If you don't use a program, you can remove it from your system. Doing so frees up disk space. You could simply delete the program files, but these files are not always stored in one location. A program installation may store files in other places on your hard drivefor instance, in the Windows folder. Therefore, uninstall the program using the Add or Remove Programs Control Panel. This removes the program and all its related files and folders from your hard drive. caution
Removing ProgramsFollow these steps to uninstall or remove a program:
Removing Programs ManuallyIf your program is not listed in the Add or Remove Programs area of the Control Panel, you have to use a different method to remove it. You can try one of two methods: using the program disc or deleting the program folder. You may be able to run an uninstall program from the program disc. Insert the disc and see whether options for uninstalling the program are displayed on the install menu. If so, use these. If the program disc doesn't automatically display your uninstall options, insert the disc, click Start, and then click My Computer. Double-click the icon for the drive that contains the program disc. Then look for a Setup, Install, or Uninstall icon. Double-click this icon and follow the steps for uninstalling. (Sometimes, the Install and Setup programs will display a menu, and one of the choices will be to uninstall the program.) If the program doesn't have an uninstall program, you can delete its files manually. This method does not always remove all of the program files. It's common for programs to place certain program files within the Windows folder, for instance. But, you can get rid of the main files. tip
Click Start and then My Computer. Double-click the drive icon that contains your My Programs folder. Then, open the My Programs folder and look for the program folder (usually named the same as the program). Delete the program folder by selecting it and pressing Delete or by clicking Delete this folder. Confirm the deletion by clicking Yes. |