Cant find program

[I try]

I installed a few programs that looked like they might be good but did not like them or they played up ion installation so I deleted them. Now when I start windows I get popup with "can nor find "then two little squares" please check spelling and retype. and another to say it is shown in the registry. it happens twice, pressing the OK button [the only button] gets rid of the windows until the next boot.

As it is these two little squares I cn not search the registry to find them, and no reg program I have will help.

Does anyone know where I can find these or even, this program that is being asked to start but is no longer available?

[gerbil]

Perhaps one or more of those pgms has Startup entries remaining? You can delete them from C:\Docs and Setts\either You or All Users\Start Menu\Programs.

[I try]

I followed Gerbils instructions and deleted some entries from each of “my profile” and “all users” profile with the same result.

After I log on and my profile loads, I get the first pop-up.

Two small squares in the Windows top blue window name bar.

Below in the main body of the pop-up there is, a red circle with a white cross in it then the words, “Windows cannot find. Make sure that you typed the name correctly, and then try again. To search for the file, click the start button, and then click Search.”
Under that is just one button, “OK”

After I click OK, another pop-up,

The “DOS” icon the word “Desktop” in the blue window name bar.
In the main body, “Yellow escalation mark . Could not load or run ‘ ‘ specified in the registry. Make sure the file exists on your computer or remove rhe reference to it in the registry.”

These same two pop-ups are repeated, that is a total of 4 pop-up windows appear.

[gerbil]

Hi. Could I see the results of this scan, please; it should give a better idea of what is trying to start?
HiJackThis:
You have a choice of versions, installable program or stand-alone executable; in action they are fundamentally identical.

i] -download hijackthis: http://www.majorgeeks.com/download5554.html or http://www.filehippo.com/download_hijackthis/
-dclick that .msi file to install Hijackthis as a program. Else...
ii] - download the executable file from: http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/files/hijackthis.php
- unzip if necessary; copy hijackthis.exe to a new FOLDER placed either alongside your program files or on your desktop.
Start Hijackthis via the desktop icon or by dclicking hijackthis.exe.
- CLOSE ALL OTHER APPLICATIONS and any open windows including the explorer window containing HijackThis.
- click the Scan and Save a Logfile button. Post the log here.

[I try]

Hi Gerbil,

I ran Hijackthis and straight away found the two calls for the program to start, I backed up the registry, deleted the two entries and rebooted for a clean no pop-up result. Thank you. I don't know why I did not think about it earlier.

Thank you for your assistance.

[Rik_]

In future, don't delete programs, uninstall them properly and you will avoid problems like this!

[gerbil]

Nice going, I try.
Cheers.