Uninstall without a reboot

ShortKeys creates an interface with Windows using ‘Hooks’. When ShortKeys is running, any window that allows user input will use shkhook.dll. As long as Windows is running the shkhook.dll will be in use, even after ShortKeys is no longer running. If this file is in use, it cannot be deleted without rebooting.

This is a particular nuisance when using ShortKeys on a network. A network administrator may not want users to have to interrupt their work to reboot their computer. But a network administrator may have tools available to uninstall most of ShortKeys without running ShortKeys’ uninstaller. This list shows what things need to be done.

1. 1. Make sure ShortKeys is not running.
      
      
   2. Delete the files in the folder where ShortKeys is installed. By default this is c:\Program Files (x86)\ShortKeys 4.
      
      
   3. Delete the following keys from the registry for ShortKeys:
      HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Insight Software Solutions\ShortKeys 4
      HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Insight Software Solutions\ShortKeys 4
      
      
   4. Delete the keys from the uninstall area of the registry.
      HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\ShortKeys 4
      
      
   5. Delete the startup shortcut.
      C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\ShortKeys 4

It is likely that the file shkhook.dll in the folder where the ShortKeys program files are installed will not be deleted. It can be deleted after a subsequent reboot or simply left on the user’s computer.