Driver uninstall errors - how to manually remove the IP-Driver

Updated by Bryan Jones

Before You Begin

Ensure that you install any required Windows updates. Even after rebooting, re-run Windows Updates to ensure that all updates are complete.

This document is to guide you through removing registry keys and files left on the computer from a corrupt or failed driver install. 

To determine if these steps are necessary, check for Windows Updates and try re-running the installer you ran previously but this time, choose the REPAIR option. Once that completes, reboot the PC. OR. Re-run the installer once more, choose the REMOVE option, and reboot. 

After using Repair/Remove, try re-installing the driver. If the installer still fails, you'll need to continue.

Problem

During the IP-Driver installation or removal, you receive an error message that the installer can not continue. In some cases, this can be a permissions issue. However, often it is necessary to remove the driver components manually.

This procedure requires using the Windows registry editor, and you will need administrative rights to the PC. Please proceed cautiously. Removing the wrong components from the registry could render your computer inoperable.
Please note that you must reboot your computer after ANY failed install attempt, come back to this document, and start again to ensure that you missed no items.

Manually Removing the Driver Components

  1. From the Windows start menu, select "Run"
  2. From the Run menu, enter "regedit" and click OK.
  1. In the Windows Registry Editor, Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE → SYSTEM → CurrentControlSet → Services as shown here ;
  1. Delete the following keys if they exist. (to delete, right-click on each key and choose delete):
  • audioio
  • axiaadvd
  • axiagpior
  • axialwrd
  • AXIASP
  • axiawow 
DO NOT DELETE: Audiosrv (it is in the middle of keys to delete... This will make Windows forget that audio exists as a thing!)
  1. Restart the computer

After the PC Restart

  1. open Windows Explorer and navigate to the C:\Windows\System32\ folder and delete file;
  • axiaasio-x64.dll
  1. Navigate to C:\Windows\System32\drivers\ and delete the file;
  • axiawow.sys
  1. From the folder C:\Windows\sysWOW64\ delete the files;
  • axiaadvd (application)
  • axiaadvd (text document)
  • axiaasio.dll
  • axiaeventslist.dll
  • axiagpior
  • axiagpvk
  • axialwrd
  1. Open the C:\Program Files\Axia folder and Delete the "Axia IP-Audio Driver" folder.
There could be other folders in the Axia folder. Please only remove the Axia IP-Audio Driver folder.
  1. Restart the computer 

Re-install the Driver

After the computer restarts, you may attempt to re-install the IP-Driver.

Additional Troubleshooting Steps

Remove Old INF files

Thru many Windows and Driver updates, installer files can become orphaned or corrupted. Please refer to this document to manually clean those up.

Use the Microsoft Tool

Microsoft has a tool to fix problems that block programs from being installed or removed. You can find a link to this tool by clicking here.

Try running the installer with the SKIPKERNELCHECK=1 option.

  1. Open an Administrator Command Prompt by right-clicking on the Command Prompt icon in Windows and choose Run As Administrator (you may need to click More)
  1. In the command prompt, change to the directory where your installer is saved. Run the installer program with the SKIPKERNELCHECK=1 option as shown here.

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