Past Items Removal?

I noticed that in my Taskbar & Start Menu properties Customize
Notifications dialog box under Past Items that there are still some
items showing that I have long ago deleted from my machine or no
longer use. Example: Avast, SuperAntiSpyware and even a folder
from a trojan I once had on my system, AntiVirGear, that I thought
I had gotten rid of. ( My AVG, etc, do not pick-up anything on this
now however).
How do I delete these folders or programs from here and is it safe
to do so, or are they best left alone?
My System: Acer TravelMate 2450
Windows XP-Home-SP2
Windows Explorer 7
Tanks for any info!

In news slick1 wrote:
I noticed that in my Taskbar & Start Menu properties
Customize
Notifications dialog box under Past Items that there are
still some
items showing that I have long ago deleted from my machine
or no
longer use. Example: Avast, SuperAntiSpyware and even a
folder
from a trojan I once had on my system, AntiVirGear, that I
thought
I had gotten rid of. ( My AVG, etc, do not pick-up anything
on this
now however).
How do I delete these folders or programs from here and is
it safe
to do so, or are they best left alone?
My System: Acer TravelMate 2450
Windows XP-Home-SP2
Windows Explorer 7
Tanks for any info!

You can run the script available here to remove those items.

Courtesy of Kelly Theriot, MS-MVP
Line 53, left hand column, Remove Past Items for Notification
Area
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

If you'd rather edit the registry yourself, look at this
Microsoft article.

How to Clear Past Items from the Notification Area
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/283084

Good luck

Nepatsfan