Even up to now, my post on removing Punkbuster last December 24 is still being read. In fact, if you put “remove punkbuster” (without the quotations) on Google, that post will be the second in the list of results. I know that the solution I proposed to the problems of Punkbuster was a bit kludgy, so I decided to look around for a better solution to the problem.
From the things I’ve read on the Internet, it would be better to leave the services tab of msconfig alone. Disabling PnkbstrA.exe and PnkbstrB.exe from msconfig requires you to start Windows using the diagnostic startup option, something not recommended by experts, although I’m not sure why. Second, it permanently disables Punkbuster, unless you modify msconfig once more and tick their boxes. So if you want to play the excellent multiplayer aspect of Call of Duty 4, then you have to reboot the pc. Afterwards, you need to untick the boxes and reboot once more.
I’ve found a better way of removing Punkbuster without preventig you from enjoying the multiplayer game of COD4. Go to your Start menu, click on Run, and type services.msc. Look through the list and once you see PnkbstrA and PnkbsterB, right-click on the files (do this one file at a time) and click Properties. Look at the dialog box, and pull the drop-down menu for Startup Type. Select Manual, then OK, et voila, finis!
This way has several advantages. First, you can start normally at all times. Second, Punkbuster would still run and be enabled when you start the multiplayer game. This means you can play on most servers without the hassle of editing all those startup files and rebooting your PC, like what I used to do. After playing, just go to the Task Manager and end the processes concerned.
Of course, removing Punkbuster is just one part of cleaning your PC up. Do visit Tweak Guides for more info on the services you see in services.msc. You can also install Startup Inspector to check those mysterious files in your startup list, and CCleaner to remove those things. In this way, you’ll be able to boot your PC without much trouble.
NOTE: All of the instructions above are applicable only to Windows XP with Service Pack 2. The author is not responsible for any damage or inconvenience that may happen due to the act of modifying your startup files.
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Man I am so pissed with Punk buster yet another company who think its OK to stick there software onto my computer without even giving me an option to install or Remove the dam thing.
Yes there was a time that you got a option to install it? I just installed Rainbow Six Vegas but got no options at all.
I don’t care about the pros or cons of having it! I do not want it! & If I did want it I would make that choice for myself.
So sick of company’s thinking they know whats best for me, pigeon holing everybody.
Don’t steal my bandwidth I pay for! don’t install your software without my permission or slow down my system “even when I am not gaming its running WTF” give us the options to remove your crap at any time.
I notice they still don’t have any form of response line setup on there website, no email, no phone what a surprise.
I trim down all the services running on my systems
Checkout ” http://www.blackviper.com/WinXP/supertweaks.htm ” for the latest on trimming the fat off your system.
were is the dialog box???????1
http://gabriel.lozano-moran.name/blog/PermaLink,guid,14a5f50a-3d4d-4e3a-afa0-c2a5a781e520.aspx
on how to remove properly the services.
Here use this tool to uninstall it it’s from Even Balance themselves.
http://www.evenbalance.com/downloads/pbsvc/pbsvc.exe
You may still need to manually delete the PnkBstrA.exe PnkBstrB.exe for your …windows\system32 folder and PNKBSTR.EXE-(string of numbers).pf from your …windows\prefetch folder. Have fun
First off I tried many different ways to remove it. I’ve tried the PnkbusterA. and B but I couldn’t find it so I did this…… I created a New Folder then Put my PBsetup(The program) In the folder then I deleted the Folder or File and it was in my Recycle Bin then I deleted it from the Recycle bin and there it is gone! I checked my process and there were no processes on Punkbuster!