"Uninstalling" a PC Program is Often Incomplete

Installing a new software application on your personal computer is usually easy. It's just a matter of following directions on the box or letting the program's "install wizard" guide you step by step through the process.

But, getting rid of program that has been installed on your computer is not always so easy. One reason is that programs often create a number of different files in different directories. Also, some alter system settings, such as making changes to the Windows' "registry file," a crucial file needed in order for the Windows operating system to function.

The first step in trying to remove a program from your PC is, of course, to use its "uninstall" utility. This can be accessed by clicking "Control Panel" and then clicking on "Add/Remove Programs". A list appears of programs installed on the computer that have the option to be uninstalled. Most of the time, this procedure will delete the program from your computer. In some instances, you may have to manually delete a "short cut" icon that remains on your "desktop" screen, from which the program could be launched quickly.

However, sometimes a program will not uninstall itself, even though it appears on the Add/Remove list and you select it for removal. Another problem is that even when a program is successfully uninstalled, remnants of files and changes it made to the system registry can be left behind.

Fortunately, there is a computer program that can uninstall stubborn programs that you can't delete using the Add/Remove option, and which can also erase unused files that were associated with programs no longer on the PC. The program is called "Ccleaner" and is available for downloading at www.ccleaner.com.

Ccleaner is a utility that cleans out files and system registry entries that have accumulated and are no longer needed. Such a clean-up task will ensure your computer runs efficiently and has increased hard drive space.

The best news is that Ccleaner is FREE! Like all freeware, a donation is appreciated and required for timely updates.