From the email that google sent me, here is how to remove Google Desktop by hand:-
Thank you for your note. If you’re unable to uninstall Google Desktop
Search through Add/Remove Programs and/or “Start” > “Programs” > “Google
Desktop Search” > “Uninstall Google Desktop Search,” you can remove it
manually. To do so, edit the Windows system registry and then delete the
appropriate program files. Here’s how:
TO EDIT THE WINDOWS SYSTEM REGISTRY:
Note: editing the Windows registry is an advanced process. You may prefer
to contact your system administrator.
That said, you should be able to solve the problem by deleting the
following registry keys:
– Hkey_Current_User\Software\Google\Google Desktop
– Hkey_Local_Machine\\Software\\Google\\Desktop\\InstalledNTUserName
– Hkey_Local_Machine\\Software\\Google\\Desktop\\InstalledUserSID
Restart your computer so this change can take effect, and then remove the
program files for Desktop Search. Here’s how:
TO REMOVE GOOGLE DESKTOP SEARCH:
Open C:\Documents and Settings\USERNAME-THAT-NO-LONGER-EXISTS\Local
Settings\Application Data\Google\Google Desktop Search. Delete all the
files in this directory.
If you need further assistance, please let us know.
Regards,
The Google Team
Comments
i absolutely dislike google. it moves in and takes over everything like a bush in iraq then leaves you screwed up for life.
I want google OFF my computer but am not knowledgeable enuf to find a way to uninstall it – the easy way you post is not available on my computer and i am too much ov a novice to understand what the hell you’re saying in ehe “manual instructions”.
I’m really serious and don’t want your so called “service”. will you please help?
by the way, I have also restored my computer to a previous date and that didn’t work either.
thank you
This was incredibly helpful. I had the same problem with uninstalling Google Desktop as a different user than the one that installed it. The above solution worked just as promised. Thanks for doing the work for me so I don’t have to deal with this annoyance.
Thanks for posting this, it sure saved me from a major headache. Just one thing left out, you need to stop the “Google Desktop” process before you are able to delete the files from the folder. Afterwards you can then actually delete the Desktop in Control Panel.
Thanks again!
i am toubled by it and want to get it out of my computer please help me. gsk
Author
@g.sivakumar – I suggest you read the instructions that I posted in this page on how to remove it. You certainly don’t need to post 3 comments within 2 minutes asking for help without providing any information on what your problem is.
A have done this wide out result. Did not find
– Hkey_Current_User\Software\Google\Google Desktop
– Hkey_Local_Machine\\Software\\Google\\Desktop\\InstalledNTUserName
– Hkey_Local_Machine\\Software\\Google\\Desktop\\InstalledUserSID
on my computer. I can’t install Diablo II expansion set, massages PausGoogleDesktopSearc. I have reinstalled Googel Desktop den uninstalled. Still doesn’t work?
Author
Oscar – I’m not sure if these still work with the latest version of Google Desktop – this was posted in 2005! However it would be interesting to see if you have anything under the Google keys within your registry?
How do i do that?
Author
if you don’t know then you didn’t follow the instructions and you’re probably better off not doing it as things could go wrong….But….
Click start/run and type in regedit.
Expand
Hkey_Current_UserSoftwareGoogle and delete Google Desktop.
Expand
– Hkey_Local_MachineSoftwareGoogleDesktop and Delete InstalledNTUserName
– Hkey_Local_MachineSoftwareGoogleDesktopI and Delete InstalledUserSID
Have deleted all files *Goggle* in regedit, still don’t work.
Copied the install cd to de hard drive and installed from the harddrive = now it works!
This dosn’t work.
There is no “USERNAME-THAT-NO-LONGER-EXISTS” folder in my “Documents and settings” directory.