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Figure 17-14 Add New Programs

If you have sufficient permissions to install an application—your account is a member of the Administrators group in Windows 2000, for example, or is an Administrator Account in Windows XP and up—the application will begin its installation routine. If you don’t have sufficient permissions to install an application, Windows will stop the installation.

With Windows Vista/7, UAC complicates the installation process a bit. You will most likely be prompted by UAC when installing an application to give you time to review what is happening to your system in case you did not approve of the program being installed. If you are using an administrator account, you can simply click Continue and finish the installation. Should you be logged in with a less privileged account, you will need to enter a user name and password of an account with administrative privileges. Some installers have trouble letting UAC know that they need more privileges and simply fail no matter what account you are logged in with. In those cases it is best to right-click the installer icon and select Run as Administrator to give the installer the access it expects from the start.

Assuming all is well, you typically first must accept the terms of a software license before you can install an application. These steps are not optional; the installation simply won’t proceed until you accept all terms the software manufacturer requires and, in many cases, enter a correct code. You may also be asked to make several decisions during the installation process. For example, you may be asked where you would like to install the program and if you would like certain optional components installed. Generally speaking, it is best to accept the suggested settings unless you have a very specific reason for changing the defaults.

Removing Software

Each installed application program takes up space on your computer’s hard drive, and programs that you no longer need simply waste space that could be used for other purposes. Removing unnecessary programs can be an important piece of optimization.

You remove a program from a Windows PC in much the same manner as you install it. That is, you use the application’s own uninstall program when possible. You normally find the uninstall program listed under the application’s icon on the Start Menu, as shown in Figure 17-15.

Figure 17-15 Uninstall me!

If an uninstall program is not available, use the appropriate Windows Control Panel applet to remove the software. Figure 17-16 shows this applet in Windows Vista. You select the program you want to remove and click the Uninstall/Change button or Change/Remove button. Windows displays a message warning you that the program will be permanently removed from your PC. If you’re certain you want to continue, click Yes.

Figure 17-16 Programs and Features applet

You may then see a message telling you that a shared file that appears to no longer be in use is about to be deleted, and asking your approval. Generally speaking, it’s safe to delete such files. If you do not delete them, they will likely be orphaned and remain unused on your hard disk forever. In some cases, clicking the Uninstall/Change or Change/Remove button starts the application’s install program (the one you couldn’t find before) so you can modify the installed features. This is a function of the program you’re attempting to remove. The end result should be the removal of the application and all of its pieces and parts, including files and Registry entries.

Adding or Removing Windows Components/Features

When you installed Windows, it tried to guess which optional Windows components you would need. It installed Notepad, modem support, and games on your computer. You can remove these Windows components from your system if you like, and add other components as well. If you’re adding components, you’ll need a copy of your Windows CD/DVD, or another location where the Windows source files are stored. This task really hasn’t changed from