Help With Unknown Computer Programs!!

Hey, guys!! Here I am asking for help again.


Ok, I have a few programs here I don't need, but the funny thing is they don't appear in my Add/Remove Programs list on the Control Panel. The programs / Icons are: (Well I am going to give you a list, but I am also going to provide a screenshot of my desktop in case I missed any of them on the list.


-Games (with a Pac-man looking icon to represent it...)
-Virus fighter free trial
-Spyware fighter free trial (man the harpoons)
-Create your own video
-Free Dolphin Screen Saver
-Photo Drag N Drop

and I think that's it. I've also seen references to a Conduit Engine when I open an internet-browser window and I've read on other sites that Conduit is not precisely a computer's friend. The programs I didn't mention that appear on my desktop, those do appear on my Add/Remove Programs list, so I can remove those whenever I want. Ok, before I click the send button I am going to post the screenshot right here.




Ok, guys, so do you think you can help me with this?

I appreciate it!


Sincerely
Magali.

Hey, Wendy! Thanks for helping! I will try deleting the icon to one of them and see what happens. I will also be waiting for more advice on this thread.


Cheers
magali.

Oh, my gosh, Whacko, you are a genius. However, before I read your response, I already had deleted all the desktop-shortcut icons, but I am going to search for conduit and try to delete it from the machine. Those toolbars, like the ask toolbar for example, they bring other programs with them, and...that's why I hate them. So that's what I am going to do. There has got to be a Conduit Engine folder somewhere.


Regards
Magali.

PS: I was watching Twilight when you wrote up your response. Showtime has a Twilight marathon going on today. Right now I am watching New Moon and next comes Eclipse, but I am too tired to stay up for all three movies, 'cause Eclipse ends around 12:05 AM EST, and at this moment I haven't written even one page of my WIP and I have to do some writing before the day is over, as I'm 50 handwritten pages away from finishing my current WIP and I already promised myself I would finish the first draft tomorrow, and I write 20-40 pages on a daily basis (by hand) so...

Thanks for your help, guys. I'll be on the lookout for this thread for more tips.

thothguard51 said:

Click Start, then click programs, a list of all programs on your puter will appear. Look up the ones you want to un-install. If there is no un-install option, then go to the properties and search the program.

Deleting icons alone will not un-install a program, it only hides it from remembering its there...

Click to expand...

You're right on your last statement. I didn't consider that at the moment, but it's absolutely correct, so I am going to search in my programs folder and do some cleaning.

Matera the Mad said:

I think you might want to run a spyware/adware hunter. It looks like you stuck yourself with some bundled crapware (comes with something else if you don't watch the install options...or even if you do).

I am suspicious of PhotoJoy.

Desktop eye-cons are useless clutter. Hmm...so is 3/4 of the start menu.

ETA: The games eye-con is an internet shortcut, not a shortcut to an installed program. A lot of the others (if not all) are probably also internet shortcuts. They would only take you to a website where you could install the advertised garbage.

I installed the PhotoJoy crap on a virtual machine (read "disposable operating system"), where it couldn't do any harm, and it stuck me with the game link. If I had let the installation have its own way entirely, it would have usurped my home page and made Bing my default browser.

For goodness' sake, people, don't go installing every shiny! bright! thing you encounter.

BTW, PhotoJoy is DISGUSTING.

This kind of candy-bait scumware pisses me off.

Click to expand...

Ok, thanks for your advice on programs and shortcuts! I thought every one of those shortcuts was to a program because I never save the files I create or download on the desktop.

On a side note...See, this is what happens when we share our machines. We have no idea what the other person's browsing or downloading, but then again this is the only computer in the house right now, so...and I didn't install PhotoJoy. I hadn't even heard of the program. Until I saw its shortcut on my desktop and noticed my wallpaper had been changed to one created with PhotoJoy. Oh, boy...

Ok, you guys I am going to try what the two of you suggested and if it works, I am going to come back, give you an update and then mark this thread as a solved issue. Once again, thank you so, so much.


Magali.

alleycat said:

One slight word of warning. Most of the icons on your desktop are shortcuts, but there can be files or programs that are located on your desktop. To see which is which, go to My Computer > Other Places > Desktop and look at the Type.

Click to expand...

Hey, thank you so much. You're the lifesaver of all of us here.


Yep, I did that as soon as I read your reply and they all say Type: Shortcut, at least the ones I have now because I deleted all the other ones that didn't have anything to do with the programs I installed on the machine. I have yet to do some cleaning but I will do that tomorrow because I went to sleep at six minutes 'til two last night and I am so sleepy it's not even funny. Gotta get to bed.