A Reliable Uninstaller Program ??

Discussion in 'other software & services' started by Hard Rocker, Dec 1, 2005.

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  1. Hard Rocker

    Hard Rocker Registered Member

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    Can anyone suggest a trustworthy program to remove already installed software from my PC .... missing their uninstallers ?

    I have a couple of programs that no longer have their original uninstallers and I would like to remove them. :(

    I've already tried Total Uninstall .... but it won't remove anything that has been installed previous to it's own installation.

    HR :cool:
     
  2. MICRO

    MICRO Registered Member

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    HR,

    I was going to say, 'My Uninstaller' from Nirsoft.net might do it, but now I am wondering, ....... if it would not be quicker to re D\L the programs and copy the uninstallers back into your uninstallerless folders of the programs if it
    would work.

    Maybe 'Brute Force Unistaller 1.0.7' at Klitetools.com would do the job.

    Regards.
     
    Last edited: Dec 1, 2005
  3. ErikAlbert

    ErikAlbert Registered Member

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    Total Uninstall isn't freeware anymore and v3.xx seems not to be compatible anymore with v2.xx (freeware).
    Total Uninstall v3.51 ($29)
    http://www.martau.com/

    I don't have any experience with Total Uninstall (TU), but I'm wondering about something.
    If an upgrade of a software causes a new object, does TU remember that object too, when you want to uninstall the software ?
     
  4. Hard Rocker

    Hard Rocker Registered Member

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    I did try the 30 day trial of Total Uninstall .... but it won't remove anything that was NOT installed through Total Uninstall itself.

    I'll try Brute Force Uninstaller though and hopefully have better luck with that program. I can't redownload these programs as they are discontinued.

    Thanks guys .... I'll post back .... maybe other members here will have additional suggestions as well.

    HR :cool:
     
  5. Hard Rocker

    Hard Rocker Registered Member

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    Well I just downloaded Brute Force Uninstaller and all that shows is a Scriptfile to execute Box. o_O

    I entered the program name .... pressed execute and nothing happens. I don't understand how this software works as it does not analyze anything on my PC.

    HR :cool:
     
  6. ronjor

    ronjor Global Moderator

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    If it were me, I would install the programs again, going through Total Uninstall. Then, uninstall the programs using Total Uninstall. Safer in my opinion.
     
  7. ErikAlbert

    ErikAlbert Registered Member

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  8. Hard Rocker

    Hard Rocker Registered Member

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    Unfortunately Ron, that is not possible as these are older programs & they are discontinued. As well, they were not exactly the best software to have installed in the first place .... but that was well before I joined Wilders & smartened up .... a bit at least.

    HR :cool:
     
  9. Hard Rocker

    Hard Rocker Registered Member

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    Thanks Erik Albert .... just missed your post while responding to Ron. I'll investigate your links & post back. That should keep me busy for a little while anyway. :D

    HR
     
  10. ErikAlbert

    ErikAlbert Registered Member

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    I hope that at least one of them is good enough. :D
    IF and I repeat IF one of them did the job, I would like to know which one.
    Thanks in advance.
     
  11. Carver

    Carver Guest

    We all have installed outdated programs, so don't feel bad. If I learned anything it's that the programs that are very old are still floating around somewhere, just takes the right search engine. You could try deleting it in safe mode. If worst comes to worst you can use a file whiping program and a reg cleaner to take it out bit by bit....file by file.
     
  12. MICRO

    MICRO Registered Member

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    HR,

    After reading one of your replies I went to see why you found a problem
    with BFU and after seeing who the author was,the famous 'Merijn' of 'CWShredder'and 'Hijackthis" fame, well BFU must be an OK program.

    I went to www.spywareinfoforum.com/~merijn
    and find that there is a downloadable BFU Manual on the page, and also that he updated BFU to a later model than Klite's show - its available on Merijn's downloads page; the above addy plus /downloads.html

    If all else fails and you don't have XP then check out, 'Smart Uninstaller v1.0 ' at
    http://encoderx.co.uk/
    In ACF several mentioned that it's the goods,including encoderx who
    said he had used it for a couple of years without a hitch.
    I d\l'ed and checked it with AVG and ASquared - clean.

    If you have XP then I would check if XP has COMCTRL32.DLL
    in WIN\SYS. or WIN\SYS32, because I don't know that it wouldn't work
    if XP has that .DLL file.

    HTH,

    Regards.
     
  13. squash

    squash Registered Member

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    For me, I use XP's System Restore.
    I relize that it is not foolproof (or reliable as you say), but for most needs it works.

    I never have any problems trying software and then rolling back to an old system state.

