(no subject)

[deckardcanine]

My new scanner works, but the old one is still plaguing me in its own way. I'd've been better off never installing the incompatible software, because part of it is unreasonably obstinate. Specifically, the ScanSoft folder refuses to be deleted, saying I lack the permission. Where am I to get this permission, may I ask? It's my computer and my software.

You may wonder why I care, since it's not preventing me from doing anything else. Well, it periodically reminds me to register. I've tried doing so, but it requires me to find a serial number by opening OmniPage and selecting "Help -> About." The OmniPage subfolder doesn't seem to have what I need.

When I select the radio button for "Skip registration; do not ask me again," it asks me again the next time I start up the computer. The best I can seem to do is tell it to wait a week, a command it actually does follow. What's going on here?

Comments

[nefaria.livejournal.com]

First, go to Start - Settings - Control Panel - Add/Remove Programs and see if the old driver application is listed there. If it is, remove it.

If that doesn't work, in Windows Explorer, right-click the folder and select Properties. Uncheck the Read Only button, then try deleting the folder again. You might need to do this for subfolders and/or all the files in the folder.

[stevenroy.livejournal.com]

If the registration reminder program is in the ScanSoft folder, you won't be able to delete that program while it's running. It's not so much a "permission" problem as it is a "messing with programs while they're running will crash your computer so we can't let you do that" problem. You'd need to delve into the Windows Registry (or use an awesome tool like "HijackThis") to remove the program from the list of things that start up automatically in the first place, and then you should be able to delete the ScanSoft folder after the next reboot. (Or you could just use Safe Mode to delete it if you don't mind leaving references to it in your system. That'd be too sloppy for me.)

[deckardcanine.livejournal.com]

How do I get to the Windows Registry?

[deckardcanine.livejournal.com]

Neither worked. I changed the permission settings, but it still refuses to recognize my permission.

[stevenroy.livejournal.com]

On second thought, instead of using the Registry Editor, there's a little utility called "msconfig" that will make this whole process much simpler.

To get into it: Click Start -> Run... -> type "msconfig", click OK.

Under the "Startup" tab, you will find a list of all the programs that start up automatically when Windows does. This includes files in your "Startup" folder and in two locations in the Windows Registry. Just look under "Command" for a reference to anything in your "ScanSoft" folder, and if you find one, remove the checkmark next to it. When you're done, click OK. You'll be prompted to reboot, but you don't have to right away.

The next time you boot up, "msconfig" will start up automatically with a reminder that you disabled some startup items. If you disabled the right startup entry, you should finally be able to delete the ScanSoft folder at this point. If so, you can tell msconfig it doesn't need to bother you again, and then exit. If not, you're a single button click away from going back to look for whatever you missed.

[deckardcanine.livejournal.com]

I'm afraid there is no "Run" command when I click the Windows logo (the closest thing to "Start" on this Vista version).

[stevenroy.livejournal.com]

Try the keyboard shortcut instead: Win+R

(Yes, I did just barely look this up a few minutes ago.)

[deckardcanine.livejournal.com]

It worked! Thank you.

[deckardcanine.livejournal.com]

Steven Roy solved it for me, but thanks anyway for your suggestion.