How to repair broken Delpi XE3 IDE after installation of custom package?
delphi, delphi-xe3, freeze, ide, package
Solution
Create a new desktop shortcut for Delphi, modify it's properties (right-click and choose `Properties`), and add `-rFoo` to the end of the command line. Then start the IDE from that new shortcut.
This creates a new, empty Delphi registry branch that contains only the default components and settings (called `foo`). It will not load any of your component packages (or any third-party ones you've installed that weren't part of the normal installer). You can then add back any third-party packages one at a time. Just continue to run the IDE from your new shortcut, and you should be fine.
If this doesn't put you in a state where you can run the IDE, you've somehow totally borked your install, and you should uninstall completely and start over from scratch.
Problem
I have created a new package with one component in it (descendant of TSpeedButton), compiled the package and installed it in the IDE (Delphi XE3 Pro). It worked as far as I have tested it (I could use my component in design- and runtime). BUT: I have closed the IDE and now I can't start it. It displays the splashscreen and shows progress: - Documentation Insight Express - CodeSite Express - Jedi Code Library - Jedi Visual Component Library Up to `All designtime packages loaded` (translated from German, YMMV). I guessed it was my package, so I deleted the BPL. On next start, Delphi said it could find the package and asked if it should load it when loading the next project; I clicked "No". But still Delphi doesn't start, behaviour is exactly the same. Splashscreen loading and STOP. The "Repair" option of the installer didn't help, either. Pharaoh Edit: It turns out I was too impatient - A reboot cleaned it up. I still marked the answer of Ken White because it would have been the solution of the last resort.