    My solution to uninstall
    I got to Start > Control Panel > Add/Remove programs to removed the selected app
    Then I run System Restore which will remove any registry changes left behind.

    In conjuction with an image of this drive :)
     
  14. ErikAlbert

    ErikAlbert Registered Member

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    For me, ShadowUser in the future.
    I can try any software (trusted or not). I don't even have to uninstall it.
    One reboot of 5 minutes is enough.
    I don't even have to be smart or even think about it, because reboot requires only a minimum of intelligence. Even a monkey can reboot, if you train him.
     
  15. Hard Rocker

    Hard Rocker Registered Member

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    Firstly .... Thanks to everyone for their links and suggestions !! :D

    In response to Erik Albert .... By using Tenebril Uninstaller I was able to remove both programs in question. After opening Tenebril Uninstaller & selecting the first program I wanted to uninstall, Tenebril informed me right away that the uninstaller for this program was NOT available. It then asked if I wanted to proceed with a manual uninstall. Choosing yes .... the program was then removed from Add/Remove Programs as well as from C:/Program Files ( to the Recycle Bin .... mind you ). At this point I'm uncertain as to what entries ( if any ) were removed from the registry, as I suspect Tenebril only removed the folders from the Program Files location.

    I ran RegCleaner 4.3 and it showed some entries in the obsolete software category ( for these 2 programs ) so I got rid of those entries.

    Clever Uninstaller, Add/Remove Plus, and Absolute Uninstaller did absolutely nothing. In fact, the last two actually OPENED the programs I was trying to remove when I chose " Uninstall " from their menus .... instead of removing them !! o_O

    Thanks Again,
    HR :cool:
     
  16. Longboard

    Longboard Registered Member

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    This might help

    most of the "snapshot" uninstallers require install to record; it doesn't sound like you are after that.

    Try getting the registry cleaner from jv16, there is a free version still around
    (sorry cant remember where) it has a function that will check all software references and you can pull out any older remnants, then use the registry cleaner itself to tidy up.

    here: http://www.321download.com/LastFreeware/

    Back up before clean just in case although this app comes highly recommended from experienced users in this forum

    I have had good use out of Total uninstaller (and good support from developer) for new installs and there are still some copies of InCtrl5 free floating around.

    Regards
     
    Last edited: Dec 4, 2005
  17. Slovak

    Slovak Registered Member

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    The last freeware version of total uninstall works well too. I tried to find a link for it but couldn't, maybe someone here knows where to download it from.
     
  18. Hard Rocker

    Hard Rocker Registered Member

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    :D I'll check out your link Longboard & thanks for the heads up.

    Slovak .... Yes, it would be great to find a link for the " free " version of Total Uninstall if anyone here knows of one.

    HR :cool:
     
  19. ErikAlbert

    ErikAlbert Registered Member

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  20. Hard Rocker

    Hard Rocker Registered Member

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    I'll check that link Erik Albert .... & thanks once again.

    HR
     
  21. Longboard

    Longboard Registered Member

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  22. ErikAlbert

    ErikAlbert Registered Member

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    Thanks for sharing your experiences with these softwares.

    1. Tenebril Uninstaller v1.2 ($19.95) : at least this one helped you out, but probably didn't remove the registry.

    2. Add/Remove Plus 2004 ($19.95) : an expensive joke. :rolleyes:
    3. Absolute Uninstaller v1.5 ($19.95) : also an expensive joke. :rolleyes:
    4. Clever Uninstaller V3.0 ($29.95) : this one is a beauty. Didn't do anything, the most expensive one in the row and calls itself "clever". Pffft. :rolleyes:

    Unbelievable how incompetent some PAID softwares are.
    A good lesson to remember : always try the trial version, before you buy the software.
     
  23. anon111

    anon111 Guest

    Hi there - I can recommend Macecrafts jv16 PowerTools.

    They include an option to remove leftover junk from your computer - including old i´nstalls not removed via add-remove ...

    Note: it's payware though - so don't say I didn't warn you.

    Link:

    http://www.macecraft.com/jv16powertools2005/


    Greets.
     
  24. Cerxes

    Cerxes Registered Member

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    Or, you could delete the maps/files of the apps. (no dll:s) and then check with sysinternals regmon for finding the registry traces of the apps., before cleaning manually with regedit :cool:
     
  25. RobZee

    RobZee Registered Member

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    I have used this one for a couple of years - it says it's cleaning the registry entries when it executes, but I don't know if it leaves any behind.
    I trial & uninstall about 6-8 programs a week & use it, followed by a periodic registry cleaner such as the one in Tune Up Utilities 2006. Tenebril's program did have a trial version for 20 days when I first saw it.

    Rob
     
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