uninstall.exe never finishes

jkw47

jkw47

Running Windows 10, 64 bit addressing on HP Slimline. Successfully using Opera for months. Today, it wouldn't start; produced a white window and never progressed; task took up memory but never put out records or showed any other signs of activity. Ended task several times from Task Mgr. Decided to uninstall and re-install. Uninstall never completed until forcing End Task in Task Mgr. Neither did disabling Anti-Virus and Malwarebytes. Is there a set of instructions or tool available for completely uninstalling Opera?

burnout426

burnout426 Volunteer

You'll have to open the task manager and make sure all Opera processes are closed first. Then...

Delete Opera's program files directory using Windows Explorer. It should be at "C:\Program Files\Opera" or "C:\Users\yourusername\AppData\Local\Programs\Opera".

If you don't want to keep your data and cache, also delete "C:\Users\yourusername\AppData\Roaming\Opera Software\Opera Stable" and "C:\Users\yourusername\AppData\Local\Opera Software\Opera Stable". You can delete the whole "Opera Software" folder for each if you don't have any other profiles in there you want to save.

Right-click on any Opera pinned taskbar icons and unpin. Unpin any Opera Start Menu icons. Also, delete any Opera shortcuts you have. See "C:\Users\yourusername\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch", "C:\Users\yourusername\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\User Pinned\TaskBar" and "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs". Then, launch the task manager and restart the Windows Explorer process.

Delete all files and folders (or at least all of Opera's files and folders) in "C:\Windows\temp" and "C:\Users\yourusername\AppData\Local\temp".

Launch regedit and delete Opera's install keys. See Opera keys in "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall" and "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall".

Also in regedit, delete "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Opera Software", "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Clients\StartMenuInternet\OperaStable (look in "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Clients\StartMenuInternet" too for an Opera Stable key) and delete Opera strings from "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\RegisteredApplications" and "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\RegisteredApplications".

Also in regedit, delete "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\OperaStable", "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\OperaStable" and "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\OperaStable".

That'll get rid anything of importance. You can then search for "launcher.exe" and "opera" to find the rest and delete any things that you are sure are Opera-related. There are some Opera things in "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ApplicationAssociationToasts", but you don't have to delete them if you don't want to.

Then, you can reinstall Opera or another browser and set your default browser in Default Apps/Programs in Windows.