84,488,480 programs installed

Should I remove VLC?

What percent of users and experts removed it?
8% remove it92% keep it
Overall Sentiment
Good
What do people think about it?
(click star to rate)
How common is it?
Global Rank #9,953
United States Rank #10,787
Reach 0.0363%
Lifespan of installation (until removal)
< 686.71 days
1581.39 days >
Average installed length: 830.90 days

Versions

VersionDistribution
2.0.3 0.14%
1.0.0.0 99.86%

VLC

What is VLC?

VLC media player (also known as VLC) is a highly portable free and open-source cross-platform media player and streaming media server written by the VideoLAN project. VLC media player supports many audio and video compression methods and file formats, including DVD-video, video CD and streaming protocols. It is able to stream over computer network and to transcode multimedia files. The default distribution of VLC includes a large number of free decoding and encoding libraries, avoiding the need for finding/calibrating proprietary plugins. Many of VLC's codecs are provided by the libavcodec library from the FFmpeg project, but it uses mainly its own muxer and demuxers and its own protocols.

About  (from VideoLAN Team)

VLC is a free and open source cross-platform multimedia player and framework that plays most multimedia files as well as DVD, Audio CD, VCD, and various streaming protocols.
Overview
  • Automatically starts with Windows
  • Loads into the web browser
  • Installs a Windows Service
VLC has been seen bundling various 3rd party software during the installation process. Make sure to check for and remove unused programs.

Program detailsProgram details

URL: www.videolan.org/vlc
Installation folder: C:\Program Files\autodesk\inventor 2013\uninstall tool
Uninstaller: MsiExec.exe /I{D95CD7BE-A894-4F6C-B9DF-578C3CB411D4}
(The Windows Installer is used for the installation, maintenance, and removal.)
Estimated size: 19.29 MB
Language: English (United States)

