| Downloading the software:
Most software available for downloading from the Web is usually contained in one or more files into which all the files necessary to install the software have been packed. The downloadable files will normally have the extension of .exe.
Always download files from the web into their own directory within a temporary directory on your hard drive. This will ensure that the files are easily identifiable. To do this:
* Open Windows Explorer or My Computer
* Create a folder within the temp folder on your hard drive, called, for example,
"download".
Click on the appropriate link to download and save the file to the folder, i.e.
c:\temp\download.
If you have a FREE version or Evaluation version of the software
installed - it must FIRST BE UNINSTALLED:
There are two ways to uninstall
a program; the wrong way and the right way. Unfortunately,
though, too many people uninstall a program using the wrong ways, which
can lead to poor performance and problems on the computer. These wrong
ways are delete the program's folder or just deleting the icons. When
you attempt to remove a program in this way, there will be a large
amount of configuration information left in the Windows Registry as well
as files that may be installed in locations other than the program's
folder. These orphan files and Registry data have the chance of causing
conflicts on your computer thus leading to problems.
The proper way to uninstall a program is to use the uninstall routine
that is bundled with the program itself. This will remove the files,
Windows Registry information, and other configuration from your computer
so that there are no conflicts in the future. When a program is
installed in Windows, it will add information to the Windows Registry on
the proper way to uninstall it. You can then use Windows Vista's
Programs and Features control panel to properly uninstall the program.
This tutorial will walk you through using this control panel so that you
uninstall programs correctly. This method has not changed too much from
previous version of Windows, but there have been some changes in Vista,
which should be outlined.
How to uninstall a program in Windows Vista (XP is more or less
the same)
To see a list of the programs that we can uninstall we must first
open the Programs and Features control panel. To do
this you should follow these steps:
-
Click on the Start button to open your Start
Menu. The Start button looks like this: 
- When the Start Menu opens click on the Control Panel
menu option.
- When the Control Panel window opens click on the Uninstall
a program option option under the Programs category. This
option is shown by the arrow in the image below. If you are using
the Classic View of the Control Panel, then you would double-click
on the Programs and Features icon instead.
You will now be at the Programs and Features, or
Uninstall or change a program, screen as shown below. From this screen
you can uninstall programs, view installed updates, examine your digital
locker, and turn Windows features on and off.
This screen contains a list of the programs installed on
your computer, the company that developed it, and when it was installed.
This screen also contains four options in the left navigation bar that
are unrelated to uninstalling a program.
Now lets start learning how to uninstall a program. The
first step is look through the list of programs for the one that you
would like to uninstall and then left-click on it once so that it
becomes highlighted. Once you highlight a program you will see two new
options next to the Organize and View button called Uninstall and
Change.
Uninstall button. Once you click on the uninstall
button you will be presented with a confirmation asking if you would
like to continue as shown in the screen shot below. For those who like
shortcuts, you could just double-click on an entry to start this process
as well. For some programs when choose to uninstall it, Windows may
prompt you with a message stating Windows needs your permission to
continue. At this screen you should click on the Continue
button.
If you press the Yes button Vista will start the uninstall
routine for the program and begin to remove it. An uninstall screen will
typically now open and may ask you questions about how the program
should be uninstalled. You typically want to remove the entire program
except any data that you may need in the future. As each program's
uninstall process is different, it is advised that you read each screen
carefully and continue with the uninstall process. When uninstalling
certain programs you may receive a prompt from Windows stating An
unidentified programs wants access to your computer. When you
receive this as you uninstall the program, you should click on the Allow
button, as it is the uninstaller being started.
The program will now continue to uninstall, and when completed you will
be back at the list of programs installed on your computer. You will
notice, though, that the program you just uninstalled is no longer
listed. At this point you can either uninstall another programs or close
the Programs and Features screen.
Installing the software:
To install the software on your PC, the files within these "containers" need to be unpacked. To ensure that the individual files are easily identifiable always download software into a new directory.
Having successfully saved the file, you are now ready to install the software onto your PC.
* Close all open applications
* Open Windows Explorer (or My Computer)
* Move to the Download sub-folder within the Temp folder
* Double-click on the file that you have just downloaded from the Internet. It
will start a self-installing Wizard.
* IMPORTANT NOTE: you MUST be logged in as a
user with Administrator "rights" to install software on most
XP and Vista systems. Most times, if you are not logged in correctly,
Windows will ask for the ADMIN password if configured to do so OR may
require you to logoff then back on as the ADMIN.
Once the installation process has been successfully completed:
* Test the program
* If everything works successfully: it IS HIGHLY ADVISABLE to
backup this setup file to a CD-R for any future use. Label the CD-R of
it's contains. (i.e. burn "c:\temp\download\theSetup File" to
a CD-R via your CD Writing software. After backing up this file you can
safely delete it off your hard drive.
Vista Administrator Settings: What is an administrator account?
An administrator account is a user account that lets you make changes that will affect other users. Administrators can change security settings, install software and hardware, and access all files on the computer. Administrators can also make changes to other user accounts.
When you set up Windows, you'll be required to create a user account. This account is an administrator account that allows you to set up your computer and install any programs that you would like to use. Once you have finished setting up your computer, it is recommend that you use a standard user account for your day-to-day computing. It's more secure to use a standard user account instead of an administrator account.
The standard account can help protect your computer by preventing users from making changes that affect everyone who uses the computer. We recommend creating a standard account for each user.
When you are logged on to Windows with a standard account, you can do anything that you can do with an administrator account, but if you want to do something that affects other users of the computer, such as
installing software or changing security settings, Windows might ask you to provide a password for an administrator account.
The steps that you should follow will vary, depending on whether your computer is on a domain or a workgroup.
My computer is on a domain
1. Open User Accounts by clicking the Start button Picture of the Start button, clicking Control Panel, clicking User Accounts, clicking User Accounts, and then clicking Manage User Accounts. Administrator permission required If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.
2. On the Users tab, under Users for this computer, click the user account name, and then click Properties.
3. Click the Group Membership tab, click the group you want the account to be in, and then click OK.
My computer is on a workgroup
1. Open User Accounts by clicking the Start button Picture of the Start button, clicking Control Panel, clicking User Accounts and Family Safety, clicking User Accounts, and then clicking Manage Another Account. Administrator permission required If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.
2. Click the account you want to change, and then click Change the account type.
3. Select the account type you want, and then click Change Account Type.
Note: Windows requires at least one administrator account on a computer. If you have only one account on your computer, you can't change it to a standard account. |
