Uninstalling the Windows 8 Consumer Preview
For many users, the Windows 8 Consumer Preview (CP) offers a glimpse of what is to come with the Windows 8 operating system. However, as the CP is still a beta product, some users may need to uninstall the CP in order to return to their previous operating system. Fortunately, the process of uninstalling the CP is relatively straightforward.
The first step in uninstalling the CP is to make sure that all of the necessary files are backed up. This includes any documents, pictures, music, and other personal files that have been stored on the computer during the CP installation. It is important to back up any files prior to uninstalling as the uninstall process will delete all of the files associated with the CP.
Once the necessary files have been backed up, the next step is to open the “Programs and Features” control panel. This can be done by clicking on the Start menu, then selecting the Control Panel. From the Control Panel, select “Programs and Features”. Once the “Programs and Features” window has opened, the list of installed programs will be displayed.
From the list of installed programs, find the “Windows 8 Consumer Preview” program and click on it to open the uninstall window. This window will ask for confirmation that the user wants to uninstall the program. Once the user clicks the “Yes” button, the uninstall process will begin. This process may take a few minutes to complete, during which time the computer may restart several times.
Once the uninstall process has completed, the computer will be returned to the previous operating system. At this point, it is important to make sure that all of the necessary files and settings have been restored. This includes restoring any documents, pictures, and music that were backed up prior to uninstalling the CP.
In some cases, the uninstall process may not work properly and the CP may still remain on the computer. If this is the case, it is possible to manually uninstall the CP by deleting the “Windows 8 Consumer Preview” folder from the system. This folder can be found in the C:\\Program Files directory. Once the folder has been deleted, the CP should be fully uninstalled.
It is also important to note that the uninstall process may not remove all of the files associated with the CP. It is possible that some registry entries and other system settings may remain on the computer after the uninstall process has completed. In order to ensure that all of the files and settings associated with the CP are removed, it may be necessary to use a program such as CCleaner to clean up any remaining files.
In conclusion, uninstalling the Windows 8 Consumer Preview is a relatively straightforward process. By following the steps outlined above, users should be able to successfully uninstall the CP and return to their previous operating system. It is important to remember to back up any necessary files prior to uninstalling and to make sure that all of the files and settings are restored after the uninstall process has completed.
