Questions about adding and removing windows components and other software without the CD's. Non piracy related I hope.

January 23, 2010 8:04 AM

I have some questions about adding and removing windows components and other software without the CD's. Non piracy related I hope.

My netbook started off with windows and has been through a couple of Linux incarnations.

For multiple reasons I took it to a computer guy here in Guatemala to put windows xp on.

First problem is the operating system is in spanish..would much prefer it in English. Also the keyboard layout is very difficult to use for English. Is there any way I get these in English?

Second I would like to unsintall outlook and internet explorer to avoid security holes. Is this valid and how can I do this?

Third, they put a bundled antivirus product..It's called ESET security but I think it might be based on Norton. I started uninstalling it, then my computer crashed.

Now it won't uninstall because windows can't recognise that it is installed, however it is still running. Normally I would install again then uninstall, but I don't have the CD.

It's not really practical to download windows from torrent sites etc as my connection is too slow.

Thanks for your help.

posted by Not Supplied to computers & internet (5 answers total)

In case you're thinking just google it, I do have some rsi issues and could really do without spending hours troubleshooting, so it would be really valuable if someone could point me the right way. Cheers.
posted by Not Supplied at 9:40 AM on January 23, 2010

I would like to unsintall outlook and internet explorer to avoid security holes. Is this valid and how can I do this?

If you use Add/Remove Programs to "remove" IE it's really just removing the icon from the desktop. The underlying HTML rendering library is always going to be there (as it's used by the system for things like displaying help files) and there's nothing you can do about that. From a security standpoint however you're perfectly safe as long as you install all the updates in a timely manner and don't use IE as your browser.
posted by Rhomboid at 9:46 AM on January 23, 2010

If you are afraid of people using IE by accident, you might want to upgrade it to 8.0. (So that when someone DOES use it they have a safer version as opposed to the horror AKA 6.0)

To remove outlook 2003/2007 you will need to remove Microsoft Office I believe. To remove outlook EXPRESS you will need to go into "control panel" -> "add/remove programs" -> "add/remove windows components" and uncheck outlook express. You will most likely need a Windows XP disc for that as well.

For uninstalling programs, Revo has a decent reputation.
posted by jstarlee at 11:25 AM on January 23, 2010

First problem is the operating system is in spanish..would much prefer it in English. Also the keyboard layout is very difficult to use for English. Is there any way I get these in English?

The OS language itself can't be changed - each localized version of XP is entirely separate under the bonnet. There was MUI XP (which was primarily only available to business customers) that allowed a specific version of english XP to appear as a foreign language version, but it doesn't work in reverse. Clean install of an english version is the only fix. Upside though, your licence code should work with any language version, as long as it's the same 'type' (presumably OEM). Windows vista and 7 ultimate and enterprise can change the interface language; 'lesser' versions of vista and 7 cannot.

You can change the keyboard over to english though in your spanish install of XP; that's under the Regional and Language settings in the control panel.

Second I would like to unsintall outlook and internet explorer to avoid security holes. Is this valid and how can I do this?

Outlook is uninstallable via the control panel add/remove programs as part of microsoft office. outlook express is an entirely different program bundled with the OS, and jstarlee's instructions are accurate, though you shouldn't need an xp disk to remove that component.
Obviously putting either outlook or outlook express back will require an appropriate office or windows cd. IE is integrated too deeply into XP to remove; as Rhomboid says, removing it only hides the shortcut. Upgrade to IE8, get the latest patches (for example, the exploit that got google hacked has just been patched yesterday) and use another browser for day to day use. and you'll be fine.

Third, they put a bundled antivirus product..It's called ESET security but I think it might be based on Norton. I started uninstalling it, then my computer crashed.

ESET is a separate company to norton. They don't provide a separate cleanup uninstaller as far as I can tell, but revo uninstaller free does support cleaning up ESET. Alternatively, you can download the trial version of ESET, install over the top, reboot, then uninstall again.


Hope that helps!
posted by ArkhanJG at 1:02 PM on January 23, 2010

Thanks a lot :) It's a big help.
posted by Not Supplied at 1:54 PM on January 23, 2010