How do you determine how good a uninstaller is?

I am looking for a good uninstaller, but I wonder how do I know if a uninstaller is good or not?
I can imagine one simple test on how to check if a installer is good. That is to install shareware software with trial period. Use the software for the time allowed and the uninstall it, install it again and if I have the 30 days (or whatever) again then I know it will clean out everything and that is what I want.

Of course I dont intend to use it like that (I believe in paying for good software that I use, believe it or not) just thought that is a good way to determine if a uninstaller does what it is supposed to.

There are uninstallers that make snapshots of registry, like Total uninstall and Revo uninstaller (if I understood the description correctly)
Does that approach guarantee that it will record everything that is installed?
Then there are software like Your uninstaller that has a database of installers and it knows what different brands of installers usually do.

Is there other ways (than brake the eula of shareware) to determine how good a uninstaller is?

 

Sometimes i use FDISR to get rid of everything,searched the registry afterwards,never found leftovers.

 

microsoft installer cleanup is free. You can download it http://download.microsoft.com/download/e/9/d/e9d80355-7ab4-45b8-80e8-983a48d5e1bd/msicuu2.exe
But not every program is listed.

A good uninstaller for me is youruninstaller : http://www.ursoftware.com/
First it will call the uninstaller after that it will delete the installation folder and registry keys. With this software you don't have to install it before a new installation. What sometimes is the case by other uninstaller tools.

Yes those programs will log everything during the installation.

 

I use this great and easy to use freeware,Revo uninstaller
http://www.revouninstaller.com/

 

I couldn't verify "Total Uninstall", because I didn't have a registry cleaner from the beginning.
I don't uninstall permanent installed softwares much either, unless I find a much better one.
New not-wanted softwares aren't a problem, because FDISR uninstalls them completely.
It depends on what kind of recovery softwares you have on your computer.
Image Backup softwares can also be used for uninstalling new not-wanted softwares, but that requires a backup and restore each time, not very convenient.

 

Hi sukarof

An uninstaller may be good for some programs and not for other ones...

Like TUN : In the LnS forum, Frederic, the developper of LnS, advise me that TUN won't work with the firewall installation/uninstallation monitoring...

This thread:
https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=183531

Until this warning from him I was confident with TUN but now I'm looking for a good alternative and found nothings better...

May be the method you're talking about is good but it checked one program and this is not a guaranty that is working for all the other...

By the way: I can't understand why developper are so lousy when it's time to make an uninstallation program. I guess they are the best informed persons about which registry keys, folders and files are used by their application...

There's a lot of example of this:

Zone Alarm required manual uninstallation
http://www.nohold.net/noHoldCust25/Prod_1/Articles55646/CompleteUninstallNonNT.html

Norton need a special uninstaller
http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPOR...ntl.nsf&view=4f60eedf1156c8068525695b005ca288

LnS leave driver registry keys and prevent a correct reinstallation...
http://www.looknstop.com/En/faq_problems.htm#driver_remove

etc.

I hope somebody here have a solution for this.

 

Me neither, I would be ashamed if the uninstaller wasn't able to uninstall my OWN software. There is no quality or final touch anymore nowadays and money is often the reason, directly or indirectly.

 

Hi, folks: No matter how well uninstaller app claims to be capable to do, the effectiveness depends upon what other security apps you have installed in the box. For instance, if you have firewall w/ application control, or AV w/ proactive function or even a scotty w/ startup control etc. Often after the uninstallation, you still need registry cleaner and registry editor for a scan and painful manual-scan just because there will be quite few leftovers still hooked with these security apps sooner after initial unistallation. I am using Smarty Uninstaller Pro and/or Your Uninstaller and Registry repair and Registrar Registry Manager Pro. In most cases, I am able to delete all unwanted. Take care.

 

Thanks for your replys.

Ah..thats too bad. I had my hopes up for TUN..

