Add-Remove-Programs
Why uninstall programs ?
- They use up disk space.
- They clutter up you program menu
- Many of these programs slow down your computer.
Many of us buy computers that come preloaded with programs that we don’t want(frequently called "crapware").
In addition, when we buy products such as printers and digital cameras, these often come with additional programs that install along with the primary software. Each year, we must install a new tax program in order to do our income taxes because the tax laws change so much from one year to the next. Use Add-Remove-Programs to delete the following:
1. Games, that you no longer play.
2. Anything that looks like a "Browser Helper" - words like "shopping" (in the picture below, it was "Smart Shopper") or "toolbar" are clues.
3. Old tax programs from past years ( not last year! keep that for a possible audit)
4. Old programs that you have since replaced (example: Microsoft Works, because you now use MS Office)
Don't Remove:
1. Security patches.
You dont want to uninstall the security patches. If you are using XP, then you can uncheck the "show updates" box at the top of add/remove programs so the updates no longer show in the list. You can remove programs as long as they are not drivers for your computer...so if you are not sure then I would not mess with them.
2. Adobe Reader or Flash Player(unless you switch to Foxit).
3. Drivers These frequent have the word driver, or Names Like Hewlett Packard (HP) or Nvidea, etc
4. Microsoft .NET stuff
5. If you have any doubt about a program, don't remove, unless you know you have the CD to replace it! My rule of thumb, "If it is small , why remove it, if I'm not sure!"
How To Add-Remove-Programs
Note: You must have Administrator privileges, to Add/Remove Programs. If you are the owner, you most likely have these.
Click on Start,
then click on Control Panel
Then click on Add-Remove-Programs
This may take a minute or longer to load, so be patient,
Once it is loaded, then select the Program you wish to remove (uninstall) ( In this case, I have chosen Smart Shopper, (crapware)
Then click Change/Remove
Each program you remove will have individual unique instructions. Follow them carefully. For Example, Smart Shopper required that I close all Firefox windows that I had open, before it would proceed and uninstall.
End of Install/Uninstall
Additional Notes:
After you use the standard Microsoft Install/Uninstall, you may still have program that you can't remove. Many of these are Potentially Unwanted Programs ("PUPs"). And are actually Malware.
Go to Computer Security for more info on malware.
If you need professional help, see Computer Support
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