[How To] Uninstalling Programs

Introduction

Sometimes you may want to uninstall programs from your
system either because you don't recognize them, they use up too much space, or
you simply do not need them anymore.

While the integrated App Removal from within Windows can
usually do this task for you, it can sometimes struggle with certain
applications. It can also leave a lot of files behind which can cause problems
further down the road by interfering with other applications.

There are also dedicated uninstallers, some free and some
paid, that can often clean up your system from old applications you no longer
need or want. These uninstallers not only do the same thing as the integrated
Windows app remover, but they usually go a step further and clean-up any
residue left by the program such as empty registry entries, left-over files,
etc. They also offer a backup solution in case software is accidentally
removed, as well as creation of system restore points prior to each App
removal, again in case of accidental uninstall.

Manual Method

Of course, you can always try to uninstall programs
manually. First you can attempt the uninstallation from Control Panel. If that
doesn't work, you can locate the program in the appropriate folder. Most programs
are usually stored in a folder inside C:\Program Files\ OR C:\Program Files (x86). The folders are usually named based on
the company that creates the software. So, if you're trying to uninstall a
Microsoft product, it will likely be in a folder called (or at least starting
with) Microsoft. You may need to do some manual digging when you try to look
for the program. When you find the program, look for a setup file called
Uninstall, or sometimes also called Unins0000. This is the file that should be
run by Control Panel removal as well, but in case of any problems you can run
it manually.

Once the removal is complete, you can back out of the sub
folders and then delete them all. You can also open up registry editor by going
to Start  > Regedit and hit enter. Editing registry can be very dangerous.
Unless you specifically know here this program stores data, it's best not to
delete anything. You may find information online showing you how the program
utilizes registry. If you do find the correct entries, you can also remove
them from the editor. This should leave a relatively clean system with no
residue files.

Automatic Method

As mentioned earlier, you can use software to uninstall the
programs, which can also do the manual work for you. One program worth
mentioning is the Revo Uninstaller Free, which can be found at : http://www.revouninstaller.com/revo_uninstaller_free_download.html

The program is made by VSRevo Group, and even in its free
state is a huge improvement over the integrated Windows control panel removal
tool. If you are interested in the extra features of the paid version, then it
would be a good investment, but if the free does the job for you, then we
highly recommend it.

Another program that can also uninstall better than Windows
is IObit Uninstaller, which can be found at: http://www.iobit.com/advanceduninstaller.html

The program is made by IOBit software company which also
provides other programs to keep your PC running clean. Their uninstaller is
also very powerful and does a great job at deep scanning for leftover files,
registry entries. It can also check your browser plug-ins for issues and remove
them as well.

Lastly, if you're trying to remove some kind of a program
that may potentially be a virus, then the above methods may not work for you.
Usually, bogus programs such as viruses will fight back to most uninstallers
and cannot be easily removed.

If this is the type of app you're trying to get rid of, then
you want to approach it from the security perspective. You should try to use a
good AntiVirus to start with, such as Security Essnetials by Microsoft, AVG,
NOD32, Kaspersky or any other antivirus you'd like. You can also accompany that
with anti-malware programs like Malwarebytes and Hijackthis.

You may even need to run the computer in Safe Mode to make
sure the app or the virus is not injecting itself into any running apps or
services. Sometimes you should repeat virus scans several times over and over
again in case the system may eventually find something. Ultimately, depending
on how infected your system is, you may have to re-install Windows from scratch
to get it back into normal state. For instructions on how to do this, feel free
to visit page 3 of our How To guides.