(solved, kinda) Trying to manually uninstall a game not appearing in the library.

[SillyWalk]

EDIT: The steps I have done to fix this have worked and there seems to be nothing left to do.


Hi, I'm trying to uninstall an old game beta that can't be deleted through normal means. I'm now trying to do it manually, but I'm not sure if I'm missing something and I don't want to leave something half-broken laying around.

The game is In The Black Beta[steamdb.info] (it has a different appid than the game shown on the store with that name).

Basically:
- It doesn't appear in the library (or I can't find it).
- It appears on Steam's storage manager, but as a completely blank line[i.imgur.com] except for the size and the checkbox for removal.
- It appears on Windows's "installed programs" section.
- Trying to delete it from the storage manager or Windows's "installed programs" section doesn't do anything.

What I have done/am doing/want to do is:
- Renamed its installation folder to simulate it being deleted.
- Renamed its appmanifest too. This actually made the game stop appearing on the storage manager.
- The installscript doesn't include any processes to execute when uninstalling, so nothing on that front.
- Will delete the registry keys that appear on the installscript, since Steamworks documentation says the same registry keys the script installs are deleted when the app is uninstalled ("\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Valve\Steam\Apps\1464300").
- Will delete the registry keys from "\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\Steam App 1464300" to remove it from Windows's programs list.

Am I missing something else? It appears Steam just checks what is installed based on the appmanifest files, so it seems that deleting the game files, its manifest and Steam's and Windows's registry keys should be enough.

[Ogami]

If you cant find it in the library set the filter to include "TOOLS".
Beta clients are often not listed under the "GAMES" tag but "TOOLS".

[Iceira]

use storage management game content to move to other disk and then wipe it, or enter steam game folder and wipe it yourself..

ccleaner is know for ( none steam game ) and other uninstall app that dont work as it use to, not the first time game devs made dlc or change files then uninstall procedur has not been update.

[SillyWalk]

Originally posted by Ogami:

If you cant find it in the library set the filter to include "TOOLS".
Beta clients are often not listed under the "GAMES" tag but "TOOLS".

Thanks, but it's not showing in any category though, including tools and software and even using the search box.

Originally posted by Iceira W10:

use storage management game content to move to other disk and then wipe it, or enter steam game folder and wipe it yourself..

ccleaner is know for ( none steam game ) and other uninstall app that dont work as it use to, not the first time game devs made dlc or change files then uninstall procedur has not been update.

Thanks. I forgot to say that it also doesn't let me move the game. I stopped using CCleaner to clean the registry years ago, that's why I'm trying to replicate the uninstall process by deleting the files and the registry keys manually to not change anything more than neccessary. I'm trying to find if I need to do anything besides those two things to completely remove the game.

[Iceira]

hmm check storage management , and see if you can get app ID, right click to properties to get to local folder then hard wipe that folder only, assume its actual a steam game and not other normal windows installer.


ps.
and it still stand a uninstal procedur is still that game devs problem, assum its actual still work as intended.

ps.
and thats why i use ccleanrer, after a hardisk burnout longtime ago, windows keep saying a tomb raider was installed, and i had to put cd in and use uninstall, and why ccleaner is faster to get ride of leftover or should we say lost entrys that gone.

[A93ntZ3r0]

If you know the game's id, use the below command in your web browser and hit enter:
steam://uninstall/game_id

[SillyWalk]

I have already found and deleted the game folder, the problem was the cleanup of the leftovers, like Steam and Windows believing it was still installed. Since the time I made the first post, I have removed the game from Windows's installed apps list and from Steam via the registry. There doesn't seem to be anything missing, so I will probably stop here unless someone says "do this or your computer will explode".

about CCleaner (its registry cleaning function), let's leave it at "it's kinda risky". What it cleans is only a small part of everything that might be "broken", and those broken things are usually harmless and can be left there; it's at times like this when it results in something visible to the user when you actually want to fix it, and I prefer to clean only the relevant part; it's not the first time I see someone whose computer breaks due to a registry cleaning.

Originally posted by A93ntZ3r0:

If you know the game's id, use the below command in your web browser and hit enter:
steam://uninstall/game_id

Forgot to say I already tried that, still nothing, the game was completely broken.

[Iceira]

what you call risky, we other call a professonal tool, they was made way back then windows and apps did not clean up after themself, you wont help any here with word like risky here, that app has solve more issue then any forum and helper here has point out. not because i said so, because that app have over 2-3 decads of experience. ( if i recall correctly its starts way back at win3,11, so many windows reg cleaner or something like that. )


Maybe you should stick to default setup, ( or said in other word dont change thing you have no clue what option is about, this is same in windows registration database , you simple dont delete thing you have no clue what is,

most learn fast use check system and registation database check and make backup of the change. and that is pretty much it,

( later you learn not clear out some cookie, then you know them and use them )
that app in the past help alot, cant say i like the ways they do now aggresive marketing, same as other app. )


well anyway gl with manual fixing as you do now, thats was exatly how we did it back then before ccleaner, ( and i bet you can see require skill, and you seem to have it, gl with it until next time. )