Is ZSoft Uninstaller v2.5 Beta safe?

Hi all,

Does anybody have any info about this beta version?
Is it safe to use?

TIA for your help

PS: I may be wrong but unfortunately the soft seems to be discontinued

 

What do you mean by this statement? Zsoft uninstaller's programmer/website/software is very much alive AFAIK.

In any event...

1- I have used the latest RELEASE versions of Zsoft as my uninstaller for >3 years. Always stable. Never had any problem. HOWEVER -- I would NEVER test a beta version of ANY uninstaller except I did so in Shadow Mode.

2- The proponent of Zsoft uninstaller appears to be on a protracted Christmas/New Year holiday, as far as posting to his forum is concerned.

 

Hi Bellgamin,

Ok, thanks for the info , I stay with the latest stable version (v2.4.1).

Regarding the development of ZSoft: http://forum.zsoft.dk/index.php?PHPSESSID=7f93855d2ad22ff074eab1b966422eb1&topic=266.0

Cheers

 

ZSoft is indeed still developed.
As far as any beta program being "safe", that's a risk that a beta-tester accepts when installing it.

 

Thanks The Tester for the info.

I would have a question about ZSU :
Sometimes during the installation process (or immediately after the first launching), the app tries to connect to the Internet (windows installer, Windows HTTP, program updates and so), it may be some DLL's or the program exe.

In theses cases although I monitored the app with ZSU, I never uninstall it with ZSU for fear that I mess up some Windows settings (Internet, registry and so on) or even my firewall (I use Look'n'Stop).

Is my fear justified?

Tia for your comments,
Cheers

 

Best uninstall procedure for paranoids (like me) is as follows:

1- Uninstall using the program's own uninstall routine, normally found at Start>Settings>Control Panel>"Add or Remove Programs"

2- Reboot your computer

3- Uninstall using Zsoft.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NOTE 1: If the program's uninstaller is a good one, step #3 (the Zsoft uninstall) should produce little or no additional actions.

NOTE 2: When uninstalling with Zsoft, it will do the uninstall ONE file at a time.

a- In each & every case, Zsoft will ask you if you want to uninstall that specific file (Yes or No).

b- To be absolutely safe, answer "Yes" ONLY if the name of the program being uninstalled is included in the name of the file that Zsoft is asking you about. Otherwise, answer "No."

c- In over 3 years of using Zsoft, I have followed this conservative approach & have NEVER had a problem.

NOTE 3: Generally speaking, the most "dangerous" programs to uninstall are those pertaining to security (firewall, antivirus, etc).

a- To merely "test drive" a security program for a few weeks or days, I strongly recommend that you make an image of your system disk BEFORE installing the program. Then when you are finished trying it out, reload the "before image" -- that way you can be sure the security program is fully gone.

b- To uninstall a security program that you have used for quite a while, I recommend that you first make an image of your system disk BEFORE attempting to uninstall the program.

Good luck!

 

Thanks bellgamin for this tutorial!

But you were carried along by your own momentum and you forgot to answer to my question

Is it safe to uninstall with ZSoft apps that try to connect to the Net during the installation process?

Tia
Cheers

 

Hi Jean Marc, when an application installer tries to connect to the internet it needs to do that to download files (e.g. database files) for their installation or want to invite you for something e.g. to subscribe a newsletter. You want to uninstall all the files later: database files, dll files added by the installer, etc.. The changes in Windows settings are normal activity (e.g. in registry, values in software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Connections key, in files cookies, temp, index.dat files). If you change this activity later with ZSoft log uninstall nothing crucial to the system is lost: in fact the system worked well before...

Unlike you I don't have any "fear that I mess up some Windows settings" in similar situation. But you can use the Ignore List here.

If you remark changes in your firewall "settings" likely they are usual in their own activity, e.g. in their log activity file or registry. They don't hurt the firewall process protection.

I use the ignore list to avoid unnecessary records, e.g.:
- HKU\<YourSID>\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\5.0\Cache\Extensible Cache
- HKU\<YourSID>\Software\WinRAR
- Your firewall key if need and with usual activity: e.g. HKLM\SOFTWARE\Your firewall
- C:\WINDOWS\Prefetch\
- C:\Documents and Settings\User\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\
- C:\Documents and Settings\User\Cookies\
- C:\RECYCLER\


What bellgamin said is important: "Uninstall using the program's own uninstall routine" firstly.

 

Thanks majoMo for your input

 

My pleasure, Jean Marc.