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Removing Software
In Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7, removing software you no longer need or want is quite straight-forward. The first thing you should check is whether the software has it's own un-install facility.
Built-in Un-install feature
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| To do this, click 'Start' - 'All programs' - then look for the name of the software. Here is an example of how it may look.
Here we are looking at Ashampoo's version of WinOptimizer 2007. You will notice there is an un-installation feature built in to the software. |
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| To remove the software from your computer, just click on 'Unistall' and follow the on-screen instructions.
At the end of the process you may be asked to re-start (re-boot) your computer. This is quite normal, and finalises the un-installation. |
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Un-install feature not built in
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| If the software does not show a built-in un-installation feature, you will have to use Windows. First, click on 'Start' - 'Control Panel' - 'Add/remove programs'.
The icon looks like the one shown here (in XP). Double-click the icon and another window will open. It takes a few seconds to 'populate' - showing all the programmes currently installed on your computer. You may want to expand the window to full screen to get a better look at the list. |
Scroll down through the list of programmes until you find the one you want to remove. Highlight the programme by clicking it ONCE. On the right-hand side will be a button that says 'Change/remove' - you need to click this button and the un-installation will start.
Are you sure?
Usually you will be asked (whichever method you choose) if you are sure you want to remove the software completely. If you are sure, just click yes or OK, whatever it asks you for confirmation, then follow the on-screen instructions. As before, you may be asked to re-boot the computer (in other words switch the computer off then on again).
Windows Vista & Windows 7
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To remove a programme from Vista or 7, the sequence is more or less the same as with XP, except they have changed the location of the list of programmes from 'Add/Remove Programs' in the Control Panel, to a new section called 'Programs & Features', again in the Control Panel. Nobody really knows why Microsoft did this!
Open up 'Programs and Features', then select the programme you want to remove by either double-clicking it, or clicking it once and select 'Uninstall' from the list of options at the top of the list. |