Windows PC Maintenance: Uninstalling Old Programs

When you haven’t used a program for a few months, you tend to forget that it’s still lurking somewhere on your hard drive. Even if you have plenty of extra space left for more files and programs, you should still clear out some of the clutter from the hard drive. You’ll have more room and your computer will work faster. The less your system wades through to find a file, the faster it can bring that data up on your screen.

Another common problem is that we like to take advantage of trial software to find the right program, but forget all about the several “duds” that we leave on our hard drives. These trial programs need to go as soon as possible. If you find another, similar program that works better, you’re obviously not going to go back and use the others again. These installations waste megabyte after megabyte of space that could be better used.

The best way to uninstall most programs is to go through the “Uninstall Software” menu in your Control Panel. You’ll get an updated list of all the programs on your hard drive. Along with this information, you’ll also find out when you installed that program and how often you use it – rarely, frequently, or somewhere in between. You’ll also find “uninstall” links that remove the program permanently.

However: many programs come with “uninstall” icons, which are often listed in the program group on your Start menu. Use these links if you can’t find the program in the Control Panel’s list.

Before you do that, though, you should know these things:

-If you don’t recognize the program, you should leave it alone. Some of the weird things in the Control Panel’s list of installed software were put there by your computer’s manufacturer or the operating system. They’re vital to your PC, so don’t uninstall or alter them.

-Be sure that you have a copy of the installation file before you delete anything. You might not care for that card game now, but what if you want to play it again in six months? Have the files on hand so that you can reinstall and enjoy again when you want to play.

Now that you know how to remove some of the clutter from your hard drive, spend a few minutes looking for programs that are safe to uninstall. You’ll appreciate the extra space – and not having to wait so long for your hard drive to find the files that you want.