In general all computer users to install various software programs regularly. Sometimes they keep them and sometimes they decide to remove them.
Remove a program in Windows, we uninstall it from Control Panel, but many times the standard delete utility provided by the program does not completely remove the program. The lefts some entries in the Windows registry, some files in different folders on your hard disk drives.
These leftovers could slow down your system and it makes no sense to keep them in your system.
There are many 3rd party software such as Revo uninstaller, etc available on the Internet who claim that the complete removal of a software program in Windows, but sometimes failure also completely remove this software a software from your system.
We here at AskVG always try to the things to do today, so in this tutorial we're going to share some easy-to-use steps that you to completely remove a software program in Windows will help.
So without wasting time lets start the tutorial. We've taken Mozilla Firefox as an example in this tutorial:
We have divided this tutorial in 4 steps:
PanelDelete with control remaining in files and folders from the Windows Temp folder ProgramRemove RegistryEmpty delete keys SoftwareStep 1: removing the Software via the control panel
The first thing first! Remove the software using the Windows Control Panel.
Windows XP:
Open the Control Panel, double-click "Add/Remove Programs", select the name of the program and click on Uninstall button. It will delete.
Windows Vista/7:
Open Control Panel, click "programs and features", select the name of the program and click on Uninstall button.
Step 2: Delete Remaining files and folders of the program
Although you have removed the software via the Control Panel, some a few files of this program is still in system folders.
Delete those leftovers, you must place a check mark after folders:
% ProgramFiles%
% appdata%
If you have a folder with the name of the software program that you deleted using 1st step, delete.
Note: You have to type the above text in RUN or Start menu search box and press Enter. It will open the folder directly.
The Program Files folder:
Application Data Folder:
Note 2: 64-bit system users will also want to check the folder "c: Program Files (x 86)". We assume here that your Windows is installed in c: drive. If you have installed Windows in a different drive, replace c: by drive letter.
Step 3: Remove Software keys from the Windows registry
You have to be careful while after this step. Perform this step only if you are familiar with Windows registry and Registry Editor if you have used in the past.
If you uninstall a program, many times the entry in the Windows registry is not removed by the uninstaller. It can Windows registry size increase.
Completely remove the software, you must also delete the key from the Windows registry.
1. regedit Type in the start menu run or search box, and then press Enter. The Registry Editorwill open.
2. Now go to the following keys one by one:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE
HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Software
64-bit system users will also want to check after extra key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node
Once you get to the above mentioned keys, find a key with the name of your non-installed software. If you find a key, delete.
Sometimes the name of the key may be based on the company name or the name so if you suspect that a developer key, fold it, and then verify that are associated with the uninstalled software program. If so, you can delete it.
PS: Make sure to take a backup before deleting anything from Windows registry so that you can restore it later if something goes wrong. Take to backup, right-click the key that you are going to delete "export" and select. It will save one..Reg file that contains the backup that key.
PS2: Expert users can also copy all of the key with the name of the non-installed software using "Ctrl + F" search and delete them. You must be very careful for it. Remove the key only if you are absolutely sure that the key was created by the non-installed software.
Step 4: empty Temp folder
Finally Temp that you can also empty folder contains temporary files and cleaning of this folder is absolutely safe.
Empty the Temp folder, type following in RUN one at a time or start menu search box, and then press Enter:
% temp%
Temp
The Temp folders will open. You can empty them. If Windows gives errors while deleting a few files, let them. These files can be used by some current software or Windows services.
That's it. After following the above steps, you will be able to completely uninstall and remove Windows a software program.
Do you have a question or suggestion, feel free to post them in your comment ...
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