[thread split] can Chrome be removed cleanly?

Re: Why is my internet browsing so slow?

My experience has been it is easily uninstalled. I suppose if you search the web hard enough, you will find instances of folks complaining about Chrome uninstalls, but that pretty much holds true for any browser.
Ideally, Wendi, if uninstall concerns you, simply create a fresh disk image as a safety net and proceed with a confident smile on your face.

 

Re: Why is my internet browsing so slow?

Oh, it uninstalls easily enough, but it leaves enough behind that if you reinstall it, it keeps all of your customisations. I'm not saying that this is necessarily a bad thing, but you can't completely remove it.

You can completely remove Firefox & Opera inter alia. Plus, I don't really understand why running Chrome would have anything to do with the OP's original question.

Surely, if you were going to compare IE 9 x64 with any other browser it would be logical to compare it with another x64 browser. AFAIK Chrome doesn't have a 64 bit version. The only real other 'official' release of any x64 browser (that isn't a Firefox variant) that I know of is Opera x64. Which has to be lighter than Chrome & actually is 64 bit.

I am still at a loss as to why installing another browser would have any effect on the actual problem itself.

My guess, if it isn't something to do with the service provider, is that it is some form of conflict with software on the computer itself. If that conflict is actually with IE 9 itself, I could understand trying a different browser, but even then I would probably go for a light x64 browser (that could be completely uninstalled).

 

Re: Why is my internet browsing so slow?

Keep mentioning that. Someone may have missed it the first few times.

 

Re: Why is my internet browsing so slow?

Well, it is puzzling LOL!

 

Re: Why is my internet browsing so slow?

Chrome no longer leaves trash behind, at least the developer versions. This is easily verified by running Advanced Uninstaller Pro, it finds none, or virtually no traces. Chrome actually doesn't install an updater any longer. The program itself comes with an updater.exe file, and the installation program adds a 'task' into windows task scheduler to run the update file once a week. So no services, no installation of it, and no perpetually running update process.

I prefer Chromium, and have gone back to it. It's faster, and seemingly more stable, but also you don't install it. Just unarchive, and run. I much prefer that, but if you want updating you can install a program to check and update it weekly.

 

Re: Why is my internet browsing so slow?

I still find folders and Google registry entries left, at least on Chrome proper. Right now I'm in the Beta channel. I didn't know they treated the updater service that way now though. That's actually nice, I hated having to make sure the stupid thing wasn't still running in the background and then deleting the service.

 

Re: Why is my internet browsing so slow?

Yes I agree. It can't be totally & cleanly uninstalled.

 

Re: Why is my internet browsing so slow?

Sure it can, and we need to dispel these urban legends that refuse to die regardless of their invalidity.

http://www.advanceduninstaller.com/

Free product that was once $59.00.. Using that on the dev version of Chrome it finds a few strays, I just checked, nothing too evil, and only 1 registry entry. So Chrome has come a long way in that area.. Also the fact that the updater is no longer a service, and no longer runs in the background, is a positive development most people were unaware of. Note: Chrome actually does remove the scheduled tasks and so forth, it's quite good about that now.

I use Chromium, mostly because hands down, it's the fastest browser - and usually by a huge margin. Anytime I try to use something else I feel the lack of speed murdering my enjoyment. I tried Firefox again last night, and even the lag switching tabs was annoying. I assume a regular user wouldn't notice, but going from a highly tweaked Chromium to Firefox was quite painful.

 

Re: Why is my internet browsing so slow?

All applications leave some registry entries, Chrome is no exception.
@ Wendi
If you are concerned about installing/uninstalling Chrome you could test it with Shadow Defender, from memory it doesn't require a reboot. I do think however that what you are describing has nothing to do with the choice of browser.

You could also test your DNS performance with the following utility from the Gibson Research Corporation, that's how I determined mine: https://www.grc.com/dns/benchmark.htm

 

Re: Why is my internet browsing so slow?

A/ It's not an urban legend & it's not invalid.

B/ Most end users without considerable experience or advanced degrees in software engineering would not necessarily know how to completely uninstall Chrome from their respective computers.

C/ Why don't Google make Chrome as easy to uninstall as Opera or Firefox? Why not make it easy in the uninstallation process to completely remove Chrome from your computer? If Mozilla & Opera ASA can do this, why doesn't Google?

D/ Other Chromium based browsers are easy to completely uninstall, including SRWare Iron & Comodo Dragon.

 

Re: Why is my internet browsing so slow?

Why can't I make a completely clean install of Chrome, like I can with Firefox & Opera then?

 

easy just use this one
http://portableapps.com/apps/internet/google_chrome_portable

 

Re: Why is my internet browsing so slow?

