How do I edit system registry to uninstall a video codec?

[LisaB]

I'm trying to uninstall the "Darim Vision DVMPEG" codec. I can't uninstall it from Device Manager, but I do have the original *.inf file used to install it. I've already deleted the driver files from the system32 directory, but now I still have to undo everything it did to my system registry. I've never done anything with the system registry before, so I don't want to mess up here. Can someone tell me how to "undo" what the inf file did?

I am especially confused regarding the part in the inf file where it "adds a system ini entry".

***********************
[AddSysIniEntry]
system.ini, drivers32,,"vidc.dvma=dvicmau.dll",0
system.ini, drivers32,,"msacm.dvmpega=dvacmau.dll",0

************************

Well, I checked my system.ini file (in the Windows directory), and it only contains a few lines. Is that because WinXP doesn't use the system.ini file? If so, then why is there a system.ini file at all?

Here is the other main part of the ini file, where it modifies registry entries.

************************

HKLM,SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\MediaResourc es\icm\vidc.dvma,Description,,%*MPEG.DeviceDesc%
HKLM,SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\MediaResourc es\icm\vidc.dvma,Driver,,dvicmau.dll
HKLM,SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\drivers.desc,dvicmau.dll,,%*MPEG .DeviceDesc%
HKLM,SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Drivers32,vidc.dvma,,dvicmau.dll
HKLM,SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Userinstallable.drivers,vidc.dvm a,,dvicmau.dll

HKLM,SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\MediaResourc es\icm\msacm.dvmpega,Description,,%*MPEGa.DeviceDe sc%
HKLM,SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\MediaResourc es\icm\msacm.dvmpega,Driver,,dvacmau.dll
HKLM,SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\drivers.desc,dvacmau.dll,,%*MPEG a.DeviceDesc%
HKLM,SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Drivers32,msacm.dvmpega,,dvacmau .dll
HKLM,SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Userinstallable.drivers,msacm.dv mpega,,dvacmau.dll
[MPEG.DoReg]
HKLM,Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run Once\Setup,"Registering DVMPEG1 ActiveX filter...",,"%11%\regsvr32.exe /s %11%\DVMpegB.ax
HKLM,Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run Once\Setup,"Registering DVMPEG2 ActiveX filter...",,"%11%\regsvr32.exe /s %11%\DVMpegPP.ax
HKLM,Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run Once\Setup,"Registering DVMPEG3 ActiveX filter...",,"%11%\regsvr32.exe /s %11%\MP2Filt.ax
HKLM,Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run Once\Setup,"Registering DVMPEG4 ActiveX filter...",,"%11%\regsvr32.exe /s %11%\MpgRec.ax
HKLM,Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run Once\Setup,"Registering DVMPEG5 filter...",,"%11%\regsvr32.exe /s %11%\mpeg2mux.dll
HKLM,Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run Once\Setup,"Registering DVMPEG6 filter...",,"%11%\regsvr32.exe /s %11%\Mpegdmx.dll
HKLM,Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run Once\Setup,"Registering DVMPEG7 filter...",,"%11%\regsvr32.exe /s %11%\mtrs32.dll

*****************************

[secretagent]

the safest and easiest way to do it is pick a date before you installed the codec and do a

[Mirror_Image]

You could try this:

Control Panel - Sound and audio devices - hardware - video codecs - properties

and remove the one you don't want.

[LisaB]

Mirror_Image,

That was the first thing I tried. You can access the "Video Codecs Properties" via the Device Manager as well.

The codec appeared to be removed, but then the next time I checked the Properties again, the codec was magically back. And this was before executing any other program.

I don't know how to do System Restore, and since I haven't been doing regular System Backups, I guess it wouldn't do me any good.