Using XP to take programs off your PC

Windows XP includes an uninstall utility that takes the pain out of removing unneeded or obsolete versions of a program from your computer. To uninstall a program installed with Windows XP, follow these steps.

1. Click the Start button and then click Control Panel to open the Control Panel window.

2. In the Category view where you see a list of Control panel categories, click the Add or Remove Programs hyperlink to open the Add or Remove Programs dialog box. In the Classic view where you see individual Control panel icons, double-click the Add or Remove Programs icon.

3. Click the Change or Remove Programs button on the left side of the Add or Remove dialog box to display the Currently Installed Programs list box.

4. Click the program you want to remove in the Currently Installed Programs list box (when you click a program name, the description expands to include a Change/Remove button or separate Change and Remove buttons).

5. Click the Change/Remove button or the Remove button if Change and Remove are separate.

6. Click the OK button in the alert dialog box that appears to confirm your removal of the program.

7. When the Uninstaller finishes removing the program, click the Close button to close the Add or Remove Programs dialog box and to return to the Control Panel window.

Use the Windows XP uninstaller to get rid of any unwanted program that you've installed with the Add or Remove Programs Control Panel. Using this utility to remove a program (rather than just deleting the program folder) ensures that all vestiges of the program are removed from the system and that you get back every byte of storage space to which you're entitled.