Uninstalling Elder Scrolls Online - The Bethesda Way

[Vayra86]

Up for a laugh?

Had enough of the infinite hassle with their broken launcher and updaters? Yep - been an issue since closed beta, and still not fixed You have to workaround even for getting a simple game update.

So, then you're fed up with the mess called ESO:
This is what you find after using the uninstall application Zenimax provides

And its not like the app likes to save a small selection for whenever you'd reinstall, either;

What, you think we're done? Note the scroll bar.

Leave it to Bethesda to grab an off the shelf uninstall wizard and screw it up!

Note; this game was NOT made by the same team(s) as Fallout 76. Its a real culture thing with this company. I bet when you apply for a job they will ask you to create a small product with a minimum of five bugs, or you can turn around and go home

 

[64K]

Seems like most games leave behind some stuff after uninstalling. That's pretty silly though. When I uninstall a game I go back and check if there's still a folder left behind and I delete that. It's an old habit that goes back to when hard drive space was a concern.

 

[racer243l]

It feels like they search for employees the exact opposite to every other company. You manage f-up something as simple as an uninstaller? Good you are hired! Your application works 100% as intended? Sorry, no job for you today. Jeez

 

[Voluman]

Well, see, you should not delete it anyway...

I bet when you apply for a job they will ask you to create a small product with a minimum of five bugs, or you can turn around and go home

Thats a bit harsh but feels truth.

 

[64K]

Well, see, you should not delete it anyway...

At least he can get to the folders to delete them. I bought 2 games from the MS Store. Gears of War Ultimate and Gears of War iV and MS installed them in a folder that I can't access and I am administrator on my rig. I followed the prompts to gain access to see what was installed and it didn't work. The folder is 250 GB in size. Those 2 games can't take up that much room. I suspect MS loaded some stuff in that folder besides those games and I can't even open the folder to view what they put there. They can't be uninstalled with the regular uninstaller either. They don't even show up on the list. They didn't even put icons on my desktop to launch the game either. What a mess the MS store is.

 

[rtwjunkie]

At least he can get to the folders to delete them. I bought 2 games from the MS Store. Gears of War Ultimate and Gears of War iV and MS installed them in a folder that I can't access and I am administrator on my rig. I followed the prompts to gain access to see what was installed and it didn't work. The folder is 250 GB in size. Those 2 games can't take up that much room. I suspect MS loaded some stuff in that folder besides those games and I can't even open the folder to view what they put there. They can't be uninstalled with the regular uninstaller either. They don't even show up on the list. They didn't even put icons on my desktop to launch the game either. What a mess the MS store is.

This I had heard about most of the MS Store games, which is why I haven't bought any. I recently reinstalled Gears of War (yeah, the original one- from physical media) on my W8.1 rig. I may go and get my fix again next week.

Edit: @64K have you looked here, under user on C drive? LOCALAPPDATA%\VirtualStore

 

[64K]

Edit: @64K have you looked here, under user on C drive? LOCALAPPDATA%\VirtualStore

I will check that when I get home.

 

[Nuke Dukem]

This is what you find after using the uninstall application Zenimax provides

I'm just curious, how many gigs of game data total left behind? Seems like a lot. Also what percentage of the original game folder size?

When I uninstall a game I go back and check if there's still a folder left behind and I delete that. It's an old habit that goes back to when hard drive space was a concern.

Same! Might be habit, paranoia, OCD - you name it, but I do that, too.

... bought 2 games from the MS Store ... MS installed them in a folder that I can't access and I am administrator on my rig ... The folder is 250 GB in size ... They can't be uninstalled with the regular uninstaller either. They don't even show up on the list. They didn't even put icons on my desktop to launch the game either.

Ho-lee monsterflipping schnitzels, my good fellow! I literally can't even...

 

[Wavetrex]

... back to when hard drive space was a concern.

It is still a concern today, because it's SSD space, not hard drive space.

And SSD's, while much cheaper than before, ar still quite a lot smaller than HDD's.
Most laptops with SSD, even new ones sold today, come with 120-128 GB SSD, only the high-end ones have 250GB or higher.

If a game leaves 5 GB of junk behind (or more), that IS a problem when your drive is so small !

 

[Vayra86]

At least he can get to the folders to delete them. I bought 2 games from the MS Store. Gears of War Ultimate and Gears of War iV and MS installed them in a folder that I can't access and I am administrator on my rig. I followed the prompts to gain access to see what was installed and it didn't work. The folder is 250 GB in size. Those 2 games can't take up that much room. I suspect MS loaded some stuff in that folder besides those games and I can't even open the folder to view what they put there. They can't be uninstalled with the regular uninstaller either. They don't even show up on the list. They didn't even put icons on my desktop to launch the game either. What a mess the MS store is.

Wow that is next level shit. And ppl complain about EGS hahaha...

As for the size/remainder of files; the uninstaller only deleted the updater itself, it misses the rest as a result of Zenimax's sloppy file updater that fails for most people at some point; the 'workaround' is launching the game through the game exe and not the launcher. (Again, typical Bethesda: it wont work? Just dont use it!) Subsequent updates you get by, wait for it: reinstalling the launcher from scratch so it starts with a refreshed MANIFEST file...

So after one update of the game files, nothing matches up anymore and the uninstaller leaves the entire TES Online data folder intact.