Program filesFiles installed by VLC

  • axvlc.dll - VLC Web Plugin (VLC media player (Activex Plugin))
  • browserhelper.exe - BrowserHelper
  • googlechromeremoteplugin.dll - GoogleChromeRemotePlugin (nprt)
  • interop.shdocvw.dll - Assembly imported from type library 'SHDocVw'.
  • libvlc.dll - VLC media player (VLC media player 2.0.2)
  • libvlccore.dll
  • mactrackbarlib.dll
  • microsoft.mshtml.dll - Assembly imported from type library MSHTML
  • microsoft.practices.enterpriselibrary.common.dll (by Microsoft) - Microsoft Enterprise Library for .NET (Enterprise Library Shared Library)
  • microsoft.practices.enterpriselibrary.exceptionhandling.dll (by Microsoft) - Enterprise Library Exception Handling Application Block
  • microsoft.practices.enterpriselibrary.exceptionhandling.logging.dll - Enterprise Library Exception Handling Logging Provider
  • microsoft.practices.enterpriselibrary.logging.dll - Enterprise Library Logging Application Block
  • microsoft.practices.objectbuilder.dll - Microsoft.Practices.ObjectBuilder
  • ndde.dll (by Brian Gideon) - NDde
  • newtonsoft.json.dll (by Newtonsoft) - Json.NET (Json.NET .NET 2.0)
  • npvlc.dll - VLC media player Web Plugin 2.0.2
  • productsremovaltool.exe - Smartbar.Resources.ProductsRemovalTool
  • quickshare.exe (by Smartbar) - Smartbar
  • regasm.exe - Microsoft® .NET Framework (Microsoft .NET Assembly Registration Utility)
  • savpostureplugin.dll (by Sophos Limited) - Sophos Anti-Virus (SAV Posture Plugin for CISCO NAC Integration)
  • smartbar.gui.controls.dll - Smartbar.GUI.Controls
  • smartbar.gui.docking.dll - Smartbar.GUI.Docking
  • smartbar.gui.mainclient.dll
  • smartbar.gui.multimedia.loader.dll - Smartbar.GUI.Multimedia.Loader
  • smartbar.infrastructure.businessentities.dll - Smartbar.Infrastructure.BusinessEntities
  • smartbar.infrastructure.core.dll - SmartbarProxy
  • smartbar.infrastructure.eventmanager.dll
  • smartbar.infrastructure.plugins.base.dll - Client (Plugins)
  • smartbar.infrastructure.plugins.chromelocalplugin.dll - ChromeRemotePlugin
  • smartbar.infrastructure.plugins.defaultbrowser.dll - DefaultBrowser
  • smartbar.infrastructure.plugins.firefoxlocalplugin.dll - FireFoxRemotePlugin
  • smartbar.infrastructure.plugins.internetexplorerlocalplugin.dll - InternetExplorerLocalPlugin
  • smartbar.infrastructure.plugins.sharemanagerlocalplugin.dll - SearchResultsLocalPlugin
  • smartbar.infrastructure.utilities.dll - SmartbarGUI
  • smartbar.personalization.businessentities.dll - Smartbar.Personalization.BusinessEntities
  • smartbar.personalization.businesslogic.dll - Smartbar.Personalization.BusinessLogic
  • smartbar.personalization.common.dll - Smartbar.Personalization.Common
  • smartbar.personalization.servicesplugins.dmp.dll - DefaultMailProvider
  • smartbar.personalization.servicesplugins.messengerplugin.dll - MessengerPlugin
  • smartbar.personalization.servicesplugins.notepadplugin.dll - NotepadPlugin
  • smartbar.personalization.servicesplugins.screencaptureplugin.dll - ScreenCapturePlugin
  • smartbar.personalization.servicesplugins.uninstallproductsplugin.dll - UninstallProductsPlugin
  • smartbar.personalization.servicesplugins.weatherplugin.dll - WeatherPlugin
  • smartbar.personalization.servicesplugins.wordplugin.dll (by xxx) - WordPlugin
  • smartbar.personalization.settings.personalizationsettingsmanager.dll - Smartbar.Personalization.Settings.PersonalizationSettingsManager
  • smartbar.personalization.settings.publishersettingsmanager.dll - Linkury.Personalization.Settings.PublisherSettingsManager
  • smartbar.personalization.settings.usersettingsmanager.dll - UserSettingsManager
  • smartbar.resources.automaticupdates.dll - Smartbar.Resources.AutomaticUpdates
  • smartbar.resources.browserhelperutils.dll - Smartbar.Resources.BrowserHelperUtils
  • smartbar.resources.generalutilities.dll - Linkury.Resources.GeneralUtilities
  • smartbar.resources.historyandstatswrapper.dll - Smartbar.Resources.HistoryAndStatsWrapper
  • smartbar.resources.languagesettings.dll - Smartbar.Resources.LanguageSettings
  • smartbar.resources.languagesettings.resources.dll
  • smartbar.resources.netseer.dll - Smartbar.Recources.NetSeer
  • smartbar.resources.processdownmonitor.dll - Smartbar.Resources.ProcessDownMonitor
  • smartbar.resources.productsremovallibary.dll - Smartbar.Resources.ProductsRemovalLibary
  • smartbar.resources.productuninstaller.dll - Smartbar.Resources.ProductUninstaller
  • smartbar.resources.setbrowserssettings.dll - SetBrowsersDefinitions
  • smartbar.resources.setbrowserssettingsautoupdater.dll (by Smartbar) - Smartbar.Resources.SetBrowsersSettingsAutoUpdater
  • smartbar.resources.shortcutslibrary.dll - Smartbar.Resources.ShortcutsLibrary
  • smartbar.resources.sidebyside.dll - Smartbar.Resources.SideBySide

