Article ID : 00023772 / Last Modified : 10/31/2013Print

How to uninstall programs that do not have an uninstall utility.

    Programs designed for the MS-DOS® and Windows® 3.x operating systems, or 32-bit applications that do not have an uninstall utility need to be manually uninstalled.

    To ensure accurate and safe manual removal of a program, contact the program's manufacturer or refer to the instructions that accompanied the program.

    WARNING: There is a risk of software corruption. Installed programs can add to or alter the content of the registry, system files, and various .INI files. Manual editing of these files to uninstall a program may adversely affect other programs or the operating system, making them inoperable.

    There is also a risk of data loss. Improper editing of system files can cause the operating system to become inoperable, and may require a format and recovery of the hard drive. A format and recovery will delete all data on the hard drive.

    NOTE: When a program is installed it often saves files into several locations on the hard drive. This includes the directory created by the program, the Windows directory, and possibly others.