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Tech Tips for Denver Area Businesses
Removing programs from Windows computers:
"Add/Remove Programs" and other tricks
It's always a good idea to clean old, unwanted software out of your
computer periodically. This can increase performance... especially if
the programs have components that run in the background. At the very
least it will clean up space on your hard drive. Removing old software
is a good practice in keeping your computer running at it's best.
Over time, you have installed many programs on your computer. The
older your computer is, the more likely you have mostly unneeded software
installed and waiting for you to use. When the Setup program you
originally ran installed the program, it saved lots of files all over the
place, and likely kept a record of their location just in case you decide
later to uninstall the program. If you just delete the folder, you may
never find all the related files, and may actually condemn yourself to error
messages on restart... as Jump Start 3rd Grade can't find some obscure file
it thinks it needs.
Enter the "Add/Remove Programs" control panel. You'll find it
along with all the other control panels (usually Start, Settings, Control
Panels ...or... as an icon inside "My Computer". If you open this
utility, you will see a list of all the programs that registered themselves
with Windows when they completed installing. (If you know there is a
program, but it isn't listed here, there is another way... I'll get to that
in a little bit). You can highlight the program you no long wish to
have on your computer and click the "Remove" button. It's that easy.
Now, what if you have a program... it shows up in the Start-Programs
group, runs if you click on it, you know you want to uninstall it, but it
does not show up in Add/Remove Programs? Look in the program group in
the Start menu to see if they left an "Uninstall" or "Unwise" link for you.
Don't forget to expand the program group so you see all the entries (little
down arrows indicate there is more to view if you click on them).
Still no uninstaller? There is one more place to look. Find
the folder called "Program Files" in your boot drive ( usually C: ).
Look inside Program Files for the folder of the program you wish to remove.
It's easier if you sort the files by "Details" (pull down the View menu to
choose details). Click on the heading called "Type", and scroll down
until you see the Applications. If there is a Removal program, it
should be here.
If you don't feel comfortable following these steps, by all means call
your computer support person.
If you don't feel comfortable running this utility on
your own...
Call one of us to help you out.
Better to be safer than sorry!
Email Jon with your
opinion of this Tech Tip
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