2. Reconfiguring, Repairing, or Uninstalling Software
Once you install software, you can manage its installation
using the Programs and Features page in the Control Panel. More than any
other version of Windows, Windows 7 takes advantage of the features of
the installer program used with your software. This means you’ll have
more configuration options than you otherwise would. For example,
previously, most software allowed you to rerun Setup to uninstall the program but didn’t necessarily allow you to
rerun Setup to change or repair the software. Windows 7 surfaces these
features to make it easier to manage your software.
You can use the Programs and Features page to reconfigure, repair,
or uninstall software by following these steps:
Click Start→Control Panel→Uninstall a Program under
Programs.
In the Name list, click the program you want to work with and
then select one of the following options on the toolbar:
Change, to modify the program’s configuration
Repair, to repair the program’s installation
Uninstall, to uninstall the program
Uninstall/Change, to uninstall or change a program with an
older installer program
If the uninstall process fails, you may be able to resolve the
problem simply by rerunning the Uninstaller for the program.
Occasionally, you may need to clean up after a failed uninstall. This may require removing program files
and deleting remnants of the program in the Windows registry. A program
called the Windows Installer Cleanup utility can help you clean up
the registry. You’ll find more information about the utility and the
software for downloading online at the Microsoft Support website (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301).
Windows 7 will allow you to remove only programs that were
installed with Windows-compatible setup programs. Programs designed for
Windows 2000 and earlier releases of Windows may have a separate
Uninstall utility. Some older programs work by copying their data files
to a program folder; you would then uninstall the program by deleting
the related folder.
After you uninstall a program, check the Program Files folder and
other locations for data left behind either inadvertently or by design.
Before deleting any remaining data, you should determine whether the
files contain important data or custom user settings that could be used
again if you reinstall the program.
3. Viewing and Managing Currently Running Programs
Task Manager is a handy tool for working with your
computer’s programs. You can start Task Manager by pressing
Ctrl-Alt-Delete and then selecting Start Task Manager.
You can use Task Manager to view and manage your computer’s
currently running programs and processes. You can also use Task Manager
to stop a program, which may be necessary, for instance, if a program is
not responding and you want to quit the program.
As Figure 4 shows,
Task Manager has two tabs for working with running programs:
- Applications
Lists applications you are currently running by name and
status, such as Running or Not Responding. To exit a program,
click the program in the Task list and then click End Task.
- Processes
Lists all programs and processes you are running on the
computer by image name, your username, and resource usage. To stop
a process, click the process and then click End Process.
By default, Task Manager’s Processes tab shows only your running processes. To see
running processes for all users, click “Show processes from all users”
and provide consent or credentials if prompted. You’ll then see all
processes running on the computer. You will also be able to right-click
a process and select from an extended list of management options,
including:
- Open File Location
Opens the folder containing the executable file for the
process in Windows Explorer
- End Process
Stops the process
- End Process Tree
Stops the process and all dependent processes
- UAC Virtualization
Allows you to modify UAC virtualization settings as may be
necessary for debugging
- Create Dump File
Creates a memory dump file for the selected
process
- Properties
Opens the Properties dialog box for the executable
file
