HOWTO: Manually Uninstall Visual Basic CE Applications

• Microsoft Windows CE Toolkit for Visual Basic 5.0
• Microsoft Windows CE Toolkit for Visual Basic 6.0

SUMMARY

This article describes how to manually remove a program created by the Windows CE Toolkit for Visual Basic (VBCE) from your H/PC or H/PC Pro. To uninstall a VBCE program, you must remove the files generated by the CE Services Application Manager, remove any controls registered by the program, and delete whatever files and folders were added during the installation process, while avoiding the removal of components or files that are shared by other applications.

MORE INFORMATION

A VBCE program consists of the following parts:

• The .pvb file for the application (in VBCE 5.0).



• The .vb file for the application (in VBCE 6.0).



• The VBCE run-time files.



• The .dll and data files added for the application.

Cleaning Up Application Manager Files

• Copies the CAB file to Windows\AppMgr\Install.



• Decompresses and copies the files.



• Creates folders as needed.



• Puts DAT and DLL files in Windows\AppMgr.



• Puts files in the application folder.



• Puts files in the Windows folder (no other folders usually needed).



• Registers controls.



• Creates an Unload file.



• Writes uninstall registry entries.

1. If it exists, delete the CAB file for the application. If the Application Manager runs of out room while copying the CAB file, the device may drop the connection to the desktop and exhibit other strange behavior because it is out of working room. To recover, allocate some application memory for storage using the Memory tab under the System icon in the Control Panel (reset the device if needed), and delete the CAB file from the \Windows\AppMgr\Install folder.



2. If they exist, delete the .dll and .dat file for the application from the \Windows\AppMgr folder.



3. Delete the program's .lnk file from the \Windows\Programs folder. This will remove the program from the Start menu.



4. Delete the application's program folder. Application files are usually stored in a folder called \Program Files\[appname] where [appname] is the name of the application (as specified in Step 7 of the Application Install Wizard).



5. Delete the other files (except .dll files) that were installed in the Windows folder.
   
   NOTE: If you are unsure whether another application requires the file, it is safer not to delete it.

Cleaning Up Registry Entries

1. Unregister installed .dll files that are not shared by other applications. If you are unsure whether a .dll is shared, it is safer to leave it. To unregister a control run the following:

   
   RegSvr.Exe /u \windows\[controlname] 

   Where [controlname] is the name of a control such as MSCEFile.dll. You can use the Windows CE Control Manager to automatically run RegSvr /u on the device in an attempt to remove controls.



2. Due to a bug in RegSvr.exe, controls may not be completely unregistered and may still show as installed in the Control Manager.
   
   WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems resulting from the incorrect use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.
   
   For information about how to edit the registry, view the "Changing Keys And Values" Help topic in Registry Editor (Regedit.exe) or the "Add and Delete Information in the Registry" and "Edit Registry Data" Help topics in Regedt32.exe. Note that you should back up the registry before you edit it. If you are running Windows NT, you should also update your Emergency Repair Disk (ERD).
   
   The registry holds control information in three places: ProgId, CLSID, and TypeLib.
   
   NOTE: Deleting the CLSID information (in HKey_Classes_Root\CLSID\<key>) is required to ensure the control is unregistered. Removing the ProgId and TypeLib information is not required. Partially uninstalled controls are safe to leave on your system, but will not function properly.
   
   For example, identify the registry entries for the MSCEFile.dll. The File control actually has two classes: File and File System. This example focuses only on the File class.
   1. ProgIds are listed in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\:

      
      HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\FILECTL.FileSystem
            HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\FILECTL.FileSystem.1
            (In the Clsid subfolder will be the matching Clsid:
               {3F0C2794-5C3A-11D1-A717-00AA0044064C}  )
      
            HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\FILECTL.File
            HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\FILECTL.File.1
            (Clsid={25C953B5-5464-11D1-A714-00AA0044064C}) 

   
   
   
   2. CLSID information is listed in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\<clsid>. Use the CLSID found in step A above to locate the matching entry, such as the following:

      
      HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{25C953B5-5464-11D1-A714-00AA0044064C} 

      Under this key will be numerous entries that provide additional information about the server, such as: Version, TypeLib, InProcServer32, and ProgId (useful as a cross reference).
      
      WARNING: DO NOT delete the parent key HKey_Classes_Root\CLSID!
      
      Note the TypeLib value from KEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\<clsid>\TypeLib. For the File class is should be: {25C953A7-5464-11D1-A714-00AA0044064C}.
   
   
   
   3. TypeLib information is listed in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TypeLib\<clsid>. Use the TypeLib value obtained in step B above to locate the matching TypeLib key.
      
      

      
      HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TypeLib\{25C953A7-5464-11D1-A714-00AA0044064C} 

   
   
   
   4. Now that you have found the entries for the class, you can delete the appropriate CLSID subkey (not the entire KEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID). Deleting the matching TypeLib and ProgId entries are optional.
   
   
   



3. You may delete the .dll file that you just unregistered. To re-register a control that you accidentally unregister, run the following:

   
   RegSvr.Exe \windows\[controlname] 

   This is not possible if you delete the control.



4. Also in the registry are entries for the Start menu:

   
   HKEY_Local_Machine\Software\Apps\<TOKEN>application name</TOKEN> 

   This key can be deleted if desired.

Deleting the Visual Basic Run Time

• Pvb.exe



• Vbscript.dll



• Pvbrt.dll



• Vbsen.dll

• pvbdecl.dll



• pvbform2.dll



• pvbhost2.dll



• pvbload.exe



• vbscript.dll



• vbsen.dll

REFERENCES

Books Online for Microsoft Windows CE Toolkit for Visual Basic 5.0

Additional query words: uninstall wince wce vbce vbce5 vbce6

Keywords          : kbToolkit kbVBp500 kbVBp600 kbWinCE100 kbGrpVB 
Version           : WINDOWS:
Platform          : WINDOWS 
Issue type        : kbhowto 

Last Reviewed: March 2, 1999