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Summary:
How to remove NetZero, Earthlink, PeoplePC, and other dial-up services from your PC.
Removing old dial-up connections
By Carey Holzman
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Once you have your high-speed Internet installed and working, you can (and should) safely uninstall any previous dial-up Internet service you were previously using. Even if you still want to keep your old Internet service to collect email, you can still safely remove the software. Your new high-speed Internet connection will take you anywhere on the Internet you want to go, including your old Internet providers Web site where you can check your email online.
In this article, we'll show you how to remove your old dial-up connection and still be able to check your old email. Please be aware that removing the old dial-up software does not automatically cancel your service with your old/previous Internet service provider. You must call them to cancel your service and have the billing stop. However, once you cancel your old dial-up account, your email with them will be turned off as well. Some people choose to keep paying for their old dial-up service for 30 to 60 days so they can continue to check their email and inform those who write to them of their new email address. You can set an automated vacation response to answer all emails one week before you cut off service that advises people who write to you of your new email address.
This site has a separate article that details the removal process for America OnLine (AOL). This article will offer steps for removing the other three big dial-up Internet service providers, NetZero, Earthlink and PeoplePC, as well as include removal instructions for all lesser-known dial-up providers.
The process is broken down into three easy steps. The first step will be to uninstall any proprietary software provided by your Internet service provider. If you do not have NetZero, EarthLink or PeoplePC, then you can go directly to step 2. The second step shows you how to manually remove any and all dial-up configurations from your PC. The third and final step is a free download that will remove any branding and logos your old Internet service providers may leave behind on your computer.
To remove NetZero, click your Start button and go to Control Panel.
In the Control Panel, double-click Add/Remove Programs.
In the list that appears alphabetically, locate NetZero Internet, click once on it to select it, then click Change/Remove (as shown in the picture below.)
After a few moments, NetZero will be removed from your computer, and you may continue to Step 2.
To uninstall EarthLink, please follow this same procedure for each EarthLink related application installed on your computer. For example, EarthLink offers parental control software as well as an EarthLink Toolbar, EarthLink MindSpring, EarthLink Spyware scan, EarthLink Digital Music, EarthLink Accelerator, EarthLink Pop-Up Blocker, EarthLink Spam Blocker, EarthLink Virus Blocker, EarthLink Scam Blocker, EarthLink Mailbox and, of course, the main EarthLink software, EarthLink Total Access. EarthLink likes to call these "goodies," however you may feel differently as you uninstall each one of those items, one at a time. Also, please be aware some of these applications may require restarting your computer during the uninstall process and you will need to repeat this step as necessary until all unnecessary software is removed. You may also have other software applications from EarthLink not listed here.
Follow that same procedure to uninstall PeoplePC software. You may also have PeoplePC's anti-virus, firewall and spyware protection software, be sure to uninstall those also.
This step applies to everyone who had a dial-up Internet connection. It's very easy, but also very important, so please be sure to follow these instructions before moving on to Step 3.
Next, click once on the Connections tab. In the window that appears, you'll see a section titled "Dial-up and Virtual Private Network settings." The window below should be completely empty if your dial-up software has already been removed completely.
In the example below, we see our dial-up connection still exists (highlighted in blue).
If you have existing dial-up connections listed, select each one by clicking on it once, and then click the "Remove" button. The computer will then ask if you are sure you want to delete this connection, simply click "OK" to continue. Repeat this step as necessary until the window is empty.
Next, click the LAN settings button, and be sure all items are unchecked. If any items are selected, please unselect them so your screen looks exactly like the example below and then click OK and then click OK once more.
This last step is optional, however many people will appreciate it. Your Internet service provider may have branded your computer with their logo and even their home page, all over your computer. Branded items on your computer may include a toolbar background image, a default page that starts each time you run Internet Explorer, the window title, search bar, customized search links, as well as customized support links in the Windows Help menu, and even a customized name for Windows Update. They don't change any of these applications or their functionality. They simply put the provider's name on top of them!
It's very easy to remove all of this unnecessary branding from your computer using a free utility provided by a Microsoft support volunteer.
After you've downloaded the zipped software from the links provided below, double-click on the file to reveal its contents. Within you will see a single file called unbrand or unbrand.exe (depending on how your computer is configured). Double-click on this to start the branding removal process.
The computer will display a security warning and ask if you are sure you want to run this program. Click "Run."
Now, place a check in the box next to "Clear Window title for all identities" and click the "Clear" button, as shown in the example below.
Finally, click the red X in the upper-right corner of the program to end it.
You can read more about the software here and you can download the software directly, here.
Your computer should now be completely clean of any previous Internet service provider's software and configurations. Now you can enjoy the speed, reliability and ease-of-use your high-speed Internet connection offers, without the hassle of dealing with any of your previous Internet service provider's software getting in your way.
