Completely deleting installed software?

[cmdrdata]

I've used Control Panel -> Add/Remove Software tool and it does the
job, but to my surprise, there are plenty of remnants left in the
registry that indicates to me that this tool does not cleanly remove
the installed software and its components. Ditto with most software
that come with an "UnInstaller". For example, I can launch the
registry editor ( regedit ) after un-installing a specific software,
and I see pieces of that software that I thought was removed.
Sometimes, even the folder under "Program Files" are still there, and
it may contain "un-deletetable files", even after disbling any
associated startup and a reboot.

is there a tool that does a total and clean removal?

 

[Doc]

I've used Control Panel -> Add/Remove Software tool and it does the
job, but to my surprise, there are plenty of remnants left in the
registry that indicates to me that this tool does not cleanly remove
the installed software and its components.

Don't blame the Control Panel applet, it simply runs the uninstaller that
the program provides.

Ditto with most software
that come with an "UnInstaller". For example, I can launch the
registry editor ( regedit ) after un-installing a specific software,
and I see pieces of that software that I thought was removed.
Sometimes, even the folder under "Program Files" are still there, and
it may contain "un-deletetable files", even after disbling any
associated startup and a reboot.

is there a tool that does a total and clean removal?

If you monitor your installs with a program like "Total Uninstall", and
use "Total Uninstall" for removal, then the answer is a qualified YES.
Some registry entries, such as MRU's .. window position ... etc, that the
program creates as you use it may be left behind. A good registry cleaner
will find and remove these.

 

[Azzman]

I've used Control Panel -> Add/Remove Software tool and it does the
job, but to my surprise, there are plenty of remnants left in the
registry that indicates to me that this tool does not cleanly remove
the installed software and its components. (snip)
is there a tool that does a total and clean removal?

Regcleaner 4.3 (last freeware version) lists all software registry entries
and allows them to be removed.
It can be found at several places, like here:

http://freeware.it-mate.co.uk/?Cat=PC_Maintenance#84

HTH

 

[Mike S.]

Don't blame the Control Panel applet, it simply runs the uninstaller that
the program provides.


If you monitor your installs with a program like "Total Uninstall", and
use "Total Uninstall" for removal, then the answer is a qualified YES.
Some registry entries, such as MRU's .. window position ... etc, that the
program creates as you use it may be left behind. A good registry cleaner
will find and remove these.

I =highly= recommend Total Uninstall. It tracks changes in the file system
and registry, and lets you undo those changes at will. You can even have
it continue monitoring after the install, which is valuable since a lot of
the garbage that software generates is deposited when it is first run
(saving settings, etc).

Total Uninstall is now shareware, but I'm sure someone here will
chime in with a link to the last freeware version of this gem.

As a somewhat less automatic tracker of changes to the registry is
RegShot, which is still freeware.

 

[Clif Notes]

I =highly= recommend Total Uninstall. It tracks changes in the file system
and registry, and lets you undo those changes at will. You can even have
it continue monitoring after the install, which is valuable since a lot of
the garbage that software generates is deposited when it is first run
(saving settings, etc).

Total Uninstall is now shareware, but I'm sure someone here will
chime in with a link to the last freeware version of this gem.

As a somewhat less automatic tracker of changes to the registry is
RegShot, which is still freeware.

Hi Mike,

Here's my review and tips for using the freeware version of Total
Uninstall.
http://freewarewiki.pbwiki.com/TotalUninstall

Clif
http://clifnotes.net & http://clifnotes.tk
Devoted to promoting Freeware and Free Information

 

[David]

I've used Control Panel -> Add/Remove Software tool and it does the
job, but to my surprise, there are plenty of remnants left in the
registry that indicates to me that this tool does not cleanly remove
the installed software and its components. Ditto with most software
that come with an "UnInstaller". For example, I can launch the
registry editor ( regedit ) after un-installing a specific software,
and I see pieces of that software that I thought was removed.
Sometimes, even the folder under "Program Files" are still there, and
it may contain "un-deletetable files", even after disbling any
associated startup and a reboot.

is there a tool that does a total and clean removal?

I use an abandonware commercial program called RemoveIt95. Apparently
there was also RemoveIt98 but I have been unable to find a place to
obtain that software.

I would like to see anything which could match it for ease of use and
completeness of information along with complete removal.

