Unistalling programs

[tommyhappy]

Hi. I'm not new to the internet but I am new to posting on forums. I have a little problem. I can't figure out why when I uninstall a program through the control panel, I goto the program files or the start menu and there are still files left behind. Are these taking up space and is there any way to totally uninstall a program with all its files documents folders?

 

[zigzag3143]

Hi. I'm not new to the internet but I am new to posting on forums. I have a little problem. I can't figure out why when I uninstall a program through the control panel, I goto the program files or the start menu and there are still files left behind. Are these taking up space and is there any way to totally uninstall a program with all its files documents folders?

Usually those files are user files and configuration files. There are third party app removals but we dont recommend them. They can do more damage than good.

 

[tommyhappy]

so am I better off leaving them or do they take up enough space in total to make it worth going through and deleting them? Thanks for your quick response.

 

[Bill2]

To clean up after an uninstall, you can follow the following routine:

1) Select Start, Run, type MSCONFIG, and press Enter. Click the Startup tab and look for anything that appears to be related to the outgoing program, uncheck that entry.

2) If file associations are messed up due to the uninstall, you can restore them to default.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/19449-default-file-type-associations-restore.html

3) Run CCleaner, both regular and registry.

4) If the folder for the program still exists inside the C:\Program Files folder, delete that folder.

 

[huffman]

Try using Revo Uninstaller.

Download Revo Uninstaller Freeware - Free and Full Download - Uninstall software, remove programs, solve uninstall problems

It will remove all the garbage when uninstalling programs.

 

[kword88]

any entries in the start menu are shortcuts. you can right-click them and select delete. or open the program's start menu folder, right-click one of the files and select "open file location", and delete that entire folder. if you get a message that windows cannot find the file location, then its already been deleted.

 

[tommyhappy]

thanks for the help guys. worked out great.

 

[Imperfect1]

After I've completed my removal/uninstallation process, I like to manually take a look at the program folders in the C drive to make sure the program/app has been removed. Additionally, I always do an Advance Search for the program/app's name (and any key words that could be included in any files or folders), and manually delete them, just to make sure there are no remnants of the program/app left behind.

 

[mitchell64]

Also have a look in here, you have to have "show hidden folders" checked in your folder options;

C:\Users\Username\AppData\Local

C:\Users\Username\AppData\Roaming

 

[Maxxwire]

Try using Revo Uninstaller. It will remove all the garbage when uninstalling programs.

Yes indeed it does! My Win 7 x64 computer came pre-loaded with Norton Internet Security and the very first program I installed on my new computer was Revo Ininstaller Pro x64 to get rid of the 1,400+ Registry values, files and folders that Norton left after it was uninstalled. I also used Revo to uninstall and clean up the mess after many of the other pre-installed software also.

~Maxx~

 

[whs]

The sad news is that the free Revo uninstaller works only on the x86 program files. For the x64 program files one needs the Pro version which costs.

 

[Maxxwire]

The sad news is that the free Revo uninstaller works only on the x86 program files. For the x64 program files one needs the Pro version which costs.

How could this be bad news? I have only purchased 2 pieces of software for my Win 7 x64 computer one being Sandboxie to keep it clean and free of Malware and Revo Uninstaller x64 which i have used to remove 10,000's of Registry values and an even larger amount of files which were left behind by programs that I no longer wanted on my computer and now they're not.

97% of the software that I use on my Win 7 x64 computer are freeware so it doesn't bother me one bit to pay a 1 time fee for two programs that 1) keep out the trash and 2)take out the trash.

~Maxx~

 

[whs]

How could this be bad news?

I did not say bad news - I said sad news. Because it hits the pocket book. Else, I agree with you.

 

[Maxxwire]

whs- I'm hoping that you will accept my apology for the typo.

I had used the freeware version of Revo for years on my Vista x86 computer and in a way it is sad to have to pay for software that was traditionally free, but I knew I was going to need Revo Pro Uninstaller x64 on my new HP Win 7 x64 computer right from the start for removing all of the pre-installed software and when I found out how many times more Registry values were involved uninstalling these x64 programs some of which had several 1,000's of Keys and Values more than their x86 equivalents in my opinion it didn't take long until Revo Pro Uninstaller x64 had fully earned its keep on my new x64 computer.

~Maxx~

 

[whs]

whs- I'm hoping that you will accept my apology for the typo

No problem Maxxwire. I just was not certain whether you had misunderstood my point and was trying to clarify.

 

[Maxxwire]

Another of my favorite features of Revo Uninstaller Pro x64 is that not only does it do a Registry backup for each task, but it also does a full Registry backup every day!

~Maxx~