Robert said:
I have old slow computer that I would like to remove programs with
by control panel from add and remove. From control panel When I try to
remove programs I don't get the entire program out of the
computers system.
To remove programs would anyone know of a free safe piece of
software that I could download to remove programs with in the
future? Not programs that I have tried to remove unsuccessfully. But
programs that will be removed soon?
If your expectations are that removing programs will make your
computer faster, that is *not* correct. What you run affects your
speed, not what you have installed.
Two questions for you:
1. What programs are not being removed entirely?
2. Exactly what parts of them are not removed?
I disagree.
if the system only has windows
running and if that system has
minimal memory requirements.
the system will run faster with
the above configuration.
Shenan said:
In your response, one would gather that you are assuming everything
that the OP wishes to uninstall is running during the operation of
the machine. One can install 7-ZIP and it will not influence the
performance of the machine unless started up and left running. Same goes
for Firefox. Similarly for Photoshop. Practically any
game (of any type) would be the same.
Now - if the hard disk drive space is low (extremely) and the
installed memory is insufficient (not enough to even start up
Windows and the 'always-running applications' without dipping into
the virtual memory pool) - then your supposition is correct -
uninstalling applications to free up disk space for use in virtual
memory could speed up the system if the space had been so tight
it could not provide sufficient space for the virtual memory it needed.
IMHO, assuming the OP is only wanting to uninstall applications that
run at all times and/or their disk space is so tight it could be
causing the issue I presented is a pretty extreme jump, IMO.
In the end - being an 'old slow computer' that the OP obviously
wants to improve the performance of and given their desire to
uninstall several things they are obviously having trouble getting
rid of - I would suggest that the biggest benefit (if
plausible/possible for the OP to do) would come from a clean
installation of Windows (XP we assume from location of the posting
only) and minimal resident (running actively at all times)
applications. Windows XP with Service Pack 3 and most post-SP3
updates (all critical/security at least - IMO IE8, Windows/Office
Live stuff could safely be ignored on this machine) and a
simple/small AntiVirus application with the latest hardware drivers
available would do nicely. Maybe flash the BIOS and throw a little
extra memory (RAM) at the computer if it is really that short on
resources (being old, it may be - could have less than 512MB memory
- and although it can be argued that is enough for some - it can be
argued that having 'extraneous' memory, unused at a given point in
time, may not necessarily be a waste - as it is possible every so
often one might benefit from the extra (maybe 512MB-1GB for Windows
XP - especially in this case.))
However - I believe the answer was given to the OP directly for
what they asked elsewhere. I will not repeat the answer, as it is
easily found and I don't want to imply that I believe it may be
right for this poster. In truth - I don't know - as I would need
more information (some idea of the hardware specs of the machine -
processor speed, amount of memory, amount of HDD space (total/free)
- some of the applications trying to be removed from the machine
(the ones that have failed to be fully removed, in particular), the
OS actually installed, the OPs ability (or inability) to cleanly
install the OS/needed applications back on the machine in question
if needed/desired, etc.)
you are correct "if" the computer is optimal.
therefore I don't completely agree with your
rationale.
--------------------------------
the o.p.s isn't optimal, thus the reason for uninstalling
programs.
if the o.p's computer was running fine, then there
would be no bother with uninstalling programs and
the inversly the o.p. would install even more programs.
therefore, because my conclusion is that o.p.'s computer
is below par I provided an argument to ken's observation
based on my rationale for "baseline performance"
baseline performance dictates, that if "1" program
is running on a computer,
the computer will be logically faster than having
two or more programs and their processes running.
thus, there is correlation to the amount of processes
running and the amount of resources available.
Optimal, eh?
Actually - the op could have a computer that was running horribly and
uninstalling 7-Zip, FireFox, etc (anything that did not have an active
component running at all times) would have no effect (good or bad) on the
total performance of the machine (except in the case of space - like I had
pointed out.) If the program is not running, it is not affecting
performance beyond the use of space. If the machine has sufficient space
(which was my other point - we need more information to properly assist the
OP) - a non-running installed application has the same impact on the system
performance as a non-opened text file sitting on the desktop.
Uninstalling applications that do not run unless you call upon them to do so
will not assist in improving the performance of the machine unless space is
the issue.
Ken's original statement,
"If your expectations are that removing programs will make your
computer faster, that is *not* correct. What you run affects your
speed, not what you have installed."
Matches with what you have said in *this* response.
Ken was speaking of the same difference I am. An installed application (not
running) will not affect your performance (unless you are low on space) and
that is *exactly* what you seem to be saying as well.
The OP (and you) have to understand the difference between an installed
application (a bunch of static, unused files) versus an installed and
running application (what you deem "amount of processes running"). Unless
the appllication is running 0 it is not affecting the performance of the
machine. Not all applications have parts that run at all times - it seems
to me that Ken may have just been letting the OP know that uninstalling
random software packages is not the solution to a performance issue -
especially if said applications are never run.
Now - having said that it is *always* my suggestion for people to properly
uninstall any applications they do not plan to use - not because of
performance issues but for two simple reasons:
1) Cleanliness and organization - the less stuff on their hard drive, the
less time some maintenenace tasks (like backups and defragmentations and the
likes) will take. That is not a measure of performance. Your vehicle may
perform perfectly, be perfectly tuned - but if you take the crowded/long
route to work (even though the speed limit is the same as the shorter/less
crowded route) - then the performance of your car is not the problem - it
still had the same perfectly running engine, nicely tuned, with the same
amount of weight - it's just a bad-decision on your part - not a reflection
of a flaw in the machine.
2) Future compatibility issue elimination - the less things you have
installed, the less the chance something else you install in the future
might break either the original application or be broken by the current
installed application. Some applications want to share DLLs, etc - and some
will replace these DLLs with their version the one they need) upon
installation. This is not a performance issue - but a incompatibility
between two applications issue.
In other words, your response to Ken was *not* a disagreement at all. You
agreed. You said you disagreed, and *that* I disagree with.
Ken said,
"If your expectations are that removing programs will make your
computer faster, that is *not* correct. What you run affects your
speed, not what you have installed."
You said,
"if the system only has windows
running and if that system has
minimal memory requirements.
the system will run faster with
the above configuration."
Same thing.
What is affecting the speed of the computer is what is running/open
processes - not what is installed. If it is not running - it is not
affecting the speed of the computer. Uninstalling something that does not
run unless told to will not increase the speed of the computer.
Technically - nothing short of new hardware and/or modification of the
hardware timing will actually increase the speed - it is merely increasing
the resultant use of the maximum speed - the observation the user has when
using the computer. A 1.0GHz single core processor is still a 1.0GHz single
core processor - but it can finish one thing with a given processor
utilization need level faster than two things of same given processor
utilization need level at the same time - if that processor utilization need
level is above 50% of the processor's time (say 75%).