Most current offerings ignore win.ini and sys.ini along with
autoexec.bat and config.sys alterations. Yes I realise that those
files may not exist in XP but good software designed for a general
purpose should be able to take that into account and reverse those
alterations whereever made.
--
David
Remove "farook" to reply
At the bottom of the application where it says
"sign here". I put "Sagittarius"
E-mail: justdas at iinet dot net dot au

 

[jmatt]

Here is my list.

If Install is used in Add/Remove Programs in Control Panel when adding
new programs, it will add it to the Add/Remove list.

====================================

MyUninstaller
59 Best Free Program Un-installer
http://www.techsupportalert.com/more/extended.htm
http://members.lycos.co.uk/nirsoft/

Safarp
http://wistinga.sourceforge.net/safarp/

PUI
http://support.it-mate.co.uk/?mode=Home
http://www.webgrid.co.uk/system_5.html
http://www.webgrid.co.uk/index.html

Easy Uninstaller
http://www.sixfiles.com/dbase/system-utilities/system-maintenance/page3/go.php
http://www.all4you.dk/FreewareWorld/links.php?page=8&cat=007
http://www.hp-h.us/p/deepesh/easy_uninstaller/freeware_easy_uninstaller.htm
http://www.freeware-alternative.uni...nsataller/free-software-easy-uninstaller.html

FingerPrint
http://www.freewarehome.com/System_...artner=ZSxdm001
http://www.webattack.com/freeware/system/fwmonitor.html
http://www.mjleaver.com/Software/software.htm

InstallSpy
http://www.tucows.com/preview/337007.html
http://www.webattack.com/freeware/system/fwmonitor.html
http://www.mjleaver.com/Software/software.htm

Smart Buster
http://www.all4you.dk/FreewareWorld/links.php?page=26&cat=007
http://www.rovatronick.onestop.net/SmartBuster.htm

COA32
http://ftp.iasi.roedu.net/os/Win9x/util/

JoneSoft Uninstall Cleaner ( Freeware )
http://www.sover.net/~wysiwygx/WinUtils2.html
http://sonofspy3.spymac.com/Sofffffffware2.html
http://www.sover.net/~wysiwygx/Sofffffffware2.html

Add Remove Pro ( Freeware )
Win95, Win98, WinME, WinNT 4.x, WinXP, Windows2000
http://superwin.com/freeware.htm
http://superwin.swmirror.com/adrmpro2.exe
http://www.sover.net/~wysiwygx/WinUtils1.html
http://sonofspy3.spymac.com/Sofffffffware2.html
http://www.sover.net/~wysiwygx/Sofffffffware2.html
http://www.all4you.dk/FreewareWorld/links.php?cat=007
http://www.pricelessware.org/thelist/sys.htm

jv16 PowerTools 1.3.0.195, which doesn't expire, is available here:
http://spazioinwind.libero.it/puntocr/dwl/jv16pt_setup.exe
http://down.hengshui.com/download.asp?downid=1&id=726 .

Microsoft uninstallers
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q238/4/13.ASP
http://download.microsoft.com/download/office2000pro/util22/1/W9X/EN-US/msicu.exe

Smart uninstaller
http://www.webattack.com/get/smartuninstaller.shtml

UnClean
http://www.blindprogramming.com/ftp/useful/

Total Uninstall
http://www.geocities.com/ggmartau/
http://www.geocities.com/ggmartau/index.html
http://www.geocities.com/ggmartau/download/download.html
http://www.webattack.com/get/totaluninstall.shtml
http://www.webgrid.co.uk/system_2.html
http://www.webgrid.co.uk/index.html
http://www.pricelessware.org/thelist/sys.htm

Manually Uninstalling a Program
http://surecool.net/manuninst.htm

ZipInstaller
http://members.lycos.co.uk/nirsoft/

ZSoft Uninstaller
http://www.zsoft.dk/index.php?goto=software

InCtrl5
http://www.devhood.com/tools/tool_details.aspx?tool_id=432
http://members.tripod.com/sbcserv/downloads.htm
http://www.idicalif.com/scripts3/hf8.idc?teamkey=IDIBASE
http://www.filelibrary.com:8080/cgi-bin/freedownload/Multi-Platform/n/105/inctrl5.zip

InstallWatch
http://www.epsilonsquared.com/
http://www.epsilonsquared.com/installwatch.htm

InstallRite
http://www.epsilonsquared.com/
http://www.epsilonsquared.com/installrite.htm