What is this crap that Adobe installed on my PC?
I like to keep my PC in good working condition. This means limiting the number of startup items and shell menu items that invariably sneak onto one’s PC when installing software from less reputable manufacturers.
If I want a toolbar, I’ll install it, thanks. If I want extra shell items hooked into my rightclick menus, I’d like to ask for them. I certainly don’t want some management buffoon deciding that the best way to up the number of installs of their pet project is by sneaking it in like a trojan on the back of some other product.
I installed the trial version of Illustrator the other day on my PC. Now I have something called AdobeDriveCS4 appearing in my right-click Explorer menus. I don’t want it. I didn’t ask for it. Adobe didn’t tell me it was going to be installed and now it’s there slowing down my machine. No worries… I’ll just uninstall it, right? Nope, there’s no uninstaller available, nor do Adobe publicise how one might get rid of this sneaky trojan.
The thing is, I’d quite like to carry on using Illustrator, and I don’t even know if uninstalling it will get rid of the parasite programs that hide within its monster 1GB (1GB???) installer.
Adobe… this sucks. The public decided a long long time ago that this is a bad idea. How long will it take for your management to catch up with us?
I’ll certainly think twice before I absent mindedly install any other Adobe products.
For the record:
Windows 64bit removal
regsvr32 /u "C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Adobe\Adobe Drive CS4\ADFSMenu.dll"
Windows 32bit removal
regsvr32 /u "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Adobe Drive CS4\ADFSMenu.dll"
Let’s have a page telling this, or even better the option not to install it in the first place. Adobe, if you really, really must install such crap then at least have the decency to provide an uninstaller.
The pity is, I don’t even know what Drive CS4 is. Now I guess I never will.
Entries (RSS)
July 8th, 2009 at 10:12 pm
I think if you stop Version Cue, that right click option will go away. Since you are just trying stuff out, you probably don’t need Version Cue either. It should show up in the system tray where you can stop it and tell it not to start when windows starts I think. You could probably turn it off from the Services control panel too.
July 9th, 2009 at 1:18 am
shut up and get a mac
July 9th, 2009 at 1:49 am
Adobe Drive CS4 is a tool that works with Version Cue… and by the way, I am pretty sure you do have the option of whether or not to install it. It’s an optional app, just like Adobe Media Player and such that is selected by default but that you can turn off when installing a CS4 app. No it doesn’t have it’s own uninstall routine, but you can remove it, or choose not to install it at all.
July 9th, 2009 at 3:14 am
[...] Read the original here: What is this crap that Adobe installed on my PC? [...]
July 9th, 2009 at 7:30 am
Version Cue, eh? Why isn’t it called Version Cue then? There’s very little connection to the uninitiated between the terms Version Cue and Drive.
July 9th, 2009 at 8:42 am
I preety much agree with the original author of this article.
There are allways people that will tell you that you are a moron for not knowing it how to uninstall it or how to use it.
But let’s face it, the fact that you’re using illustrator in the first place means that you’re probably not a progrmmer nerd in the first place, and don’t want to bother with some obscure command-prompt or treminal commands.
Why the hell can’t they just keep thing clean and functional?
July 9th, 2009 at 9:56 am
you can unchceck Adobe Drive or Version Cue during install, so it is actually your fault ;D
July 9th, 2009 at 10:36 am
It’s not restricted to Version Cue, that’s why it’s not called Version Cue. AFAIK it also enables the use of the Adobe file browse dialog in all Adobe apps next to the traditional one.
And boboy, it gets automatically installed on a Mac as well…
August 28th, 2009 at 4:25 pm
Don’t tell us it’s our fault for having crap installed on our computer! How about Adobe Flash Player? It installs Adobe Air, Acrobat.com, and several other crapware, bloatware, phishware, and spyware programs that access the internet on their own. Likewise Apple QuickTime (or iTunes) installs iTunes, iPod Service, iTunes Service, Bonjour Service, qttask, Safari, and who knows what else! THE INSTALLERS DO NOT GENERALLY ALLOW THE USER TO PREVENT THE INSTALL OF THE UNASKED FOR PROGRAMS! There is also no simple way to download and save the installers! You MUST agree to allow Adobe to install the Adobe Download Manager, which automatically downloads and installs the other crap. You MUST agree to invasive licensing terms for Adobe and Apple! Privacy issues? You have no privacy when you agree to Adobe, Apple, Microsoft, Real Time, Rhapsody, or downloads and installs!