Deleting files


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Old 02-11-06, 05:37 AM
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Deleting files

Good Morning, I have a question regarding "deleting left over files" from programs that I have removed. I have been deleting them from "start>find>files or folders>search" and deleting the left over files from there. I am been informed that I have been doing this wrong. Can anybody give me info on this proccedure and its alternatives. My system is Windows 98SE, and I also have a machine with Windows XP Home Edition. As always, thank you in advance for any info.
 
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Old 02-11-06, 06:12 AM
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If you have used the uninstall utility of Windows, or an uninstall program that came with the program, and you are now only deleting leftover files, you are fine.

If however you did not use the uninstall utility or an uninstall that came with the program then yes, you are doing this incorrectly.
 
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Old 02-11-06, 06:43 AM
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racraft: what would be the correct way to remove these files. On occasion when I remove a program via the uninstall utilities either windows or the one that came with the program, it sometime says, "program successfully uninstalled, but some files must be manually uninstalled or deleted" (or something like that). What would that proccedure be? Thanks
 
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Old 02-11-06, 06:49 AM
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Finding those files with Windows explorer and deleting them.
 
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Old 02-11-06, 06:54 AM
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racraft: Thank you very much
 
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Old 02-11-06, 08:40 AM
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Be careful of one thing: often programs install "newer" versions of files that are already there, operating system files. If you delete the wrong thing you could hose you're system. I don't recommend deleting anything from the windows or windows/system folders unless you really know what you're doing.

Deleting anything in a directory that the program created, and deleting that entire directory, should be safe.
 
 

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