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User’s Guide 145
6McAfee UnInstaller
UnInstalle r
™
can be used for many m ore purposes than simply unin stalling
old app licatio ns.
For e xample, UnInsta lle r can clean up junk files tha t have built up on yo ur
computer as you browsed the Internet, and it c an do this cleanup
automatically on a schedule that you specify. UnInstaller can also move
applications from o ne hard disk to another— even to another c omputer—and
change all references to the applicat ion at t he same time.
Using McAfee UnInstaller
Before you can start usi ng the powerfu l features of UnInstaller, it will first
create a SmartL inks database to store information b etween files on your
computer (see Sm artLinks database ) . As you install UnIn staller, it will also
provide you the option to customize the way you want UnInstaller to work on
your comput er (see C ustom ization In terview).
Creating the SmartLinks database
The SmartLinks database stores information about the relationship between
files on your computer. It stores th e names and locations of all files needed by
the operating system. For each application, the Sm artL inks database stores
inform a tion about all of the files that the application needs to run correctly,
including icons , dynamically linked libraries (DLLs), a nd other executable
files, as we ll as ope ra ting system file s that are used by the application. This
information m akes the SmartL inks database a c omplete, cross-referenced
record of how executabl e and system files are used on your computer.
It is this information that mak e s using U nInstaller quick and safe. It ensures
tha t applica tio ns ca n be moved, archived, deleted, and tra nspor ted safely and
com plet ely, and it determines the f iles that c an be sa fely d elet ed without
damaging an applicati on o r the operating s ystem.
The Sm artLink s database is created when you install U nInstal ler. Because
building the database the first time can tak e several minutes, it is crea ted in the
background as you provide some default information in an interview wizard.
After UnIn staller has created the SmartLinks database for your c omputer,
updatingittakesmuchlesstime.Onlyrecordsforfilesthathavechangedare
updated.
UnInstaller updates the SmartLinks database in the following circumsta nces:
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