How do I remove AIM from my users' machines?

How do I completely remove AOL IM from my users' computers?

I run NT 4.0 workstations and have uninstalled IM under the administrator account. I have even have traced some registry keys to remove IM's presence, but every time the user logs in there is an error stating the OS cannot find C:Program... which is the IM program. How do I completely remove every reference from the users' side?
Make sure that you have removed all references to the AIM executable in question from the:
systemrootprofilesusernameStart MenuProgramsStartup directory for each and every user profile.

Make sure you do the same for:
All Users and Default User.

In the registry, check:
HKLMSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRun, as well as RunOnce and RunOnceEx.

If you have any legacy 16-bit programs installed on your workstations that may have installed their own .ini files, you can also run a FindFiles for "*.ini" containing a reference to the .exe in question. You can do the same running a FindFiles for "*.*" containing that reference, but you will find many more files, most of which will not be relevant to your search.

This was first published in July 2002

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