In anticipation of the upcoming P3D v4, I would like to get ready and wipe out P3D v3 entirely, so that I can start off from a clean slate. Besides uninstalling the obvious from the control panel in Windows, I know there are various places that P3D v3 still lurks on your HD. Can someone please tell me all the locations I need to delete manually after uninstalling P3D?

Hi Aaron

 

Generally here: (W10)

Users/App Data/Roaming/Lockheed Martin

Users/Local/Lockheed Martin

Documents folder - Prepar3d folders

Programme Data/Lockheed Martin

Obviously, your installation folder.

I always clean out the registry when I'm done deleting these folders.

 

Erich

 

Erich thanks a bunch, but after I do all that, how would I clean out the registry?

I use a registry cleaner.  CCleaner (free). Some may be better than others, and others here may know which are the better ones, but I use CCleaner 

Free version:

https://www.piriform.com/ccleaner

 

 

 

Thanks, I'm nervous to mess with the registry, is there a way I can make a backup before I do this just incase?

I believe the cleaner asks you whether you would like a back-up before cleaning it.  As with all other fora dispensed advice, this comes at your won risk.  However, from my experience, I've never had any kind of corruption or OS failure from regular registry cleans.  I do it everytime I uninstall my base sim as a matter of routine ( and also frequently in between)

 

 

57 minutes ago, captain420 said:

In anticipation of the upcoming P3D v4, I would like to get ready and wipe out P3D v3 entirely

There will absolutely be no need to do so... really. You can have all P3D versions 1-4 installed on a system at the same time without any conflict.

Don´t use any Registry "cleaner" like CCleaner under Win10! That tool has been useful for previous Windows versions but not for Win10 anymore. As far as I know Windows 10 already even completely declines the startup of CCleaner and that´s for good reason.

12 minutes ago, Schlotterknie said:

There will absolutely be no need to do so... really. You can have all P3D versions 1-4 installed on a system at the same time without any conflict.

Don´t use any Registry "cleaner" like CCleaner under Win10! That tool has been useful for previous Windows versions but not for Win10 anymore. As far as I know Windows 10 already even completely declines the startup of CCleaner and that´s for good reason.

That is not true, I use CCleaner all the time in Win10 with no problems at all. They released a win 10 version.

Even if there´s a Win10 version meanwhile you will not gain any profit from using that cleaner tool. Zero. P3D doesn´t really write much more to the registry than the installation path and your activation data. Both is anyway deleted simply by uninstalling P3D.

By using these 'cleaner' tools you just get the risk of killing your windows installation completely. The only benefit is a psychological placebo effect, that´s it. Not more...

31 minutes ago, Schlotterknie said:

Even if there´s a Win10 version meanwhile you will not gain any profit from using that cleaner tool. Zero. P3D doesn´t really write much more to the registry than the installation path and your activation data. Both is anyway deleted simply by uninstalling P3D.

By using these 'cleaner' tools you just get the risk of killing your windows installation completely. The only benefit is a psychological placebo effect, that´s it. Not more...

No risk at all..

I use Advanced System Optimizer already for over 7 years up till today with W10 and it is a great application..

Never ever I had to reinstall either Windows nor other programs.

Never had OOMS or CTD's with P3D

 

@OP,

    I like Schlotterknie's comment to you - it will be quite a long time before many of the addons (aircraft, utilities, and scenery) might be available for v4. I would keep the v3 and install v4 (they will not overlap as far as disk folders at all) and evaluate v4 and stay in contact with the forums before eliminating v3. You might want to have a new disk drive for v4 ( you can choose where to install v4 - not c:\Program files...). I did that with Windows 7 and Windows 10 - I dual booted until Win10 and the apps that I need were working reliably.

 

 

Well reason is, I don't have enough space to keep every single flightsim and their addons, it takes up a lot of space you know. I'm not gonna have multiple versions of 1 sim.

1 hour ago, Schlotterknie said:

Even if there´s a Win10 version meanwhile you will not gain any profit from using that cleaner tool. Zero. P3D doesn´t really write much more to the registry than the installation path and your activation data. Both is anyway deleted simply by uninstalling P3D.

By using these 'cleaner' tools you just get the risk of killing your windows installation completely. The only benefit is a psychological placebo effect, that´s it. Not more...

Been using Ccleaner for years, never had one problem. It always asks you if you want to make a backup. 

The versions don't "crosstalk"... v3 doesn't know what v4 is and vice versa.  I have v1, v2, v3 and v4 on my system... no crosstalk and they have no idea of each other at all.

I think the bigger problem will be addons that are needed for both sims.   i.e. Chaseplane. 

I plan to keep my v3 on my one SSD and then install v4 on an empty SSD. 

But i'm hoping whichever one i fire up, Chaseplane will know and connect. 

7 minutes ago, WarpD said:

The versions don't "crosstalk"... v3 doesn't know what v4 is and vice versa.  I have v1, v2, v3 and v4 on my system... no crosstalk and they have no idea of each other at all.

Ed- any issues with programs like that?