Top Methods of Uninstalling Programs from Windows
By SoftwareTipsPalace.com | Date: February 17, 2009
Entries are made in the registry each time an application is installed in the computer. It also makes folders in many other locations aside from the Program Files folder. Errors occur when a program is taken out of the system without doing the proper Uninstall procedure. Simply deleting the program files from the Program files folder will do more harm than good. Files that are written somewhere else will not be removed. More importantly, entries in the Windows registry will not be removed. This will cause system crashes and many other problems.
There are many methods of uninstalling a program from computer. Following the right procedure will lessen if not totally eliminate the chances of having errors caused by wrong uninstall process. Effective methods of uninstalling programs are listed here.
Step 1: Uninstall using the Windows Add/Remove program.
The Add/remove Feature of the Windows operating system can uninstall most of programs installed in the system. Here's an example on how to uninstall Google Toolbar from any Windows computer.
- Open the Start menu and select the Control Panel.
- In the Control Panel window, double-click Add or Remove option.
- Look for Google Toolbar in the Currently Installed Program list
- Click the Change/Remove button and follow the instructions.
- You may need to restart your PC to complete the uninstall process.
Step 2: Uninstall Using the Program Uninstaller
Some programs that you install on your computer don't show up in the Add or Remove Programs list. There is another way to effectively remove it from the computer. Most programs have Uninstall application file in its folder. A shortcut of that application is listed in the Start menu.
- Open Start menu and point to All Programs.
- In the All Programs menu point to the program you want to uninstall.
- Select the Uninstall option to start the uninstall process.
- Follow the instructions to complete the process.
If the uninstall program option is not available, perform a search for the folder where the program files are stored. Most programs are stored in the My Program folder found in My Computer. Double click the uninstall file for the program in this folder to start the uninstall process.
Step 3: Using Third-Party Uninstallers
There are programs that add so many entries in the registry and copy so many files in the different folders that it is almost impossible to uninstall them without leaving traces behind. An effective way of getting rid of those leftover is by using Third-Party uninstaller. Many third Party uninstallers can be found in the internet. Look for the third party uninstallers that also clean the registry.
Step 4: Removing Programs with No Uninstallers
There are programs that do not have any uninstallers available. These programs can be uninstalled manually by deleting it from the program folder and editing the registry. You can also remove these programs by upgrading to a later version.
Whatever method is used to uninstall programs from windows computer, it would be good to scan the registry for errors after the uninstall process. Some uninstallers leave entries that may affect computer performance. Windows registry cleaner are available in the internet.
|