ALL applications for the most part.. I have only run into 2-3 applications in the last year that left absolutely no trace when Advanced Uninstaller Pro was executed to search for traces after the uninstall. Chrome leaves exactly 1 registry trace, and the crashlog directory which is usually empty. That's pretty good, and actually better then most products. I use Chromium, which actually doesn't install, so nothing is left behind by default anyway - but you must manually delete appdata/chromium directory to full effect a true uninstall.. But Chrome has made major improvements, such as no longer requiring updater to be run as a service, etc.

You guys need to understand, this isn't some conspiracy. Install/Uninstall is nothing more then a bundled script within the push product. I used to write scripts for WISE Install Software, and often the scripts, even when properly written, left traces because of system issues, locked files/folders, or compatibility issues. It's just scripting, and nothing really to do with the software itself. For example a simple WISE file search script block;

item: Search for File
Variable=FILECHK
Pathname List=Updater.exe
end
item: If/While Statement
Variable=FILECHK
Value=Chrome Updater
Flags=00000010
end
item: Display Message
Title=PRODUCT_FOUND
Text=PATH= %FILECHK%
end
item: End Block
end

 

A few years ago I installed Google Earth and Google Chrome on XP just out of curiosity even though I had read their EULA prior to the install.

A few months later I uninstalled both of them with free Revo Uninstaller and the PC rebooted just before being able to remove all registry entries. Afterwards I checked with Search Everything and there were over 400 Google entries left on my PC. Needless to say I will never ever install these above-mentioned apps on my Win 7 again!

 

A few years ago, isn't today.

I got a bad taco once, and decided I would never have a taco again. Then I realized I was being irrational, and had a taco, and it was great. See how that works?

 

Re: Why is my internet browsing so slow?

To be fair, Google provides easy instructions at how to manually uninstall Google Chrome (they even provide a " remove.reg " to remove all related registry entries):

http://support.google.com/chrome/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=111899

I don't know if traces are left after following those instructions.

One can always pick the official portable version too:

http://portableapps.com/apps/internet/google_chrome_portable

.

 

Re: Why is my internet browsing so slow?

I'm not saying that it is some form of conspiracy or even suggesting that it necessarily approaches a tinfoil hat debate. It would just be nice if Chrome could easily be uninstalled from a system, particularly by the average end user. Most average computer users probably have very little knowledge of uninstallation software & would worry about damaging their own respective computers. People have even asked me if downloading Firefox would 'damage' their machines. Many people very rarely download any other software & use just what's bundled on their own computers. Let's face it, after splashing out a load of spondoolies on a brand new laptop, most people would be reluctant to damage it, even inadvertently.

I really don't know why Google don't make it easy for the average computer user to simply uninstall Chrome completely. Unless they really do have an ulterior motive. I am pretty sure that they could have a check box like Opera ASA , The SeaMonkey Council & Mozilla that would remove Chrome completely during the uninstallation process/wizard. SRWare Iron does this, Comodo Dragon does this, AFAIK most Chromium based browsers (including virtually every other browser) actually do this.

Why can't Google?

 

Re: Why is my internet browsing so slow?

To be fair, why not have a check box on the uninstallation wizard?

 

Re: Why is my internet browsing so slow?

good job. While I hate Chrome's user interface so much and especially hate its download manager and bookmarks manager. I MUST use it because other browsers seem like a turtle in slow motion compared to Chrome. Chrome offers blistering browsing speeds and for that alone I have decided to live with its fugly interface

 

Re: Why is my internet browsing so slow?

Is the world ending? I am agreeing with Berry 2 times in a row. I actually despise Chrome download manager, bookmark system, and hideous speed dial. But like you, I cannot deny it for speed and stability, so it is basically the only thing I can use. Anytime I switch, I come back crying..

 

Re: Why is my internet browsing so slow?

After reading some posts in this thread, I decided to try Chrome again (I had tried it in 2011). This time I chose Chromium. I soon found (again) that it doesn´t work for me. My problems:

1. Some of my financial sites don´t work. In one of them, the session closed immediately when I tried to download the monthly summary of transactions.
2. I want to delete all the history, cookies, etc., when I exit the browser. I didn´t find a global setting to do this.
3. I want the interface in my native language, and the spell checker in English. I didn´t find an easy way to configure this.
4. I frequently print NYT articles to PDF, to save them for future reference. The printed page had strange artifacts that blocked part of the text.

 

Re: Why is my internet browsing so slow?

Not to belittle Chrome, but probably any browser other than IE9 would have worked.

 

Re: Why is my internet browsing so slow?

Chrome internal PDF is rubbish, install Foxit. Foxit is also sandbox based with 'Safe PDF' mode, so it is a security precaution anyway. As for financials, they should all work, Chrome/Chromium is the most used browser now so everyone should be up to speed with that. No clue otherwise. I am resistant to use Chromium, but forced to use it because I cannot tolerate the speed of anything else.

 

Re: Why is my internet browsing so slow?

Actually, I didn´t use the internal PDF. I was "printing" to PDF using pdfFactory Pro as a virtual printer. It works well in both IE and Firefox, and I have use it for years.