cannot uninstall vanilla civ4 from computer

[kingstuart]

i know there are some threads about this, but since there maybe be some reg edits(?) i wanted to make sure i do it right.

for my older computer i want to take vanilla civ4 off. i have deleted BTS and colonization already. i want to keep my beloved civ3 on though. running windows vista, i went to programs and features and unistalled from there with success for bts and col. when i go to uninstall civ4 vanilla i get this prompt:

Error Code: -5004 : 0x80041f42
Error Information:
*C:\Program Files\Common Files\InstallShield\Professional\RunTime\12\00\Intel32\iKernel.dll
>inc\CoCreate.cpp (44)
>SetupDLL\SetupDLL.cpp (1390)
PAPP:Sid Meier's Civilization 4
PVENDOR:Firaxis Games (##IDS_PRODUCT_URL##)
PGUID:CFBCE791-2D53-4FCE-B3FB-D6E01F4112E8
$11.0.0.28844
@Windows (6000) IE 7.0.6000.16890


thanks much for your time and help

 

[ori]

you'll need to delete it manually I fear.
make sure to delete the install folder and everything in documents and settings that has civilization in its name
then remove all the civilization 4 keys in the registry and finally delete the below installshield folder and search for the two keys that have the same alphanumeric name as the installshield folder - ignore the bts and warlords stuff if its not left over from your succesful uninstall - I don't list the core install folder which is most likely in program files\:

Delete "...\documents and settings\<username>\my documents\my games\sid meier's civilization 4" manually
Delete "...\documents and settings\<username>\my documents\my games\warlords" manually
Delete "...\documents and settings\<username>\my documents\my games\beyond the sword" manually
Delete "...\documents and settings\<username>\application data\my games\sid meier's civilization 4" manually
Delete "...\documents and settings\<username>\application data\my games\warlords" manually
Delete "...\documents and settings\<username>\application data\my games\beyond the sword" manually
Delete "...\documents and settings\<username>\local settings\application data\my games\sid meier's civilization 4" manually
Delete "...\documents and settings\<username>\local settings\application data\my games\warlords" manually
Delete "...\documents and settings\<username>\local settings\application data\my games\beyond the sword" manually
(note: application data is a hidden directory so you need to configure windows explorer to show hidden files, also these directories in application data are sometimes removed by the uninstall routine)
Delete "...\Program Files\InstallShield Installation Information\{CFBCE791-2D53-4FCE-B3FB-D6E01F4112E8}" (Civ4)
Delete "...\Program Files\InstallShield Installation Information\{3E4B349F-10B5-4586-9D99-489A90A8B228}" (Warlords)
Delete "...\Program Files\InstallShield Installation Information\{32E4F0D2-C135-475E-A841-1D59A0D22989}" (BtS)

 

[kingstuart]

thanks

question: you said "delete the install folder and everything in documents and settings that has civilization in its name" will that remove the civ3 stuff as well?

 

[ori]

sorry, yeah make sure to just delete everything with civilization 4 in its name

 

[kingstuart]

thanks much for the help ori...really but as i begin to do this a couple of Qs

1-in my vista i don't have document and setting but this branch
name/documents/my games/sidmeier's civ4 is that the same?
and there are other folders in /my games from BTS and col can i delete them w/o harm?

2-where is the install folder? do you mean program files/fraxis games/civ4

3-how do i remove reg keys

kinda new to that stuff thanks much

 

[ori]

thanks much for the help ori...really but as i begin to do this a couple of Qs

1-in my vista i don't have document and setting but this branch
name/documents/my games/sidmeier's civ4 is that the same?
and there are other folders in /my games from BTS and col can i delete them w/o harm?

2-where is the install folder? do you mean program files/fraxis games/civ4

3-how do i remove reg keys

kinda new to that stuff thanks much

1) yes - and you can safely delete them
2) yes
3) if you do not know: don't, the keys won't harm you unless you want to reinstall the game - and even then they are unlikely to cause troubles. If you really want to purge all remnants of the game from your windows registry use a registry cleaner like ccleaner - but I would not touch the windows registry unless I'd know what to do, if things really go horribly wrong you can make the computer unbootable with registry editing

 

[kingstuart]

ok done that. is it okay to delete these manually?

Delete "...\Program Files\InstallShield Installation Information\{CFBCE791-2D53-4FCE-B3FB-D6E01F4112E8}" (Civ4)
Delete "...\Program Files\InstallShield Installation Information\{3E4B349F-10B5-4586-9D99-489A90A8B228}" (Warlords)
Delete "...\Program Files\InstallShield Installation Information\{32E4F0D2-C135-475E-A841-1D59A0D22989}" (BtS)

what exactly are these files?

last question i promise, and thanks for your help

 

[ori]

yes it is. These files include the information that windows needs to a) uninstall the game (but it already failed on this account) and to b) remember that you had it installed and to what patch version it was patched (actually there are some windows registry keys with the same alphanumeric code that point there that do this but when these files are gone windows usually ignores the keys and pretends it doesn't know that this program was ever installed).