Q: I deleted a shareware program I didn't want and now get an error
message every time I start my computer. Did I do the wrong thing? Is there a
"right" way to delete a program?
A: One of the most common causes of system instability is
improperly uninstalled applications. If you wish to uninstall a program, never
delete the program. Instead, check your Start Menu to see if the program has
its own Uninstaller (you'll find it listed on the program's sub-menu, if
available). If not, use the Control Panel's Add Or Remove Programs applet:
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Click Start -> Control Panel -> Add Or Remove Programs (for
earlier versions of Windows it's Start -> Settings -> Control Panel,
double-click Add Or Remove Programs).
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Click the program in the list and click Remove.
When removing a program, you may be asked whether to keep
or remove shared files. Here's a useful rule of thumb: If the file is stored
in the Windows, Windows\System or a 'common' folder (such as Borland Common
Files or Microsoft\Shared), keep it; if the file is stored in the program's
own folder, such as \Foobar or \Program Files\Gemsoft, remove it. This will
result in some useless clutter in your Windows folder, but it will prevent
you from removing a file essential to Windows' operation. One exception to
this rule: When a filename clearly identifies a file as belonging to the
program you're uninstalling (such as \Windows\System\Foobar.dll), delete it
regardless of its location.
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If the uninstall routine is unable to remove all files
associated with the program - it will usually give you a message indicating
this is the case - you'll need to finish the job manually. To do so, reboot
your computer, open Windows Explorer, locate the program's folder (usually
within C:\Program Files) and delete it and its contents.