Program behaviorsBehaviors exhibited

Autoplay Handler
  • vlc.exe is registered as an AutoPlay event handler named 'VLCPlayVideoFilesOnArrival' with the ProgID of 'VLC.OPENFolder' and the action verb 'Open.
Google Chrome Plugin
  • npvlc.dll is loaded in the Google Chrome web browser as 'npvlc.dll'.
Mozilla Plugin
  • npvlc.dll is loaded into Mozilla Firefox under the product name '@videolan.org/vlc,version=2.2.3' with a plugin key of '@videolan.org/vlc,version=2.2.3' for all users of the PC.
Scheduled Task
  • vlc.exe is scheduled as a task with the class '{AABFB5A2-5999-4ED6-BEA1-7D4B8539337F}' (runs on registration).
2 Services
  • swi_service.exe runs as a service named 'Sophos Web Intelligence Service' (swi_service) "Protects against threats from malicious websites.".
  • swc_service.exe runs as a service named 'Sophos Web Control Service' (Sophos Web Control Service) "Manages Web Control policy.".
Startup File (User Run)
  • quickshare.exe is loaded in the current user (HKCU) registry as an auto-starting executable named 'Browser Infrastructure Helper' and executes as C:\users\user\appdata\Local\Smartbar\Application\QuickShare.exe startup.
Windows Firewall Allowed Program
  • vlc.exe is added as a firewall exception for 'C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\vlc.exe'.

Program resource utilizationResource utilization averages

quickshare.exe
Memory:71.75 MB
21.09 MB average
Total CPU:0.0003742036%
0.031193% average
Kernel CPU:0.00017211%
0.016088% average
User CPU:0.00020209%
0.015104% average
CPU cycles/sec:74,600,553
8,062,084 average
I/O reads/min:27.78 MB
435.61 KB average
I/O writes/min:1.27 KB
105.02 KB average

How do I remove VLC?

You can uninstall VLC from your computer by using the Add/Remove Program feature in the Window's Control Panel.
  1. On the Start menu (for Windows 8, right-click the screen's bottom-left corner), click Control Panel, and then, under Programs, do one of the following:
    • Windows Vista/7/8/10: Click Uninstall a Program.
    • Windows XP: Click Add or Remove Programs.
  2. When you find the program VLC, click it, and then do one of the following:
    • Windows Vista/7/8/10: Click Uninstall.
    • Windows XP: Click the Remove or Change/Remove tab (to the right of the program).
  3. Follow the prompts. A progress bar shows you how long it will take to remove VLC.

How do I reset my web browser?

If your web browser homepage and search settings have been modfied by VLC you can restore them to their previous default settings.
Microsoft Internet Explorer
Mozilla Firefox
Google Chrome

OS VERSIONS
Win 7 (SP1) 74%
Win Vista 0%
 
WHEN IT STARTS
Auto-starting? Yes
(Found in the run registry)
 
USER ACTIONS
Uninstall it 8%
Keep it 92%

Windows OS versionsWindows

Which Windows OS versions does it run on?
Windows 7 79.33%
Windows Vista 9.50%
Windows 10 6.01%
Windows XP 5.17%
Which OS releases does it run on?
Windows 7 Home Premium 51.54%
Windows 7 Ultimate 16.25%
Windows 7 Professional 7.98%
Windows Vista Home Premiu... 7.56%
Microsoft Windows XP 5.18%
Windows 10 Home 3.50%

Distribution by countryGeography

37.80% of installs come from the United States
Which countries install it?
  United States 37.80%
  United Kingdom 5.92%
  Italy 5.57%
  Canada 5.21%
  Netherlands 4.27%
  France 3.55%
  Sweden 3.55%
  Australia 3.20%
  Belgium 2.37%
  Germany 2.01%
  Spain 1.90%
  Finland 1.54%
  Brazil 1.42%
  Russia 1.42%

OEM distributionPC manufacturers

What PC manufacturers (OEMs) have it installed?
Hewlett-Packard 24.18%
Acer 19.72%
Dell 18.08%
ASUS 11.27%
GIGABYTE 9.39%
Toshiba 9.15%
Lenovo 2.35%
Samsung 1.41%
American Megatrends 1.17%
Alienware 1.17%
Intel 1.17%
Sony 0.94%
Common models
HP Pavilion dv6 Notebook ... 7.09%
HP Pavilion dv7 Notebook ... 3.54%
HP Pavilion g6 Notebook P... 2.76%
GBT GBTUACPI 1.97%
ASUSTeK K52F 1.57%
ASUSTeK K53SV 1.57%

About VideoLAN Team

The VideoLAN project is a project, lead and composed by a team of volunteers, that believes in the power of open source when dealing with multimedia.
Publisher URL: www.videolan.org

commentsComments

user comment
No one has commented yet. Help others learn more about this software, share your comments.