Programs And Their Locations

[Deleted]

Scratching my head..there are some days where I feel like I just turned on a computer for the first time?!

Question or discussion (perhaps more appropriate) about the different locations programs are found.

Of late I have been clearing up space on a hard drive. To do this I went into control panel and took a look at Add/Remove Programs
to see what I might be willing to get rid of. Ok, that task was done.

Next I took a look in My Computer; right clicked on my C: Drive and then the Program folder to see if it matched.. and this incredible host of programs are living within
this folder that are not in my Add/Remove Programs?

In fact, there were programs (e.g. AVG, Avira, Nero, etc.) that had been "removed" from the hard drive still in the Program Folder?

I'm feeling like I'm missing a part of the operating system puzzle?

Thank you for any help..for now I'd love to hear any discussion from you experts before I go on a Google chase. :wub:

nandemoh

[Deleted]

Hi nandemoh
Were these the actual program or just a folder for that program? A lot of times when a program is uninstalled, it does not remove their folder and these have to be manually removed

[Deleted]

Thanks..I believe you are correct Butch.  What a frustration to have to "manually" remove a program folder on the actual drive once the program is
removed?

I'm curious as to how many folks keep a list of what they have removed in add/remove programs, then go after the remaining "living rent free"
folders and such hanging out on the hard drive! :blush:

[Wingman]

Yes, unfortunately some of these uninstall processes, don't remove the "parent" folder. Sometimes, the uninstaller lets you know that "not all items were removed" and you have the option to see the details. Usually (as Butch indicated) its an empty folder.

[Deleted]

I've never researched to find an example of the actual process that takes place when a program is installed. It would be fun to find something along the lines of a "flow chart!" Who knows, maybe I'll come upon something and can post it back here in case there are any other readers who find some of the software program installations a bit of a puzzlement!

I certainly appreciate both of your responses, thank you!