Unable to Uninstall RealPlayer (Downloader)?

Posted on July 16th, 2012 by Rashad Carnevale

Do you wanna learn some tips to download your favourite YouTube video with cost-free? Or the currently installed version of RealPlayer just could not download any video from the Web resource? Have you been annoyed by issues related with the free video player’s updates, and/or ‘freeze up’ problems?

To FREE get videos from YouTube and another famous video websites, you just need to ensure the following things have been done: 1) you have the newest or newer version of RealPlayer installed on your Windows computer, such as 15.0.5.109, or 15.0.2.72. 2) you have enabled the RealPlayer Browser Record Plugin (15.0.2) in your Web browser(s) installed, like Windows Internet Explorer (version 9/8), Mozilla Firefox (V13.0.1/12/10). For advanced computer fans, you may download online videos running the User JavaScript-based Opera. See more related details in “External Links” part below.

To resolve RealPlayer’s update problem, you may disable the option “Automatically download and install important updates” for the Preferences – AutoUpdate section; for related freeze-up issues and/or error in Windows XP SP3, you follow or review the below step-by-step guide to completely remove the old/problematic version of RealPlayer; reinstall RealOne Player later on. What’s more, to fix the missing, problematic or accidentally disabled/removed add-on that can help you download video from Web, you may try to automatically re-install the version of RealPlayer you installed, the key point you need to know is that you select the option “Enable browser button: ‘Download this Video’.(This option allows you to download Internet video directly from web pages.)” for the Download & Recording portion during the new re-installation of RealPlayer. If the tips & steps I’ve described above just still could not help you resolve the video download issue; or you wanna change or uninstall RealPlayer (from Windows 7) for another top brand of player program (iTunes, Winamp, Windows Media Player), read more details in this newly released tutorial to cleanly uninstall RealPlayer and reinstall other editions of it.

Plan A: You Employ Windows’ Add or Remove Programs / Programs and Features to Uninstall RealPlayer Silently

  1. Logged on as a local system administrative account, move your mouse to right top of the free player’s user interface, and then you point it to the gray cross icon, “Exit RealPlayer”. Click on the cross button to shut it RealPlayer down properly. Moreover, you run Windows Task Manager to check the player’s processes have been stopped to smoothly uninstall RealPlayer. See the below screen shots for more tips how to quickly uninstall RealPlayer. Now, you should save and close all the currently running Web tools.

  2. If you wanna keep the Playlist file for Realplayer, in other words, this will partially uninstall RealPlayer from your computer, follow the tips here: click Playlist link above the Mute item >> click the expand menu on the “floppy drive” icon >> launch the Save as File… option in it >> follow the on-screen windows to save RealPlayer’s Playlist file.

  3. To begin to uninstall RealPlayer, you now click on the Home/Start button, move your mouse to the following items: (Settings) >> Control Panel >> Programs / Add or Remove Programs >> Uninstall a program / Currently Installed Programs.

  4. Locate the following RealPlayer item on the “Currently Installed Programs” list and launch Uninstall/Change option for it to automatically uninstall RealPlayer.

  5. To completely remove or uninstall RealPlayer from your Windows machine, you then may add another TWO options to the Uninstallation of RealPlayer info box below. Then you click the OK button on it to continue to uninstall RealPlayer.
    • Info: Please select which components you would like to uninstall:
    • Item 1: RealPlayer
      • Description: The RealPlayer application
      • Note: Choosing ‘OK’ will close RealPlayer if it is running, and any open browser windows.
    • Item 2: My Library
      • Description: The database used by RealPlayer to manage your media. Choosing this option does not remove media files (MP3, MPEG, RM, etc.). We recommend you do not uninstall the Library if you plan to reinstall RealPlayer.
      • Note: Choosing ‘OK’ will RealPlayer
    • Item 3: Favorites
      • Description: Clip and Web Page Favorites set within RealPlayer. Uninstalling RealPlayer Favorites will not affect favorites of your default web browser.
      • Note: Choosing ‘OK’ will …

  6. You then need to click on the Yes option from the Uninstallation of RealPlayer to go on to uninstall RealPlayer, “Are you sure you want to remove the selected items?”

