Have you ever installed a program and then, at some future point, unsuccessfully tried to remove it? You are not alone—it is a fact that sometimes things can get "gunked up" in your system so much that Windows refuses to allow a program to be uninstalled. This can be very frustrating.
The problem is actually caused by errant or corrupted information stored in the Registry. (The Windows Registry is the central repository of information related to what is on your system and how each of those elements should behave.) Recognizing this problem, Microsoft decided to make available a nifty little program that can automatically repair the corrupted or problem areas for you. It is called Microsoft Fix It.
To use the program, you first need to download it from this Microsoft website:
http://support.microsoft.com/mats/Program_Install_and_Uninstall
Once installed, run the program and you are led through a series of steps that can help track down and fix the problems. It does this by identifying all the programs on your system and then letting you choose what you want removed. The tool is particularly good for things like outdated Java updates that are notorious for refusing to uninstall.
This tip (9958) applies to Windows 7, 8, and 10.
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