. Open the folder, then open it's subfolder, then delete the files within the subfolder. Once they're deleted, you can delete the subfolder and the main directory with no problem. My workaround makes no sense at all in theory, but it works, so trust me. Isn't using Windows Vista fun?

Note: My workaround won't work on C:\Program Files\Common Files\AOL unless you're running as a fully-privileged administrator with elevated permissions, or using the hidden "super-administrator" account, but I've got it all under control...check out this new post I wrote that explains how to to delete any file or folder from Vista.

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Optional (leftover registry entries will not harm your computer!): To clean your computer's registry, I recommend you use CCleaner. Download it here, and use these instructions, starting with Step 5, to clean the junk up.

That's it! It's as easy as pie.

Check the FAQs section if you have any questions. See my How-to Section for more ways to get AOL out of your life.

Last updated 3-16-09.

Problem: How to uninstall AOL.

Solution: CCleaner.

Difficulty Level: Easy

Uninstalls/Cleans Up After: Any Version of AOL

Good for: XP and Vista users.

Advanced Vista users only: I suggest you use CCleaner first, then follow up with jv16 PT 2006 to get at AOL's leftover registry entries - if you use CCleaner first you can remove every leftover reg entry with jv16 afterward. No other method tested so far on Vista does that.

Credit for the idea to write this tutorial goes to William (the page no longer exists), who's comments made me check out CCleaner's neat features.

All visitors running Windows '98/2000/ME/XP: Before we get started, visit this page to learn how to back up your registry, files, and folders. See this tutorial to uninstall the AOL WAN Miniport after  you've removed AOL.

Mac users, please read this advice for removing AOL at Mac Rumors.

Issues for all AOL users running XP or Vista: I've had email that some PCs are infected by viruses when removing AOL, so run a scan with the free online Trend Micro tool before you get started. Some versions of 9.0 SE will not uninstall because a process won't shut down and all versions of AOL may become corrupted and unremovable by normal means; if that's the case use my instructions to stop the AOL Connectivity Service from running before you remove AOL. See this (for XP) or this (for Vista) if you can't find or run the AOL Uninstaller.

This tutorial will show you how to remove AOL and help you clean up and optimize your computer at the same time. The average person who wants to get rid of AOL's leftover files and registry entries should be pleased with the results. If you're a little pickier (like me) and prefer to remove every trace of AOL, you'll want to see How To Remove AOL with jv16 PowerTools instead.

An excellent video on how to use CCleaner was made by Help On Demand, an IT Specialist who makes made short educational videos for the masses.

Before we get started let's download CCleaner. Save the installer to your Desktop and follow the next steps.

1. Before you install CCleaner...

You'll see a dialog box asking if you want CCleaner shortcuts installed (this is the "Slim" installer, so you won't be asked if you want the Yahoo! Toolbar installed). To stop a shortcut from being installed simply uncheck the box for it. When you're done making your choices, click Install.

2. How to access CCleaner...

There's a few ways to access CCleaner: add a shortcut to your Desktop, your Start List, or add a right-click shortcut to your Recycle Bin.

3. How to uninstall AOL...

To uninstall AOL, open CCleaner and click the third icon down on the left hand side of the window marked Tools. The Uninstall Tool will open. You will see multiple entries for AOL and America Online. Look for and place a check mark next to the AOL Uninstaller, then click Uninstall. From here follow these steps (starting with step 2) to run the AOL Uninstaller correctly. Even if you're removing an older version of AOL, the instructions will work as a rough guide.

Let the AOL Uninstaller run, restart your computer when prompted, then return to CCleaner's Uninstall Tool and remove the remaining AOL and America Online programs. You may remove more than one at a time if you like. You will not need to restart your PC to finish removing them.

4. Delete leftover files and folders...

In Explorer Search click All files and folders. Type AOL into the search box and choose to "Look in" Local Drive C:/ (or whatever drive you had AOL installed on). Click More Advanced Options, click Search for hidden files and folders and Search subfolders, then click Search.

Unless there's a file, folder or bookmark you want, you can delete whatever turns up. Right-click the item and click Delete, or highlight it with your mouse, hold down Shift on your keyboard and highlight more items, then right-click the block and click Delete.

5. Delete (most of) AOL's registry entries...

Before you get started, see this to make sure you use this feature safely and effectively. Important note: If you have AIM or any AOL or AIM Toolbars installed that you don't want to remove you should skip this step. If you choose to proceed and later have a problem, here are the steps for restoring CCleaner's registry backup. Read more about the risks here.

Open CCleaner again and click the box marked Issues. You'll see a list of registry issues that CCleaner will check. You can uncheck any issues you want to skip. Once you've chosen what to check, click the button marked Scan for Issues. Once the scan is done, look over the results to make sure they're safe to remove, make a backup of the results, then click the button marked Fix Selected Issues.

You have a choice of how to remove registry issues: you can remove them all at once, or one at a time. My preference is to remove them all at once (it's quicker).

6. Use CCleaner to clean up your PC...

Click the Cleaner box, then click the Analyze button. See this to make sure you use this feature safely and effectively. In a few minutes (or less) you'll be given a result list that tells you what can be removed from your PC. Once you've made sure the items listed are safe to remove, click the Run Cleaner button.

7. Defragment your PC's hard drive...

Download Auslogics Disk Defrag (told you this was easy). Save it to your Desktop, then click the shortcut to install it. Once it's running, keep hitting the Next button until you see it's defragmenting your hard drive. Click Finish when it's through; it will tell you how much space you regained.

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Further Reading: Check the FAQs if you have a question; if your question is not answered in the FAQs, please feel free to send me an email. See my How-to Section for more ways to get AOL out of your life.