Tips and Techniques: De-Installing Oracle 9i Release 2 on Windows 2000 and XP

WARNING: These instructions will remove the Oracle software, services, registry entries, network configuration files, database files and other Oracle related files from your computer, particularly with regard to the Windows registry! If you don't follow the instructions correctly, you may cause severe configuration issues on your computer. Oracle continually changes its installation procedures and therefore adds or removes certain items not covered by this document. Only perform this de-installation action as a last resort. Prentice Hall nor the author may be held liable for any damages caused.

  1. Remove Services. Connect to the machine with Administrator privileges and stop all Oracle services provided they are running. The Oracle service names typically begin with Oracle). This is done with Windows 2000 or XP by right-clicking on My Computer -> Manage-> Services and Applications-> Services.
  2. Clean-up Oracle entries in the Windows Registry. To start the registry editor, choose Start -> Run -> and type regedit.
    1. Locate the key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\ORACLE. Write down the value of this key INST_LOC, which is the location of the Oracle Universal Installer. Typically the default value is C:\Program Files\Oracle\Inventory. If there is a different location, make sure to write it down. Afterwards delete the key.
    2. Locate the key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\ODBC and expand all its child entries. Remove all keys related to the Oracle ODBC driver.
    3. Locate the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services and delete any keys that begin with ORACLE or ORAWEB
    4. Locate HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\EventLog\Application and delete all keys that start with the word ORACLE.
    5. Locate HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall and delete the Oracle related entries, if any.
    6. Locate HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT and delete all keys that begin with Ora, Ora, or ORCL.
    Exit regedit.
  3. Remove the Windows environment settings. To remove the environmental variables, choose Start -> Settings -> Control Panel -> System -> Advanced tab -> Environment variables. And click at the "System Variables".
    1. Modify the path. The path probably has this entry or a similar entry: C:\ORACLE\ORA92\BIN;C:\PROGRAM FILES\ORACLE\JRE\1.1.8\BIN. (It may have also an entry similar to %ORACLE_HOME%\BIN or a JRE path and if so, delete these items from the path statement as well.)
    2. In case a CLASSPATH variable is listed under "System Variables", write down the entry of the path and then delete it. You may add this variable later on if needed.
    3. Remove other Oracle variables set in "System Variables", if they exist (ORACLE_HOME, ORACLE_SID, TNS_ADMIN, JSERV or WV_GATEWAY_CFG). Press OK and close the Control Panel window.
  4. Delete the Oracle Software and Icons. Now you can delete the Oracle software and its corresponding icons by choosing Start -> Programs -> Accessories -> Windows Explorer.
    1. Go to the drive your Oracle software was installed (typically C:¥) and the directory called •DOCUMENTS AND SETTINGS\ALL USERS\START MENU\PROGRAMS and remove any Oracle related icons.
    2. Delete the c:\Program Files\Oracle directory or the installation location described in step 2a.
    3. If you have the directory c:\Documents and Settings\Local Settings\Temp\ and remove it. (Note C:\ is the drive where your Oracle software was installed).
    4. Delete those Oracle directories where you installed your software (typically c:\oracle). Sometimes Windows will lock certain files and you may not be able to remove them from your computer. Therefore, reboot the machine and attempt to delete the files once more.
  5. Clean-Up. Reboot your machine and don't forget to empty your recycle bin.

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