Getting rid of Yahoo toolbar

[gbhall]

Without my permission, Yahoo toolbar appears in IE7 (I run XP pro SP3)

It can be disabled and locked away, but I will not stand for software installing itself without my permission, so I want to remove it once and for all. None of the older posts seem relevant any more - for instance there is no 'pencil' near the yahoo toolbar. It does not appear in the systems add and remove list. IE7 Manage add-ons in IE7 allows me to disable the Yahoo toolbar and toolbar helper, but not uninstall them.

On C:\program files\ I have a subdirectory 'Yahoo!' with a sub-sub directory 'Companion', and Yahoo also appears in many places of my registry.

I am pretty sure if I simply deleted all the registry entries and the files in c:\program files\yahoo it would be effective, but I want a more official method, so that when the d**m thing reappears - as I am sure it will - I can get rid in a click or two.

 

[strategic]

I had a Yahoo toolbar appear on my IE once, oversight on an install I neglected to 'uncheck' I was able to go to 'add and remove programs' in the Control Panel and simply remove it.

 

[aqua]

you can try revo uninstaller,,is freeware,and it works great.

 

[LookinAround]

Without my permission, Yahoo toolbar appears in IE7 (I run XP pro SP3)
<snip>
I am pretty sure if I simply deleted all the registry entries and the files in c:\program files\yahoo it would be effective, but I want a more official method, so that when the d**m thing reappears - as I am sure it will - I can get rid in a click or two.

Yikes!!! No.

1) I wouldn't at all advise trying to delete manually like that.
2) Go to ControlPanel->Add/Remove Programs. (or uninstall using Revo uninstaller as Aqua mentioned) In fact, you'll find Yahoo has installed mutiple things you'd have to remove (including Yahoo toolbar and something else called Yahoo Browser Services, maybe more)
3) As strategic also notes, these have a way to sneak on your computer - usually as part of other freeware tool installs (if you aren't very careful) e.g. while I love to use CCleaner, you'll find Yahoo is also installed by default with CCleaner if you aren't careful each time CCleaner updates itself.
Be sure to always carefully review all those "option" boxes of what you agree to have installed with any freeware tool (and believe me, easier said then done, as something always slips through at some time or other)

And speaking from personal experience couple years back trying to uninstall yahoo myself, the Yahoo Browser services uninstall hosed the data kept in the registry for Add/Remove programs on my machine! (i'm 100% for sure it was uninstalling Yahoo Browser services that hosed me too at that time)

 

[gbhall]

As I mentioned in my original post, Yahoo/google toolbar does NOT appear in add/remove programs. Descriptions on the web are NOT relevant to todays version of Yahoo toolbar, but there IS a menu item on the toolbar 'settings' one of the options is manage toolbars, which enables it to be disabled, but NOT deleted.

At some point I did manage to get to a Yahoo webpage which offerred to uninstall. I opted to uninstall, it said it has uninstalled, but IT WASN'T.

Revo uninstaller does not mention Yahoo toolbar because it is not in Windows add/remove list.. Revo help does not mention any way of uninstalling browser add-ons, but does suggest if you can't find any uninstaller, neither can we (giggle, giggle) so edit the registry ! (gasp)

Sorry people, no further on with this yet. I will actually download it for IE7, install it again, and if it shows up in Windows add/remove we'll see if it goes then....

[update]
After downloading and installing v.8, it appeared in windows add/remove. 3 times. I uninstalled it all, then rebooted and the result is nothing left in c:\program files\yahoo except empty directories, but about a dozen references still in registry. It does not appear in IE7 add-ons any more. I am next taking a drive image, and will then remove ALL remaining registry entries and see how it goes....

[part 2] now the same sort of thing is AskBarDis, which as I understand it, has to do with toolbars in Foxit reader. No worries about that, I trust Foxit 1000% more than I trust Yahoo !!

 

[LookinAround]

It does not appear in the systems add and remove list. IE7 Manage add-ons in IE7 allows me to disable the Yahoo toolbar and toolbar helper, but not uninstall them.

1. Ooops. Sorry. To start, i missed your comment in first post about Yahoo not currently being in your add/remove programs.
2. Excellent approach that you're ghosting the drive image before proceeding (as that's what i often do/recommend myself.. tho seems many others on here don't seem to recognize the value of ghosting their drive)
3. Some other comments/notes/tools whether you want to try and use it or just tuck away for some other time

• By design, note that Add/Remove programs ONLY shows programs that want to be seen! By design, Windows allows applications to load their uninstall info for into Add/Remove for Windows' internal use but not to be seen by the user display of Add/Remove. I don't know if Revo Uninstaller shows EVERY uninstallable program... but i do know you can see it all using MyUninstaller (in case it might be useful to at least take a look)
• For better control of IE add-ons as well as other stuff also check out Hijackfree v3.1 (note the standard version is freeware)
• You might also try using the registry cleaner function that comes in CCleaner to clean out old uninstalled programs. I don't trust many registry cleaners as some can be too aggressive and hose your registry. Can only say i've never had a problem with CCleaner's registry cleaner

 

[gbhall]

LookinAround
many thanks for your support, especially the two links you gave, which I have installed in my 'jail escape kit'.

Makes you marvel at the effort people have put into these things with (probably) little commensurate reward - and worse, to have to do it all over again every couple of years as MS moves the goalposts. Why do they do it? Why should they need to do it?

 

[Bobbye]

Straight from Yahoo Help:

How do I remove Yahoo! Toolbar for Internet Explorer?

There are two ways to uninstall the Yahoo! Toolbar for Internet Explorer.

Option 1: Via the toolbar()

1. Select "Uninstall" from the Pencil button (Toolbar Settings).
2. Click "Uninstall" on the uninstall page.
3. Close any open IE windows.

When you restart Internet Explorer, Yahoo! Toolbar will no longer be present.

Option 2: Via the Control Panel

1. Click the Windows "Start" button.
2. Select "Control Panel" from the "Settings" menu.
3. Double-click on "Add/Remove Programs".
4. Scroll down and click on the "Yahoo! Toolbar" entry.
5. Click on "Change/Remove."
6. Close any open IE windows.

Yahoo! Toolbar is now uninstalled. Please start IE again after closing all your open IE browser windows and it will no longer be present.

If you follow these steps and Yahoo! Toolbar is still present, make sure you've closed all your open IE browser windows. Due to Internet Explorer being integrated with Windows, you might need to restart your computer to fully uninstall Yahoo! Toolbar.

If you like the functionality of Yahoo! Toolbar, instead of removing Yahoo! Toolbar, you can hide Yahoo! Toolbar or move Yahoo! Toolbar so that it takes up less space in your browser.

Both the Yahoo Toolbar and the Ask Toolbar are pre-checked on many legitimate update sites It an awful practice, but one you have to look for at the time of the download.

Just 'assume' every program you want to download has trash with it, so look for it and uncheck it. It's easier to do that than go through the uninstall.

I find the Ask Bar frequently in the HijackThis logs I view. You can remove it manually:

It's installed as Ask.com Toolbar. Take if off of Startup> Uninstall in Add/Remove Programs> delete program folder using Windows Explorer.