Old-time Computers users would have faced the need to uninstall programs frequently. However we have often received complaints of crashed/ slow systems, which, on investigation, proved to be due to improper uninstallation of programs. Therefore, we believe that what we intend to present on this page would be of use to a number of members and visitors. For, knowledge is power!

 

When a program is installed under Windows, it does the following:

1. Create a Folder, under which all (or most) of its files are copied. Usually, the installation folder is under the C:\Program Files folder. Well-written, well-behaved programs let you override this, if, for any reason, you want to install the program to a different Partition or Folder. Others do not!

2. Create many entries in the Windows Registry (to read more about the Windows Registry, click here). These entries are in different sections of the Registry files and therefore, are quite difficult to locate (and thereafter, delete) manually

3. Programs may also create Backups, Initialization files, and other miscellaneous files in your My Documents or other Folders. These are also difficult to locate and delete, manually

If you were to delete the folder containing the program files (as mentioned under 1. above), you will certainly end up with a non-working program. In addition, you would also be saddled with a number of unwanted, orphan entries in the Windows Registry and maybe a few unwanted Folders containing useless files as well.

 

If you believe that your brand-new, super-fast 320 GB Hard Disk can easily afford to carry a few unnecessary files of this kind, think again - for, these, specially the Registry entries, will cause a slowdown in your Computer. This is because Windows reads the Registry files at startup - and when it comes across these entries, it tries to unsuccessfully locate the corresponding programs, thus delaying system startup. (To read more about delayed System Startups, click here).

 

This is not all - each time, your Hard Disk is also being read and re-read at top speed, for the missing programs - thus causing wear and tear and early failure! Running Disk Fragmentation Utilities too does not help - the root cause of this problem is Registry entries that are not required any more! (To read more about Disk Defragmenters, click here)

 

Therefore, to uninstall a program cleanly, you need to do the following:

1. Delete the Folder under which the concerned program's files are copied.

2. Delete all entries pertaining to the program, from the Windows Registry.

3. Delete all Backups, Initialization files, and other miscellaneous files of the program, wherever they may have got installed on your Hard Disk.

Obviously, you would not know the location of each and every file/ Registry entry that a program creates, when it is installed onto your Hard Disk - that is something the program's developers decide! Therefore, you should uninstall a program in one of the following ways alone, so as to achieve a clean uninstall:

1. Go to Start/ Control Panel/ Add/ Remove Programs, scroll down to the program and uninstall it

2. Use the Program's built-in Uninstaller, if it comes with one

3. Use 3rd-party Uninstallers that automatically check and identify all program files, folders, Registry entries, etc., and proceeds to delete them all

More often than not, the built-in Windows Uninstaller is incapable of performing a clean uninstall of programs. This is because the program's developers do not want a clean uninstall of their program, for reason we mention below. Using the program's Uninstall feature too is no guarantee of a clean uninstall, for after all, it has been written by the program developers themselves!

 

As a result of 'un-clean' uninstalls, your Windows Registry fills up with broken entries and such junk. Such orphaned entries cause massive slow-down in starting and shutting Windows down, since Windows attempts to hunt down these non-existent programs! Your Hard Disk wears out that much faster, apart from your hair - if you are in the habit of pulling the latter when you are frustrated or impatient!