remove left-over SecurRom files from hard drive

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin (More info?)

In the last few days, I installed a game I download from
Downloads.com.

During installation, this product installed SecuRom's copy-protection
files to my C:\Documents and Settings\<User>\Application Data folder,
creating a folder there (\SecuRom\Data).

After uninstalling any downloaded games, and during a routine
inspection of the <User>\Application, I noticed the \SecuRom folder.
Since I have never had any such folder after doing a fresh install of
XP, I began to wonder what this was. So I attempted to delete the
folder, after using JV16 powertools to search the Registry for any
SecuRom entries, and removing them.

Much to my surprise, I was unable to delete the folder. Thinking that
I had to first delete all files from the folder first, I then
attempted to delete them all. Much to my surprise, I was also unable
to delete two of the files. Explorer complained that the filenames
could not be deleted.)

These two files are named with very strange names, (not English, very
few normal letters, and the OS reports that they are zero-length.

I tried every thing I know to remove these files:
Deleting <unsuccessful>
Rename then delete <unsuccessful>
Start in safe-mode, then attempt to delete <unsuccessful>
Start in safe-mode, then attempt to rename then delete <unsuccessful>

This directory was installed without my permission, it was installed
quietly, without my knowledge.

I want any left-over SecuRom files or Registry entries off my hard
drive.

I really need help on this one.

I would appreciate any help from those who know how to remove this
trash, or can point me to a way.

Donald L McDaniel
Please reply to the original thread.
If you must reply via email, remove the obvious
from my email address before sending.
=======================================================

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin (More info?)

I'm sorry to reply 12 days later, but I just encountered -- and
finally solved -- the same problem, and noticed no one had posted a
solution for you.

After trying eveything you mentioned, as well as a number of
specialized file deletion utilities (killbox, DeleteFXPFiles, etc.), I
finally found an application that did the trick: DelInvFile
<http://www.purgeie.com/delinv.htm>. Specifically, I had DelInvFile
delete the "Userdata" folder containing the files with the screwed up
names rather than go after the individual files directly.

FWIW, here's the overall sequence I used:

* Uninstalled the game demo that pointlessly infected me with SecuROM.
(And made a mental note to send a nastygram to Ubisoft.)

* Searched the registry for SecuROM entries and removed them.

* Renamed ...\Application Data\SecuROM to ...\Application
Data\xxSecuROM. (Not strictly necessary, but I wanted to see if there
was still a process running that was using that directory path. If so,
I'd have gotten an error when I attempted the rename.)

* Used DelInvFile to delete the ...\Application
Data\xxSecuROM\Userdata folder and then deleted the xxSecuROM folder
using normal techniques.

Bill Walker


On Tue, 06 Sep 2005 18:15:51 -0700, Donald L McDaniel
<invalid@invalid.com> wrote:

>
>In the last few days, I installed a game I download from
>Downloads.com.
>
>During installation, this product installed SecuRom's copy-protection
>files to my C:\Documents and Settings\<User>\Application Data folder,
>creating a folder there (\SecuRom\Data).
>
>After uninstalling any downloaded games, and during a routine
>inspection of the <User>\Application, I noticed the \SecuRom folder.
>Since I have never had any such folder after doing a fresh install of
>XP, I began to wonder what this was. So I attempted to delete the
>folder, after using JV16 powertools to search the Registry for any
>SecuRom entries, and removing them.
>
>Much to my surprise, I was unable to delete the folder. Thinking that
>I had to first delete all files from the folder first, I then
>attempted to delete them all. Much to my surprise, I was also unable
>to delete two of the files. Explorer complained that the filenames
>could not be deleted.)
>
>These two files are named with very strange names, (not English, very
>few normal letters, and the OS reports that they are zero-length.
>
>I tried every thing I know to remove these files:
>Deleting <unsuccessful>
>Rename then delete <unsuccessful>
>Start in safe-mode, then attempt to delete <unsuccessful>
>Start in safe-mode, then attempt to rename then delete <unsuccessful>
>
>This directory was installed without my permission, it was installed
>quietly, without my knowledge.
>
>I want any left-over SecuRom files or Registry entries off my hard
>drive.
>
>I really need help on this one.
>
>I would appreciate any help from those who know how to remove this
>trash, or can point me to a way.
>
>Donald L McDaniel
>Please reply to the original thread.
>If you must reply via email, remove the obvious
>from my email address before sending.
>=======================================================

 

[pjdigital]

I had the same problem when i upgraded to vista i could not delete the C:\windows.old\ folder because of the securom folder in it but i found a way to do it.
first we silently remove all files including read only files from all sub directories recursively using del
secondly we remove the SecuROM folder and all its sub directories.
you can also use erase instead of del and rm instead of rmdir if either of those dont work

1. open the command prompt IE: (winkey+r type cmd in the open box)
2. type or paste this at the dos prompt

for windows xp

del /S /Q /F "C:\Documents and Settings\<YOUR_USER_NAME>\Application Data\SecuROM"

rmdir /S /Q "C:\Documents and Settings\<YOUR_USER_NAME>\Application Data\SecuROM"

for windows vista

del /S /Q /F C:\Users\<YOUR_USER_NAME>\AppData\Roaming\SecuROM\

rmdir /S /Q C:\Users\<YOUR_USER_NAME>\AppData\Roaming\SecuROM\

for removal the windows old folder after a vista install

del /S /Q /F C:\windows.old

rmdir /S /Q C:\windows.old

 

[kim_mandy36]

To Bill Walker,

Thank you so much for this solution! I've been looking for this solution for a long time (well actually around 2 hours but usually I can find solutions quickly) and I just had to register to this site just to say thank you

 

[jsmith2500]

Wow... had to join just to reply to this also...that folder has been sitting on a drive I converted to a data only drive a while back. I was thinking about reformatting it until I finally found this post. Would you mind posting the switch definitions? Again, thanks!!!

 

[Jalida]

Wow, seriously thanks for the cmd's to get rid of the old windows.old folder. It's been bugging me for a couple of weeks now and I only now got around to bothering to look on the net figuring that I'm nobody special so others must have also experienced this securerom garbage. Even though it wasn't taking up much if any space at all, just having to see the windows.old directory sitting there everytime I open windows explorer used to make me cringe.

I've experienced this in the past with another win installation but couldn't for the life of me remember how I got rid of it back then. Anyway, it's gone now.

 

[tigsounds]

One more method....

Tune up Utilities ignores Windows system file protection when using it's "shredder" function. It deletes and shreds anything you tell it to (so be careful), even shreds open files in use. The trial version works long enough to kill off anything you want to get rid of.

www.tune-up.com/

 

[Nate D]

for removal the windows old folder after a vista install

del /S /Q /F C:\windows.old

rmdir /S /Q C:\windows.old

Just wanted to say thanks, had that Windows.old folder with SecuRom files sitting on my C: drive for quite some time...not any more!

 

[buwish]

This topic has been closed by Buwish