  7. If there’re browser tools running in your system, you then click Yes on the Uninstallation of RealPlayer window again, “Some files might be in use by your web browser. In order to remove these files your web browser should be closed. Do you want to close your web browser now?”. And to safely uninstall RealPlayer, you need to be patient while the Uninstallation of RealPlayer prepares and completes its uninstall process.

    8. NOTE “Uninstalling CRTDIST”.

  8. Click OK on Uninstallation Complete window, “RealPlayer has been successfully uninstalled.”.

  9. Close the “Sorry to see you go.” webpage displayed later on, informing “… Tell us how can do better. Try RealDownloader instead, it’s fast & easy stand-alone video downloader. …”.

  10. You may see the RealPlayer remained on the programs list, then you right-click on the list, run the Refresh option on menu to ensure you’ve uninstalled RealPlayer successfully.

  11. Save all your work and reboot your machine.

Note If the steps above just could not resolve any other issues that occurred while you tried to follow the steps above to uninstall RealPlayer – in other words, the free player still resided in your Windows system, then it’s highly recommended you run this powerful & perfect Windows uninstaller to forcibly uninstall RealPlayer from your device.

Plan B: Run the r1puninst Application to Remove or Uninstall RealPlayer

  1. To find the application created in your system, you right-click on the shortcut icon for RealPlayer >> scroll down the menu, enter the Properties item at the bottom of the menu >> click the Open File Location tab >> scroll up and enter the Update file folder in RealPlayer installation directory.

  2. Press the [R] key to fast locate and then, you run the r1puninst application as any administrator user account created in your Windows to uninstall RealPlayer. See more information about it.
    • Type of file: Application (.exe)
    • Description: Uninstaller Shell executable
    • Size: 576 KB (589,992 bytes)
    • Size on disk: 580 KB (593,920 bytes)
    • File version / Product version: 15.0.2.72
    • Product name: Uninstaller Shell executable (32-bit)
    • Copyright: Copyright © RealNetworks, Inc. 1995-2010
    • Legal trademarks: RealAudio(tm) is a trademark of RealNetworks, Inc.
    • Digital Signatures: Shown below

  3. Click Yes on User Account Control to let your system automatically uninstall RealPlayer.
    • Program name: RealNetworks Uninstaller Application
    • Verified publisher: RealNetworks, Inc.

  4. Now, you could review or repeat the steps in Plan A I detailed above to complete the rest of RealPlayer uninstallation procedure to completely uninstall RealPlayer.

Additional Plan: Manually find, delete any file folders left in hard drive; and modify data and other configuration entries in Windows Registry Editor (for advanced users ONLY) to cleanly uninstall RealPlayer.

  • HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.3g2\OpenWithProgIds, RealPlayer.3GPP2.10
  • HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.3gp\OpenWithProgIds
  • HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.aac\OpenWithProgIds
  • HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.aif\OpenWithProgIds
  • HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.aiff\OpenWithProgIds
  • HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.amr\OpenWithProgIds
  • HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.asf\OpenWithProgIds
  • HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.asx\OpenWithProgIds
  • HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.au\OpenWithProgIds
  • HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.avi\OpenWithProgIds
  • …

Related How-to Topics on the Player

  • How to FREE Download video/flash files on Web resources?
    • Ensure that you’ve selected the below additional installation option for RealPlayer software; and the Internet connection is working properly and/or fast enough

    • Ensure the required plug-in have been installed properly in all your browsers. See the details in Mozilla® Firefox® and Windows® Internet Explorer®

      • Tip You select the option “Allow this installation” from the Install Add-on page (addon “id={ABDE892B-13A8-4d1b-88E6-365A6E755758}“) by Mozilla Firefox, warning “Another program on your computer would like to modify Firefox with the following add-on: RealPlayer Browser Record Plugin 15.0.2 (By Real Networks, Inc.) Install add-ons only from authors whom you trust. You can always changes your mind at any time by going to the Add-ons Manager.”. Then you click on the Continue button on the warning page to automatically install the RealPlayer addon.

