Manually uninstalled an add-on but now I'm getting errors!

Sometimes you end up in a situation where you have to manually uninstall an add-on. Say you upgraded, didn’t realize the add-on wouldn’t work, don’t need it, but you can’t get it to come up in the control panel.

What to do?

Just removing the folder(s) from system/user/add-ons/ or system/expressionengine/third_party/ and themes doesn’t cut it. If possible, take a look in the actual add-on and see the steps to remove it. If not possible, there are a few obvious places to look in the database. Just remember- ALWAYS make a backup before messing with the database manually.

Be sure and check: exp_extensions, exp_modules, exp_addons and exp_fieldtypes.

If the add-on had a fieldtype? You may need to change any fields that used it. Look in exp_channel_fields under field_type. You can change that to a type that does exist and either retain the data that way or at least allow yourself to delete the field from the control panel. You’d need to do the same in exp_grid_columns and exp_member_fields (unlikely) and exp_category_fields (highly unlikely).

If you get REALLY stuck? Export your database as an sql file and do a search on that.

Anyone run into some less obvious places to look?