Windows XP Home Edition: The Missing Manual

Uninstalling Software

When you’ve had enough of a certain program, and want to reclaim the disk space it occupies, don’t just delete its folder. The typical application installer tosses its software components like birdseed all over your hard drive; therefore, only some of it is actually in the program’s folder.

Instead, ditch software you no longer need using the "Add or Remove Programs" program described earlier. Click the Change or Remove Programs button at the top left, and then proceed as shown in Figure 6-15.

Tip

If you’re using Fast User Switching (see Section 16-6), don’t delete a program until you’ve ensured that it isn’t running in somebody else’s account behind the scenes.

Even after you uninstall a program, the folder that contained it may still exist, especially if it contains documents that you created while the program was still alive. If you’re sure you won’t need those documents, it’s safe to remove the folder, along with the remaining files inside it.

Tip

If the program you want to jettison isn’t listed in the Add/Remove Programs dialog box, contact the manufacturer for removal instructions, if possible. You’ll probably be advised to delete the software the low-tech way: by dragging the program’s folder to the Recycle Bin.