Uninstall Call of Duty

I can't reinstall it anymore, because the link is out of my 'all programs' list and on through the disk I only have this:


And it does not occur in Programs and Features either, it just seems like it's already uninstalled from my pc, but then why does the disk not show me install, instead of uninstall? Thanks for joining Bubba

Amplid

Capture1.JPG

The uninstall key is still in the registry. InstallShield (and other installers based on the MS installer) will place a key (folder) in the following location in the registry:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\

The key itself will look like a folder and may have a name like this (but not exactly):

{099738CF-941A-44C1-841C-8FE36FBC3759}

or this (something similar to):

Call of Duty 4

This is the key that the installer uses to determine if the program in installed. Delete the folder (key) and you should be able to reinstall.

Games usually do not install shared components so manually un-installing them should consist of deleting it's software key, it's uninstall key and it's file directory.

A word of warning here, though. As others have said, deleting registry keys can cause problems. Identify what you want to delete. If you don't know that it's specifically linked to the program you want to affect, don't push the delete key.

Tune-Up Utilities has a registry editor that can restore changes you make to the registry. If you are not comfortable with editing the registry then I suggest you get that utility.

Another quick disclaimer - I'm looking at an XP box for the key info (sorry, I'm at work). It should be pretty much the same for Vista but I'll check when I get home and post any relevant changes.

Amplid,

The only thing I can think of is that there is a left over registry entry that is making the DVD still think it is installed when it is not.

You can go to the registry and click on Edit and Find on the toolbar. Type in Call of Duty or Activision and click Find Next. Right click on the key (folder in the left pane) for anything that it finds related to Call of Duty and click Delete, then click on Edit and Find Next. Repeat this until it does not find anything else on Activision and Call of Duty and is finished.

As long as you only delete items that have Call of Duty in it, you will be ok.

Here are screenshots to help.

Reg.jpg

Shawn

Aah, that's what I needed:-D Thanks a lot, Shawn.

You did it again!

Greetings,

Amplid

HexManiac, the one you said isn't in there, does this mean it's off of my pc? The ones that are in there are:



Amplid

Ok, Brink it still doesn't work even though I deleted every trace of it in the registry. What about what Hexmaniac said?

Amplid

Correction, he found one more, but I dare not delete it because it looks so important...:



Sorry for all the trouble...

Amplid

Those registry keys on the left with the big numbers are called GUIDs. They are unique identifiers. If you click on the key on the left, the values inside that key can be viewed on the right. Call of Duty 4 should be in one of them. Unfortunately, if you did a search on all Call of Duty keys and values and deleted them all, then you won't see it. The installer only cares about the GUID and won't care that you deleted the DisplayName value. It will still prompt you to uninstall.

Fortunately, the GUID should be the same from one machine to the next. If someone will tell you what the GUID is, you should just delete the entire key (folder on the left). The values I used in my previous post were for illustration purposes. My machine here can't play games, I don't have the COD4 GUID here.

I will try to do this with your GUIDelines oh yes, it is not call of duty 4, but call of duty 2.

Greetings,

Amplid

I think Call of Duty 2 is installed on my son's machine. I'll check it later and see if it matches one of the GUIDs that you have posted.