      Tip You then click the Restart Firefox button at the bottom of the page, informing “You must restart Firefox to finish installing this add-on.”

      Note Firefox may then warn you that “RealPlayer Browser Record Plugin is known to cause security or stability issues. (Click here for) More Information”. See the detailed report in Related Help Links.

      • Name: RealPlayer Download and Record for Internet Explorer
      • Publisher: RealNetworks, Inc.
      • Type: Browser Helper Object
      • Status: Enabled
      • Version: 15.0.2.72
      • Class ID: {3049C3E9-B461-4BC5-8870-4C09146192CA}
      • User count: 16
      • Block count: 1
      • File: RealPlayerbrowserrecordplugin.dll

      NOTE Click here for more tips on how to modify addons installed in browsers.

    • Browse any video file uploaded, move your mouse on it; then you will see the “Download This Video” button appear on the right top of the video file, click that button by RealNetworks to start the download of the video

    • Wait for RealPlayer Download & Recording Manager to automatically complete the video download

    • Click the Play option for the downloaded video file to open and watch it by running RealPlayer

    • How to stop RealPlayer’s automatic update?
      • Click on the expand menu on the left top of RealPlayer; enter Preferences… item in it

      • In the Preferences window, you directly click the AutoUpdate in Automatic Services

      • Cancel the option “Automatically download and…” for AutoUpdate
      • For other users, you may locate the items listed in Installed Components; then you click Tell Me More option for it to get the detailed information about that update

        • Tip You will learn that what is Macromedia Flash file type, and, how to open related file extension.

  • How to watch the newest movie/TV series/video provided by RealNetworks?
    • Choose any item displayed under the SupeRealPlayerass section (Note: It’s 14-day free.)
    • Click the Refresh icon to reload the recommended items in RealPlayer user interface

    • You can select/click the “Watch Full Movie” option/button for any selected video

  • Other quick tips on how to use RealPlayer
    • To quickly switch the view mode, you enter View >> select the preferred option for RealPlayer, i.e., Normal Mode [Tip: You can also click F7 key.]/Toolbar Mode [Note: It's NOT FREE; press F8 key]/Theater Node [Note: Press F9.]

      • Tip To exit Theater Node, you click the Exit Fullscreen option on top.

    • To protect any downloaded/personal videos, you click the "EYE" icon on right top, then you type your preferred passwords twice on Private Mode info box, then click OK on it. See more details below
      • Tip 1: Puts downloaded videos in a hidden folder.
      • Tip 2: Allows you to hide videos in the RealPlayer library.
      • Tip 3: Clears your clip history when you’re done.
      • Tip 4: Control access to your hidden content with a PIN.
      • Tip 5: Choose a PIN (4-16 characters). PIN may include only English and numbers.

      Tip To temporarily turn off Private Mode, you just need to click the yellow EYE icon; and to re-enable it, you input the passwords you set up, click OK on Enable Private Mode, telling “Please enter your PIN to enable Private Mode:”.

    • For more tech details, you launch the Help entry in Help. Or you press the F1 key on your keyboard. And then you can browse the Table of Contents or Index; or select the Search in RealPlayer Help

In event that you have been annoyed by other issues with upgrading/adjusting currently installed edition of RealPlayer, please follow the video guide to thoroughly remove or uninstall RealPlayer. For more Windows newcomers, please download the perfect uninstall tool here to effectively remove its left over files and registry keys on your computer.

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Related Help Links that Can Help you Reinstall and Uninstall RealPlayer

RealPlayer – CNET Download.com
Opera News – Download your favorite YouTube videos with Opera
Real Player May Cause an Error Message in Windows XP (Article ID: 322370) – Microsoft Support
RealPlayer® – Free Video Player for Downloading AVI, MP4, FLV
RealPlayer Browser Record Plugin has been blocked for your protection.
Dailymotion – From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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