/ When to Uninstall Unwanted Programs

When to Uninstall Unwanted Programs

I have one or two programs (such as photo editing) which I don’t use. Do these slow my computer down and should I uninstall them? Celeste Stewart

Unwanted Programs

Many of us buy computers that come preloaded with programs that we don’t want. In addition, when we buy products such as printers and digital cameras, these often come with additional programs that install along with the primary software. Each year, we must install a new tax program in order to do our income taxes because the tax laws change so much from one year to the next. The more we use the Internet, the more we find must-have programs that turn out not to be so great after all. Soon, our computers are loaded with software that we never use!

Do Unwanted Programs Slow Computers Down?

Unwanted programs can slow computers down in several main ways. One, just by hanging out on the hard drive, they are contributing to clutter. The operating system uses hard drive space as a resource, so if space is at a premium, it makes sense to free it up. Another way that unwanted programs slow computers is if these programs are set to load automatically with Windows. For example, if you don’t use a program such as QuickTime, but it loads each time you start Windows, that’s a waste of your computer’s memory. Finally, programs that you don’t use may conflict with those that you do use. This may not be obvious in most cases, but it is possible. If conflicts exist, your computer may run slower than expected or errors may appear.

Uninstalling Unwanted Programs

Since you don’t use or want these programs, go ahead and remove them, making sure to remove them using appropriate tools. For example, Windows XP has a built-in tool for removing programs called Add and Remove Programs. This is found in the Control Panel. Simply click the Add and Remove Programs icon, find the unwanted program in the list and highlight it. Once selected, click the Remove button. Follow the prompts.

But wait! If you see a warning message asking for permission to remove “shared program files” that are no longer needed, avoid the temptation to allow these shared components to be removed. Removing shared program files such as DLL files can lead to problems when other programs really do need them.

In some cases, an unwanted program won’t be listed in Add and Remove Programs. In these cases, look in the program’s folder to see if an uninstall file has been included. If not, use a program such as Perfect Uninstaller to remove the program.