How to: Delete Performance Counter Categories
You can delete performance counter categories when they are no longer needed. You can only delete categories that are not Windows-standard performance objects; that is, you can only delete categories that have been user-defined. In addition, you cannot create or delete categories on remote computers. You might delete a category if you have created a custom category associated with an application and you are removing that application from the system. For example, if you have an order entry application that creates counters in an OrderProcessing category, you would delete that category as part of uninstalling your application.
You use the Delete method on the PerformanceCounterCategory class to remove a category from the system. When you delete a category, all counters and instances associated with it are also removed.
It is important to note the difference between deleting a counter and deleting an instance of the PerformanceCounter component. When you use the Delete method, you are deleting a category and its associated counters from the Windows operating system, not removing an instance of a counter from your project or application. When you delete an instance of the PerformanceCounter component, you remove a component inside your project that references an external counter.
Note
The PerformanceCounter class is not fully supported on Microsoft Windows NT version 4.0. You can read from the system counters, but you cannot create, write to, or delete custom counters.
To delete a performance counter category from Server Explorer
In Server Explorer, locate the performance counter category you want to remove. For more information, see How to: Access and Initialize Server Explorer/Database Explorer.
Right-click the category and select Delete.
Note
To access performance counters, you have to be a member of the security group that has access to performance counters (for example, the Performance Monitor Users group). Additionally, you might receive prompts on Windows Vista when you try to perform an action that requires elevated privileges, even when you run under administrative permissions. For more information, see Windows Vista and Visual Studio.
To delete a performance counter category programmatically
Call the Delete method on the PerformanceCounterCategory class, specifying the category to remove as a parameter.
PerformanceCounterCategory.Delete("CategoryName")PerformanceCounterCategory.Delete("CategoryName");
See Also
Tasks
How to: Add and Remove Performance Counter Instances