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Add / Remove
Programs:
"How do I get this crap off
my computer?"
One of the biggest and most common mistakes that
beginner computer users make is to delete a program instead of
uninstalling it. Usually, the new user is tired of having a crappy program
on their rig and decides to get rid of it. Let's use McAfee for example.
The user will open the C: drive and find the McAfee folder and simply
delete it. It won't take long for that user to regret that hasty
move.
When a program is installed, it places files and makes
changes to settings in a lot of different places all over your computer.
When you delete that (McAfee) programs folder, all of those other files
and settings throughout the computer are left behind. When the computer comes across one of these
files, it cannot find the program that it is associated with and usually
ends up either hanging or locking up, or giving the "Blue
Screen Of Death".
Instead, the user should always UNINSTALL a
program instead of simply trying to delete the program files or folders.
This way, all of the scattered files and settings are removed along with
the program. To uninstall a program, you can
usually go to START / PROGRAMS and find the program listed there. Often
times the programs uninstall option will be listed there along with the
programs start icon. If the uninstall option
cannot be found, you can open MY COMPUTER / CONTROL PANEL / ADD/REMOVE
PROGRAMS and scroll down the list of programs to find the one you
want to remove. Click on the program once to highlight it, and then hit
the ADD/REMOVE button. There are times when the
computer will tell you that a certain "shared file" is no longer
used by any program and it "should" be safe to remove it. Don't!
If another program does every need that shared file, and goes to access it
and it is gone, you're in for problems. Many "BSOD"
problems are caused by missing shared files or files that were deleted
rather than uninstalled. A better way to go is
to allow the file to remain on the computer. It is small and won't take up
any noticeable space. If the files is ever needed, it will be there.
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