How Do I Remove System Sounds?

[Shane]

I just removed Ipswitch's WS_FTP 2007, but the system sounds associated with
the program did not uninstall with it. How do I manually remove the system
sounds in Control Panel?

Thanks,
Shane.

Windows Vista Home Premium SP2

 

[Alan Edwards]

Try removing the Registry keys with Regedit.
I don't have WS_FTP but it is probably under a key like:

HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\AppEvents\Schemes\Apps\WS_FTP

You should see the names of the sounds in the subkeys.
If the .wav files are also still there, then take a note of them and
remove them.

....Alan

 

[Jon]

Try removing the Registry keys with Regedit.
I don't have WS_FTP but it is probably under a key like:

HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\AppEvents\Schemes\Apps\WS_FTP

You should see the names of the sounds in the subkeys.
If the .wav files are also still there, then take a note of them and
remove them.

Also remove relevant keys / values under

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\AppEvents

 

[Alan Edwards]

Also remove relevant keys / values under

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\AppEvents

Not necessary.
They are the same keys.

....Alan
--
Alan Edwards, MS MVP Windows - Internet Explorer
http://dts-l.com/index.htm


R

 

[Jon]

Not necessary.
They are the same keys.

No, they differ.

HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT contains default settings for newly created users ie
*future* user accounts
HKEY_CURRENT_USER designates the current user

So if you change only under 'HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT', it will have no effect on
the current user.

 

[Alan Edwards]

OK. I guess I am back in the dark ages of Win9x where they were
exactly the same and deleting one deleted the other.

I am not sure that the change is a step forward where you must delete
both.

....Alan

 

[Jon]

OK. I guess I am back in the dark ages of Win9x where they were
exactly the same and deleting one deleted the other.

I am not sure that the change is a step forward where you must delete
both.

Yeah there do seem to be a number of previously simple registry changes,
that have become overly complicated in recent years. I think of the multiple
locations that can now be used to configure which application opens up which
extension.

The whole thing could probably do with a structural overhaul to bring it
into the 21st century.

 

[Jon]

No, they differ.

HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT contains default settings for newly created users ie
*future* user accounts
HKEY_CURRENT_USER designates the current user

So if you change only under 'HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT', it will have no effect
on the current user.

Oops, looks like I'm wrong too. Turns out 'HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT' is now an
alias for 'HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-18', or the 'System' account.


The .Default user is not the default user
http://blogs.msdn.com/oldnewthing/archive/2007/03/02/1786493.aspx

That will teach me for not checking!

 

[Shane]

Thanks for your answers.

There are fourteen system sounds left over from WS_FTP, and it seems that
each system sound has four entries in the registry. For example, this change
event appears in the following four locations:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\AppEvents\EventLabels\WSFTP_ChgUp
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\AppEvents\Schemes\Apps\.Default\WSFTP_ChgUp
HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-3132765019-448504513-1931188874-1000\AppEvents\EventLabels\WSFTP_ChgUp
HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-3132765019-448504513-1931188874-1000\AppEvents\Schemes\Apps\.Default\WSFTP_ChgUp

I have no idea who the "S-1-5-21-3132765019-448504513-1931188874-1000" user
is.

So, for each of the fourteen system sounds, do I delete the four registry
keys? Do I have to reboot my computer for the changes to take effect?

Thanks,
Shane
Windows Vista Home Premium SP2

 

[Jon]

Thanks for your answers.

There are fourteen system sounds left over from WS_FTP, and it seems that
each system sound has four entries in the registry. For example, this
change event appears in the following four locations:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\AppEvents\EventLabels\WSFTP_ChgUp
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\AppEvents\Schemes\Apps\.Default\WSFTP_ChgUp
HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-3132765019-448504513-1931188874-1000\AppEvents\EventLabels\WSFTP_ChgUp
HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-3132765019-448504513-1931188874-1000\AppEvents\Schemes\Apps\.Default\WSFTP_ChgUp

I have no idea who the "S-1-5-21-3132765019-448504513-1931188874-1000"
user is.

So, for each of the fourteen system sounds, do I delete the four registry
keys? Do I have to reboot my computer for the changes to take effect?

HKEY_CURRENT_USER

is likely an alias (short form) for

HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-3132765019-448504513-1931188874-1000

so those 4 locations are likely to be in reality just two ie deleting under
'HKEY_CURRENT_USER' will remove under
'HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-3132765019-448504513-1931188874-1000' and vice versa.

And yes you'd remove the 'WSFTP' sound keys. Set a restore point before
changes, and right-click 'export' anything you're not sure of for ready
restore later, in case of mistakes.

You'll probably need to reboot, or you might get away with a log off / on.