A reader asks, "I accidentally deleted a program without un-installing it. How do I remove it from the Add/ Remove Programs list?"
On Windows systems it's always best to remove software by using either the uninstaller that came with the program or the Add/Remove Programs control panel. If you merely delete the program's folder, you'll be leaving parts of it strewn around your hard drive, wasting space and causing problems.
Furthermore, the program's uninstall entry stays in the Add/Remove Programs control panel, and selecting it gets an error.
I recommend using Tweak UI to obliterate the entry. You can read about ways to install and download the program at www.winmag.com/help/sbs/2000/tweakui.
Open TweakUI in the Control Panel, click on the Add/Remove tab and delete the obsolete entry. Don't delete the Add/Remove Programs entry for an existing program, though�you may not be able to uninstall it later.
All computer users should be careful to protect themselves against the loss of data, and notebook users should be extra cautious; laptops are easier to steal and are more prone to being damaged. Windows XP Professional makes it drop-dead simple to back up your data.
To begin, click Start | All Programs | Accessories | System Tools | Backup. You can then walk through the Backup wizard to select which files you want to copy, and where you want to write the backup copy of the data.
When you get to the end of the wizard, there is an Advanced button that provides more backup options. Here you can choose normal or copy (these both back up all marked files every time), incremental or differential (both of these options back up all files that have been changed since the last backup), or daily (which backs up all of the files that were created that day). Copy and differential don't mark the files as having been backed up.
As you continue through the wizard, you can specify other options, such as setting up a daily backup schedule that runs automatically.
This shouldn't be news. We have huge hard drives with tons of data and programs, and they need to be organized periodically�we recommend at least once a month. Schedule disk defragging using the Task Scheduler (in the Accessories section of the Start menu) and you'll never have to think about defragging again.
Several of the tips in this series require modifying the Registry. Be very careful! Tampering with system files can cause problems if not done properly. To be safe, back up the Registry and other critical files before making any changes.
Microsoft makes this easy. Just select Start and click Programs in Win Me or All Programs in Win XP. Select Accessories and System Tools and System Restore. Choose Create a restore point and Next. Give the restore point a description, and press Next in Win Me or Create in Win XP.
If your system develops any problems and you can still get into Windows, follow these steps to get back to System Restore, and choose Restore my computer to an earlier time. If Windows will not boot, press F8 as soon as the operating system starts trying to load. If you're running Win Me, boot to Safe Mode and run System Restore. In Windows XP, you can use Safe Mode or choose Last Known Good Configuration.
If you repeatedly tweak the same keys in the Registry, use the Registry's Favorites menu. Choose Favorites | Add To Favorites. The next time you need to edit the key, open the Registry Editor, select Favorites, and pick from the list. (Note: If Defrag errors out, make sure only Explorer and Systray are running.)