File Cleanup!!!!

i just wanted to kno if there a program that erases old files

what i mean is i installed a program

and then i removed it

but it still says its installed

but its not in my

add/remove programs list

 

None that I trust!

There are a couple of programs that can log how other programs install and can help to remove them later. But they have to be in place and running before hand.

The best thing to do is try to contact the maker of the program and see if they offer an automated removal routine. If they don't, then you're left with the old fashioned way... find out where the file and registry locations of the program and do it manually.

 

h0odroyalty,
Next time you re-install your computer from scratch, install "Total Uninstall" or "Inctrl5" first on your computer and install all your other softwares via "Total Uninstall" or "Inctrl5".
Most softwares have a bad uninstaller, which is also used by "Add/Remove Programs" and they always have leftovers in the registry, sometimes even files. Running a registry cleaner afterwards is an extra tool to make sure that everything is gone.
Since this problem is common for many softwares, you better arm yourself in advance to solve this problem once and for all.

 

Do they track also the registry entries made by setups?

 

Total Uninstall does, that's the one I use. I have no experience with "Inctrl5".
Sometimes "Total Uninstall" finds ALOT of leftovers, I think that Nero software was one of them with many leftovers.

 

Just checked Inctrl5 out. It monitors als the registry and ini files, but has no uninstaller function.

 

Possible, I never tried it, but I saw it one time, but I was already using TU and TU has a better GUI.
You need such softwares right after installing Windows otherwise it's too late.

 

I will have a closer look at it. Any suggestions regarding options and configurations?

 

I didn't do any configuring.
Since I have FirstDefense-ISR for testing new softwares, I only need TU for uninstalling softwares, I used for a long period.

For people, who don't have FDISR or RollbackRx/EazFix, it's almost necessary to have TU on their computer.
TU is easy to test, install a software and uninstall it and you will see how it works.

My method is :
1. I uninstall the software first with "Add/Remove Programs" (Windows).
2. Then I uninstall the same software with "Total Uninstall" and remove the leftovers.
3. Then I run a registry cleaner to make sure that everything is gone.

 

Thanks. I will do in the near future a comlplete clean reinstall of my Laptop. As i don't use FDISR for my Laptop this application will come very handy.

 

The only thing you have to pay attention to is to USE "Total Uninstall", when you install a software.
In the beginning I often forgot to install my software with TU. So you have to change your habits of the past regarding installing and uninstalling softwares.

 

yeah yeah, old habits are often quiet dificult to change. Will put a note on my laptop screen.

 

i think you need to use this with it, i've never done it though.
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download966.html

 

Thanks, but that covers uninstalling the registries but not the files with inctrl.

 

Greetings h0odroyalty,

Welcome to the forum! An excellent free way to insure no lingering effects of deleted software is:

Just before you install the new program make a restore point, I usually name it "PreWhatever" like Pretotaluninstaller etc. Now go ahead and install, should you need to uninstall, you can if necessary use the restore point & not have a trace of that bad program, polluting your registry.

Likewise you could do the same with ERUNT!

Take Care
rico

 

i like tu (wish i foundout sooner) better but i have ashampoo uninstaller already logged all my softwares in this windows install so i got no choice.

ccleaner rocks, just use the file cleaner dont use the reg cleaner, just my experience.