{"id":2450,"date":"2019-03-26T07:00:30","date_gmt":"2019-03-26T11:00:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/langa.com\/?p=2450"},"modified":"2019-03-26T06:52:27","modified_gmt":"2019-03-26T10:52:27","slug":"a-reader-asks-what-should-i-do-with-files-that-are-left-on-my-system-i-uninstall-an-app","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/2019\/03\/26\/a-reader-asks-what-should-i-do-with-files-that-are-left-on-my-system-i-uninstall-an-app\/","title":{"rendered":"A reader asks: “What should I do with files that are left on my system I uninstall an app?”"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

You usually can delete them, carefully.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes, leftover files are just sloppy programming \u2014 the app\u2019s uninstall routine doesn\u2019t target and remove everything that the app added to the system. D\u2019oh!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes, the files are left in anticipation of future need. For example, if an app requires a somewhat uncommon Windows component, that component may be installed when the app itself is first installed. But, because it\u2019s a Windows component, the app won\u2019t uninstall it automatically, in case some other app is using that component. But if you know no other app is using that component, you can uninstall it, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes, it\u2019s deliberate \u2014 a bit of code left behind as a marker, so future installs of that app will see that the app has already been installed on that system. (This is often used by \u201cfree trial\u201d apps, so you can\u2019t keep reinstalling the trial for extended free use.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes, it\u2019s just a plain error by the software or the programmers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes, it\u2019s a malware payload left behind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can prevent garbage files and settings from accumulating through routine use of various cleanup apps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Windows 7\/8\/10, for example, you can use the classic (and soon-to-be-retired) Disk Cleanup Tool<\/strong> (info<\/a>); or in Win10, two new cleanup options<\/strong> (info<\/a>). You also can use any of the many available cleanup tools that can clean out junk files and obsolete entries in the Registry. CCleaner<\/strong> (free\/paid; info<\/a>) is perhaps the most popular of these.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However you do it, it’s smart to keep your PC relatively free from junk\/unwanted\/obsolete files!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Permalink: https:\/\/langa.com\/?p=2450<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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(Want free notification of new content? Click<\/em> <\/strong>here<\/a><\/b>!)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

You usually can delete them, carefully. Sometimes, leftover files are just sloppy programming \u2014 the app\u2019s uninstall routine doesn\u2019t target and remove everything that the app added to the system. D\u2019oh! Sometimes, the files are left in anticipation of future need. For example, if an app requires a somewhat uncommon Windows component, that component may…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[7,5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2450","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-a-reader-asks","category-windows"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paaiox-Dw","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2150,"url":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/2019\/02\/28\/a-reader-asks-if-you-uninstall-a-virus-could-it-still-work-if-youve-already-opened-it\/","url_meta":{"origin":2450,"position":0},"title":"A reader asks: “If you uninstall a virus, could it still work if you’ve already opened it?”","author":"Fred Langa","date":"2019-02-28","format":false,"excerpt":"Removing active malware will stop it from doing further or future local damage, but that's all. You may still have trouble left over from the original, now-removed infection source. For example, removing ransomware from your PC or phone won't automatically decrypt your files --- they'll still be inaccessible. You'll have\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "A reader asks..."","block_context":{"text":"A reader asks...","link":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/category\/a-reader-asks\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":3467,"url":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/2019\/09\/24\/my-laptop-mouse-keyboard-is-not-working-in-windows7-after-an-update-but-they-still-work-fine-in-safe-mode-what-should-i-do\/","url_meta":{"origin":2450,"position":1},"title":"“My laptop mouse\/keyboard is not working in Windows7 after an update; but they still work fine in Safe Mode. What should I do?”","author":"Fred Langa","date":"2019-09-24","format":false,"excerpt":"Sounds like driver trouble. Something in your regular Win7 drivers isn\u2019t working with the new update; but when your PC falls back to generic drivers (as in Safe Mode), things apparently work OK again. Option 1) Go to your laptop maker\u2019s support site; download (but don\u2019t yet install) the correct\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "A reader asks..."","block_context":{"text":"A reader asks...","link":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/category\/a-reader-asks\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/driver-location-and-name.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/driver-location-and-name.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/driver-location-and-name.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/driver-location-and-name.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3105,"url":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/2019\/07\/19\/what-if-i-uninstall-an-uninstaller-program-with-the-same-uninstaller-program\/","url_meta":{"origin":2450,"position":2},"title":"“What if I uninstall an uninstaller program with the same uninstaller program?”","author":"Fred Langa","date":"2019-07-19","format":false,"excerpt":"Ah, the ouroboros thing \u2014 software eating its own tail, or something. :) If everything works as it should, the uninstaller should successfully uninstall itself, no big deal. Because the uninstaller is running, some of its in-use files may not be able to be properly removed right away. If everything\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "A reader asks..."","block_context":{"text":"A reader asks...","link":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/category\/a-reader-asks\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Ouroboros.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Ouroboros.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Ouroboros.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Ouroboros.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4109,"url":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/2020\/01\/23\/what-applications-do-windows-laptops-come-with-that-can-be-uninstalled\/","url_meta":{"origin":2450,"position":3},"title":"“What applications do Windows laptops come with that can be uninstalled?”","author":"Fred Langa","date":"2020-01-23","format":false,"excerpt":"(Answer requested by Ryan Nugent) In my experience, all of them. Windows 10's various Reset and Fresh Start options can strip away most or all (your choice) of the preinstalled software on any Windows PC. You'll be left with a PC running as \"pure\" and unmodified a Windows setup as\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "A reader asks..."","block_context":{"text":"A reader asks...","link":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/category\/a-reader-asks\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/reset-dialog.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/reset-dialog.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/reset-dialog.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/reset-dialog.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":628,"url":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/2018\/10\/05\/a-reader-asks-why-does-disk-defrag-fail-despite-plenty-of-room\/","url_meta":{"origin":2450,"position":4},"title":"A reader asks: Why does Disk Defrag fail, despite plenty of room?","author":"Fred Langa","date":"2018-10-05","format":false,"excerpt":"Reader Oystein Ravner asks (via the CONTACT link): Hi Fred! I am glad you are back! Problem: W7 Disk Defragmenter. System Disk is successfully analyzed, but with result 41% fragmented. Clicking \u2018Defragment Disk\u2019 leads to nothing. System Disk has capacity 100MB, free 70%, status Healthy. Why is there no defrag\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "A reader asks..."","block_context":{"text":"A reader asks...","link":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/category\/a-reader-asks\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/win7-clean-up-system-files2.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1716,"url":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/2019\/01\/24\/a-reader-asks-my-hard-drive-is-too-slow-but-i-cant-afford-to-upgrade-to-ssd-of-equivalent-size-what-can-i-do\/","url_meta":{"origin":2450,"position":5},"title":"A reader asks: “My hard drive is too slow, but I can’t afford to upgrade to an equivalent SSD. What can I do?”","author":"Fred Langa","date":"2019-01-24","format":false,"excerpt":"First, be sure your hard drive is the true bottleneck: If you're using Windows, open Task Manager\/More Details and select the Performance tab. 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