Microsoft Office Click to Run 2010

[tehidyman]

Recently trying to look at a downloaded Xls file, Microsoft Office 2010 started to run itself and could not be stopped. I then found problems reading my Word files which it appeared to take over.  As I am quite happy with my original copy of Word and Works I did not want to be confused  (easily happens these days) so uninstalled it.  I presume a starter or trial edition had been pre-installed on my computer (only a few weeks old). I could not completely uninstall all components and now find that on my hard drive I have a drive called Microsoft Office Click to Run (2010) (Protected) (Q:).  It cannot be deleted or accessed (Error message Q:/ is not accesible and access is denied).
It was not there before I tried to open the XLS file. What is it and how can I get rid of it?

[Simon]

Information seems a little bit indirect, but you might find some answers by digging around here, Terry:

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/office/forum/officeversion_other-office_install/microsoft-office-click-to-run-2010-protected-q/e16d1452-fed1-473f-a788-82683d1a0cdd

[Technical Ben]

Yep. The drive is a virtual one the program uses to install it's self on the "cloud" but not the cloud, as it's you HDD on your pc. Complete rubbish and the worse invention (or application of) ever. If they sort it out I might decide to use MS software some time in the future. Programs should not be installing drivers or virtual hardware to run. Especially if it's a word client!!!!!!!

[tehidyman]

Thanks for the suggestions.  None of the solutions contained in Simon's link worked.  I tried many other solutions suggested by a Google search and none worked.  I then had an idea -- would a system restore to a point before MS Office launched itself work?  It did.   
Yet in all the Microsoft support files  does anyone suggest such a simple remedy?  Could have saved myself hours. 

Terry

[Rik]

Isn't it always the way, Terry?

[Simon]

Sorry, Terry, I didn't read many of the links.  I'd hoped that at least one of them might have been useful.  Shows how good the Microsoft support site is! 

[tehidyman]

Apology not necessary, Simon.  That support page and onward links offered a multiplicity of possible solutions to the problem which read as if they should work, but did not. So agree with your comment on their support.  Someone had posted elsewhere that Microsoft had made it non deletable by design.

[Technical Ben]

The lesson? Ms integrate their own software so much, that nothing less than an OS reinstall (or roll back) will rid you of it. I know they make the OS, but really, they should know better! (Good housekeeping and not breaking your own business model and all that )