Gotta love those trial versions.

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minendo

Elite Member
Aug 31, 2001
35,560
22
81
Originally posted by: dds14u
Originally posted by: Nebor
The real insight is to give this up and PAY for your software before some of the meaner ATOTers get ahold of you.

It's really not the programs I'm interested as much as wanting to maybe fix my computer? and I really find it annoying that you'd assume that. This is something I'm curious about, a how-does-it-work curiosity.

And don't tell me to wipe my hard drive.

fdisk /life
 

PatboyX

Diamond Member
Aug 10, 2001
7,024
0
0
ive wondered the same thing.
most programs that i use for "trials" are simple tools that i literally needed once and then removed from my hard drive. but i pretty much assumed that with the more sophisocated ones, they have left traces of themselves.
i figure its no big deal, i re-do my machine on a regular basis. but its nice to have that "clean" feeling without all the work sometimes.
 

jyates

Diamond Member
Aug 18, 2001
3,847
0
76
Here's a question related.....

If you are using XP Pro and you set a restore point before installing software
that may (I'm guessing they all do) write to your registry and then install
the software and decide you don't like the software and want to uninstall it.

After uninstalling the software couldn't you just go back to the restore point
you set before the software install and then the registry would be the same as
you had never installed the software?
 

DaveSimmons

Elite Member
Aug 12, 2001
40,730
670
126
...I've used a lotta trial versions and I'm just wondering if anyone knows how to get rid of the permanent files it leaves on your computer (they're slowing my computer down)...
If you uninstall the programs it will remove any files taking up space, and should also remove the (rare) program that has set itself to "run at startup."

As everyone else has said, registry entries have approximately zero effect on performance. The only time they have any effect on performance at all is when some other program is installing or updating its settings in a way that requires reading or writing to the registry. Then a very large registry will have a tiny (but not noticeable) effect on the speed.

So there is no reason to ever need to remove trial flags, except to steal the software.
 

Modeps

Lifer
Oct 24, 2000
17,254
44
91
Originally posted by: dds14u
I think it's just pretty lame that they'd stick hidden files/registry changes on your computer without your knowing. What about those of us who don't get new computers every couple of years...they're ruining our hard drives...and not to mention greatly decreasing computer performance...something a novice computer user might not even realize.

stop complaining thief.
 

Anubis

No Lifer
Aug 31, 2001
78,712
427
126
tbqhwy.com
they all do it now, you can use a registry cleaner to get rid of teh file after you uninstall it, sometimes you have to find the specific one, a auto clean wont find it

some you can just set your comp clok to like 3000 install the program and then roll your clock back and have 231234134134 days till it expires

abd you can pay for st!t you use
 

Chronoshock

Diamond Member
Jul 6, 2004
4,860
1
81
Judging by your other lovely post: Text your track record isn't looking too good. Stop with the fake excuses of it "slowing down" your computer and buy the damn software if you like it.