I´m testing it right now. It reminds me a bit of Your uninstaller.
If not even payware like TUN or Your uninstaller can clean out everything I might as well go for a freebie. I guess it is betterr than the Vista internal, atleast it can show if there is some registry entries left.

 

Hi sukarof

Unfortunatly TUN miss some keys and files with firewall and may be some others keys ...

So now I feel less confident with TUN: I keep it for applications except the ones related to security and netwotk drivers...

Hmmm...

 

Tested this Revo uninstaller and found it really good as it asks you if you want to search the registry for further cleanup of the uninstalled program.

Anderb, thanks for your recommendation !

 

hi, folks: TUN is not alone. In my experiences, few(probably, none) of currently available uninstallers are capable of deleting 100% of registry keys . Its effectiveness deeply depends upon other security apps you have in the computer. The worst case I have had is if you happen to have KIS/KAV. Soon after any other app is deleted, there are tons of leftovers hooked with KIS/KAV. You need to search and hopefully are able to delete them one by one . Today's sophisticated programing techniques have made app deletion as a non-human task.

 

Perman,

Have you tried Revo Uninstaller ? It is claimed to remove almost all registry entries and files/folders associated with the uninstalled programs.

 

Hi, Nanana1: I shall give a test run to feel the differences. Thanks.

 

Hi Perman

I see... you're right!

May be an uninstaller is more efficient if the security protections are temporary disabled... good point!

 

In my experience, it's better to first use the uninstaller supplied with the app and then run TUN or another install monitor.
And disabling security apps might be a good recommendation.

 

Revo looks pretty darn impressive for a free product. I'm gonna give it a shot.

 

Despite its initial good looks I do not like this Revo product at all. It gives the option of deleting registry files but offers no way to double check what is being deleted- not even the ability to copy/paste to do a google search or search in Windows. And I do not remember it doing a backup before deleting files. The junk file cleaner was pretty suspect as well. This product has many bells and whistles but looks like it needs some refining before it having registry entries deleted left and right without being able to check for false positives first.

Here is a link to a full free version of Ashampoo's Uninstaller which has worked for me pretty well. You have to register the program. But you may like it and you may also want to upgrade to their Uninstaller 2. I have gotten emails from Ashampoo offerring version 2 for only $9.99 (normally $49.99). I am pretty sure this is an OEM but I am not sure who the original manufactirer is. But it is a substantial upgrade over version 1, yet version 1 seems to do the trick.

http://www.ashampoo.com/frontend/registration/php/trial_step1.php?session_langid=2&edition_id=2533

Here is a little more info on the Ashampoo Uninstaller-

http://www.ashampoo.com/frontend/products/php/product.php?session_langid=20&idstring=0403

 

It looks way like Total Uninstall[monitoring before/after]but it maybe a better one.

 

Has anyone tried th Zsoft Uninstaller at http://www.zsoft.dk/ ?
Comments welcome..

Al

 

To Test you need to monitor the files and registry before and after install of a selection of apps and take note of what is added or modified

Then run the uninstaller and then take another look at your file system and registry and see whats left over.

What you need to note is, what files and registry entries are left behind that are harmful (maybe a broken startup reg entry) and those that are harmless (eg they can safely be left on your machine, usually config files and/or registry entries).

I personally like to test on a machine (real or virtual), that I know I have a current image/backup of, one of the things I always test for is how cleaning the app uninstalls, then restore the backup/image if I need to. This is easier and more efficient than relying on additional software (more bloat) to remove the app you are testing (AND have to test the uninstaller in the first place).

 

I have very little knowledge about manual editing of registry so i rely on Revo Uninstaller. I've used for quite some time and have uninstalled many apps with it. Maybe it isn't thorough enough as a manual clean, but it has never deleted anything I needed which at least is good. Oh yeah, and it's free

 

Just released ZSoft Uninstaller to version 2.4.:

http://www.zsoft.dk/index/software_details/4

Change log:

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