This is a very common startup problem for Lime Wire users that is all over the Internet. Lime Wire is a peer to peer network for exchanging music files. It is freeware, so while the program itself is not spyware, it opens the way for many kinds of malware to enter your computer.

Uninstall Lime Wire

The best solution to this problem is to completely uninstall Lime Wire from your system and then reinstall it offline if you want to continue to run it. You must do more than simply deleting it from the Programs list - there are a lot of registry keys associated with Lime Wire. You may not even see it in the Program List, so at that point you will need to adjust the registry.

Start by going to:

• Start then Control Panel.
• Go to Add/Remove Programs.
• Delete all Lime Wire related items.
• Empty the recycle bin.

Then, you need to show hidden folders. Go to:

• Tools and then Folder Options.
• Choose Advanced and then choose Show Hidden Files.
• Then go to Start and select Explore. You will see a folder tree. You will need to delete the following:
  • C:\Documents and Settings\(your name)\Application Data\Lime Wire
  • C:\Documents and Settings\ (your name)\.limewire
  • C:\Program Files\LimeWire

If, while you are doing this, you get an error message that you can't delete the program because it is being used, get into the Windows Task Manager by pressing Ctrl+Alt+Delete. Click on Processes. Look for something that says limewire or frostwire. Select that and choose End Process. Quickly go to the C drive and delete the items before the program has a chance to start up again.

Delete the Registry Keys

If you are still getting the error message at start up, you need to work a little harder. You will need to delete the registry keys associated with the program, but deleting the registry is something that should only be done by experienced computer users as one wrong move can really affect your computer. Make sure that you have done a backup in case you need to system restore if there is a problem. The registry key list is long, and you can find it here: here.

Download New Version

If, after going through the process to delete all traces of Lime Wire you still want to use it, you can download LimeWire by clicking on the link. Many people find that if they choose the download offline option and then go back and install it on their computer the install will go more smoothly.

Because this is peer to peer, you are leaving yourself open to viruses and other problems. Make sure you are running good antimalware programs. You can find our list of good programs here.

Kat Delong | December 22nd, 2008
Tags: limewire startup error
Categories: P2P

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