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Question

Dell's DataSafe Local Backup problem... can't uninstall it.

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I have seen several good posts regarding Dell's DataSafe Online, but none were able to help me with my problem. On this laptop, Dell's DataSafe Local Backup is running. It kept popping up messages asking to update and was annoying. I decided to uninstall it from the Control Panel since I don't use it anyway.  It got to some point in the uninstall and just froze up.

The icon still shows up in the System Tray, and is still listed in the programs to uninstall in the Control Panel.  I have spoken with Dell twice now, just to make sure what they are telling me is consistent and hopefully accurate. They said that the software cannot be uninstalled because it is needed in the event the system has to be restored to factory settings using the image that is on a separate partition.

It appears that the software is only partially uninstalled.  They tell me that the only way to get the software back on the machine is to do a restore to factory settings.  They said that I should have merely disabled the software in msconfig. The problem I have with that is that if they need the software to remain on the machine, then they should have the OS not display it as a removeable piece of software.

Now when the computer boots up to the Vista interface and desktop, there is an error message saying that it couldn't start DataSafe.  Rather than restore this machine to as it was from the factory and have to backup all my files and reinstall all the other software, does anyone know of a way to simply remove the software?  They have told me that by using the F8 key at bootup and selecting to repair the system, that the last option in the list is to restore to factory settings using DataSafe, and that even if the software has been partially uninstalled, that it should work.  I would prefer just to remove the portion of the DataSafe software that is used from the desktop.  Any ideas anyone?

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CFDBattChief

CFDBattChief

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Answer

Hi,

 

To remove the software completely from the computer try the below given steps.

 

Method 1:

Step 1

Important: This section, method, or task contains steps that tell you how to modify the registry. However, serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Therefore, make sure that you follow these steps carefully. For added protection, back up the registry before you modify it. Then, you can restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up and restore the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

“Back up registry”: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Back-up-the-registry

 

Delete the game entries from Registry.

a)      Go to start and type regedit.exe.

b)      Browse to the below given location and delete the folder

Location: HKLM\software\microsoft\windows\current version\run 

c)      Delete any dell backup software related entry from here

Step 2

 Also disable the service related to the software from the Services window.

a)      In the Start Search box type ‘Services’

b)      Search for any service related to Dell DataSafe backup

c)      Right click on the service, select Properties

d)      Select Disabled under startup type

e)      Restart the computer and check if that helps.

 

Method 2:

Step 1:

a)      Delete the game folder from Program Files.

Location: C:\Program Files\<Dell DataSafe>

b)      Delete the game folder from Common Files.

Location: C:\Program Files\Common Files\<Dell DataSafe>

 

Step 2:

Important: This section, method, or task contains steps that tell you how to modify the registry. However, serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Therefore, make sure that you follow these steps carefully. For added protection, back up the registry before you modify it. Then, you can restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up and restore the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

“Back up registry”: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Back-up-the-registry

 

Delete the program entries from Registry.

a)      Go to start and type regedit.exe.

b)      Browse to the below given location and delete the folder

Location: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\Dell DataSafe

 

 

Note:If ever in future you want to get back the software you will have to follow the suggestion given by the Dell support to restore your computer to the factory settings.

 

Hope this information is helpful.

Amrita M

Microsoft Answers Support Engineer
Visit our Microsoft Answers Feedback Forum and let us know what you think.

 

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Amrita M

Support Engineer
Amrita M

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I have had the similar problem with the DataSafe Backup constantly from time to time popping up suggesting a backup with blue ray discs. 
I can't remember what site also mention the same problem but the reply to the same question was to download CCleaner which I have already and go to TOOLS click on STARTUP and in the list at the right look for Dell DataSafe Local Backup and DISABLE it.  I have done that myself and it DOES NOT popup anymore!
The DataSafe Backup would start when the computer was turned on, then when it came up it would FREEZE my computer with Windows Vista and I would end up manually pushing the stop button to shut it down. I know because I have done this 4 or 5 times.
Good Luck and I hope this helps!
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Rick95

Rick95
"It's too late in the Game!"

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Hi All

Recently bought a Dell 15R N5110, my first ever new computer, having always built my own, and like you, I decided to get rid of all the Dell software to make the machine my own. Normally i would install windows myself and ONLY add the programs I want, this is obviously the complete opposite!!

In stark contrast to what the Dell person has told you (he sounds like an idiot) the Dell Datasafe Local backup, sits ENTIRELY on the recovery partition and does NOT need the application to run in windows AT ALL. All i is there for is for a front end to do further backups, which you need to buy the full version first in order to use.

If you accidentally wipe your entire OS partition (not an easy thing to do, but let's say you did), then if the local backup software needed the windows component intact to run, how utterly useless would the recovery partition be? Think about it, it's really no use if you need to have windows intact to restore windows.

So go ahead, remove it, it is pretty pointless, and unless you pay the extra £35 for the premium version, then all you can do is restore back to the factory settings (i.e. brand new windows with all the dell software back in place). Pay for the full version, and you can update the partition to be as you want it, including some apps and data (e.g. firefox, office, photos etc) so your computer is factory restored to how YOU like it. But it's cheaper to use windows built in backup for that.

Personally, I wouldn't bother. Keep the recovery partition, it's only a few GB, and use it should you want to give the laptop away or sell it, it can wipe it back to fresh so the new person enters a new username etc etc. But then instead use windows backup and restore to have a recovery image that can be installed over the top of the dell factory image, that takes you back to where you were when you used windows backup - all files, programs and settings exactly intact.

Note that windows backup (windows 7) will need nearly all the space you have used, I.e. if you are using 40GB of space on your HDD, then it will need just under 40GB for the backup, but can do incremental changes, so subsequent backups only add what isn't there in the first one. Always make sure these are kept on another drive and NOT the system partition, there is no point keeping the spare keys for the car, inside the car, so to speak.

Hope this helps people out.

Craig
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Sam Hobday

Sam Hobday

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I managed to find a solution, very easy, but it takes some time. You can't delete datasafe only if you have created the recovery discs. So you can create the recovery backup, reinstall it at the purchase point, and before making any additional changes, you are allowed to uninstall it using windows uninstaller. That's what I did and got rid of all the dell ****.
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Themakita

Themakita

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hey thanks ....i've tried it ...yet to see t he results !!!!
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