Sometime you find out that you can’t remove programs from your computer and uninstalling them is hard. This may happen due to any reason like
- Uninstall file missing in software driver.
- Uninstallation modified or changed
- Uninstall asking for a file which is not found
- Unsucessful installations
- Virus infections
Here are some of the guide which will help your in removing programs from XP, Vista and Windows 7.
1. Windows Add and Remove Program
All the programs that you install in your Windows have uninstall program application in ‘Add or Remove Programs’ in XP and Programs and Features in Windows Vista and Windows 7, normally its located in Control Panel of your windows. Now whenever you wanted to uninstall a program its first & the foremost thing to do is check out for uninstall at windows default application. If this doesn’t work then you can proceed with the other alternatives.
3. From List of Applications and Software’s
In the list of applications and software available or installed in your computer you also get the uninstall options directly there. Almost all the software provide this options and you can uninstall program from here too. In Windows XP to launch this click on ‘Start’ and then ‘All programs’.
2. Reinstall the program again
The windows default program uninstaller generally fails due to incomplete or corrupted program installations. So what happens is during the incomplete installation it might be possible that uninstaller of it is not added and by reinstalling the program on your PC it might add up that. Now check through windows remove program, even if doesn’t work during re-installation you would have an option to uninstall.
3. Search for Installer
If you can’t remove the program from the Control Panel using ‘Add and remove programs’ then you need to look out for installer main source file and check the for option like uninst/uninst.exe or unwise/ unwise.exe. Also check out any readme or ini files that might refer to the program’s installation, open that and it might help you to remove that particular software from your computer.
4. Get Some help
The next best and the possible solution for you to look out is for the program documentation or official website for uninstallation instructions or manual removal help. If you have purchased licensed software then take the help of the customer support of the provider and they should surely help you although they will ask to fill out surveys in order to make them better or any person dislike about the program.
5. Remove programs using AppRemover
AppRemover is a free utility which uninstalls programs and security applications like anti virus & anti spywares from your computer. AppRemover is a simple, clean and effective applications. This is quite helpful when you have installed more than one anti virus on your computer and its sure that both of them would be blocking each other as a result you can’t really modify them. In that case AppRemover is the application that you are looking for.
6. Uninstall using IOBit Uninstaller
IOBit Uninstaller is a free light weight portable application that might just help you to remove a program from your computer which you can’t easily remove. You can use it in standard mode for a basic uninstall or choose advanced mode for leftover registry entries and files, making sure that those have been deleted from your computer.
This software creates a restore point where you can undo changes if you find something unexpected. The forced uninstall options will remove all the program which can’t also be removed by basic and advanced mode here.
7. Closing Running processes
Soem programs refuses to uninstall because other windows utility are using the particular software during the installation process. The best solution to solve this program is to find out and close the application and if it still doesn’t work from the Windows Task Manager kill the particular process if you know and proceed with the uninstallation. If it still doesn’t work restart your PC and continue the uninstallation procedure.
8. Remove the files manually
If you know what you are doing and if you think you can edit the files safely then proceed to remove files manually by going to Program Files folder in Windows which will have all the installed program and remove all the files under that particular file. This solution is however not recommended but may sometime delete the programs which are causing your trouble.
9. Monitor Future Installs
The best solution to avoid this kind of problems in the future is to use Comodo Program Manager. This monitors all programs during installation enabling you to easily remove them even if problem occurs during installation or fails to provide uninstaller file.
This program also removed unsuccessful drivers updates from your computer so that you don’t get meshed up.
Now by following all the 9 possible solution mentioned above you can find out the solution but if you are still facing the problem then its time to purchase a Uninstaller software or the ultimate solution is to format your drive and reinstall Windows again.
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