 

[64K]

It is still a concern today, because it's SSD space, not hard drive space.

And SSD's, while much cheaper than before, ar still quite a lot smaller than HDD's.
Most laptops with SSD, even new ones sold today, come with 120-128 GB SSD, only the high-end ones have 250GB or higher.

If a game leaves 5 GB of junk behind (or more), that IS a problem when your drive is so small !

True, my laptop has a 250 GB SSD. I mostly play older games on it. My main rig has a 250 GB SSD and a 4 TB HDD just for games so I have plenty of space left on that. I think on my next build I will splurge on a 4 TB SSD.

 

[ShurikN]

Leave it to Bethesda to make something laugh worthy

 

[rtwjunkie]

It is still a concern today, because it's SSD space, not hard drive space.

And SSD's, while much cheaper than before, ar still quite a lot smaller than HDD's.
Most laptops with SSD, even new ones sold today, come with 120-128 GB SSD, only the high-end ones have 250GB or higher.

If a game leaves 5 GB of junk behind (or more), that IS a problem when your drive is so small !

This is why other than OS drives which get the SSD treatment, I still use large capacity HDD. I prefer to download my games and be done with it, not uninstall a game and install a new one each time I go to a new game. Plus I have a habit of going back to old games for a taste occasionally.

Until SSD’s can give me the full install of all my games like HDD do at as reasonable cost, then I will not fully swap over.

 

[mouacyk]

They are just anticipating your relapse -- these are dealers, they know what they're doing.

 

[Rahnak]

Yikes. Guess we know what the interns work on at Bethesda.

Also, I'm now very curious to know where Horizon 4 is installed. MS Store is so bare you can't even pick where you install stuff, and that 80GB install was a hard pill to swallow for my small 250GB boot SSD.

 

[64K]

Yikes. Guess we know what the interns work on at Bethesda.

Also, I'm now very curious to know where Horizon 4 is installed. MS Store is so bare you can't even pick where you install stuff, and that 80GB install was a hard pill to swallow for my small 250GB boot SSD.

I was able to install to my HDD. When it prompts to install on the C: drive just change it to the letter of your other drive.

 

[Deleted member 24505]

At least he can get to the folders to delete them. I bought 2 games from the MS Store. Gears of War Ultimate and Gears of War iV and MS installed them in a folder that I can't access and I am administrator on my rig. I followed the prompts to gain access to see what was installed and it didn't work. The folder is 250 GB in size. Those 2 games can't take up that much room. I suspect MS loaded some stuff in that folder besides those games and I can't even open the folder to view what they put there. They can't be uninstalled with the regular uninstaller either. They don't even show up on the list. They didn't even put icons on my desktop to launch the game either. What a mess the MS store is.

Look for something called take ownership. I have it on my PC and you can take ownership of any file or folder, edit/access it and revert it back.

 

[64K]

Thanks. I will check into that too.

 

[Rahnak]

I was able to install to my HDD. When it prompts to install on the C: drive just change it to the letter of your other drive.

I don't remember any prompts during the install.. I think I just bought it and it started downloading right away. But I may have missed it in my excitement. I've read there's a move button in the Apps and Features that works for some store apps, but I haven't looked at it yet.

 

[Vayra86]

They are just anticipating your relapse -- these are dealers, they know what they're doing.

You say that but Im confident I wont relapse back into this one! It has its fun moments but looking back its a pretty horrible game. Tis a shame I needed a few hundred hours to figure that out

Look for something called take ownership. I have it on my PC and you can take ownership of any file or folder, edit/access it and revert it back.

I know you are probably still ignoring me, but thanks for this one!

 

[SomeOne99h]

Look for something called take ownership. I have it on my PC and you can take ownership of any file or folder, edit/access it and revert it back.

Ownership Build 120 from http://www.rizonesoft.com, but the site is moving the servers and you have to wait for 7 days.
However, you can download the exact thing from here https://www.softpedia.com/get/System/OS-Enhancements/Rizone-Take-Ownership-Shell-Extension.shtml (Same version)

EDIT:
There is also this, specific for Windows 10
How to Add Take Ownership to Context Menu in Windows 10

Add Take Ownership to Context Menu in Windows 10

How to Add Take Ownership to Context Menu in Windows 10

www.tenforums.com

 

[Rahnak]

There's also the takeown command but it doesn't have "undo" afaik. Had to use it a couple times on naughty files.

 

[Vario]

Nuke the entire directory from orbit, it's the only way to be sure.

 

[silentbogo]

This is what you find after using the uninstall application Zenimax provides

Probably the same crap that makes B. Launcher forget the game location. I think it's the worst launcher to ever exist (including small short-lived random shit from early 2000s).
I've been bashing Bethsoft for 2 years on their forums, even offered my humble services to re-write the launcher - almost got banned on community portal ))) I guess they are happy with the way things are now.

Nuke the entire directory from orbit, it's the only way to be sure.

With Bethesda you never know. Sometimes nuking is the surest way to crash the server

 

[64K]

With Bethesda you never know. Sometimes nuking is the surest way to crash the server

Hah. I remember that when Fallout 76 launched people were setting off nukes in the game which would cause the server to crash. What an embarrassing mess of a game that was. Hopefully Bethesda will go back to making single player games now. They will still need the modding community to fix them though.