Jul 12, 2012
“Windows comes with a lot of programs that I don’t use — things like Windows DVD Maker and Purble Place. These programs take up space on my computer’s hard drive, and yet they don’t seem to be there when I click “Programs and Features.” How do I remove these programs?”
The items that come with Windows are called Windows components. These programs don’t show up on the standard program list, but you can find them on a separate screen called the Windows Features screen. Using these screen, you can remove unwanted Windows components, free up some extra hard drive space and make your Start menu a little easier to navigate.
Windows 7 and Windows Vista
Open the Start Menu and type programs in the field at the bottom.- Click the Add or remove programs icon (Programs and Features in Windows Vista). This displays the Programs and Features screen.
- Click Turn Windows features on or off on the left side. This displays a new window containing a list of installed Windows components. Some items have multiple sub-components; to see the sub-components, click the plus sign by an item’s name.
- Clear the check from the box next to the component you want to remove.
- Click OK. Windows removes the selected components and closes the window.
Windows XP
Open the Start Menu and click Control Panel.- Double-click the Add or Remove Programs icon. This displays the Add or Remove Programs screen.
- Click Add/Remove Windows Components on the left side. This displays a new window containing a list of installed Windows components. Some items have multiple sub-components; to see the sub-components, click the Details button at the bottom of the window after clicking the item’s name.
- Clear the check from the box next to the component you want to remove.
- Click OK to return to the previous window if you removed a component after clicking the Details button.
- Click Next when you are finished removing components. Windows removes the selected components and displays a confirmation screen.
- Click Finish.
