Question re Total Uninstall

I downloaded and installed TU 2.5. In reading the Help file I do not understand the following.
"To use it, you simply launch the installation program from the Total Uninstall interface and select the system areas to be monitored. The program will then create a snapshot of your system before it installs the new software and an additional snapshot after install completes."

What does it mean "system areas to be monitored?" What are examples of system areas, and what areas need monitoring normally?

Thanks,
Jerry

 

You can select which portion(s) of the registry it monitors as well as other drives and/or folders on your computer.

 

Bobby, I know this is dumb, but what specifically are registry portions. Can you give me an example with a name of some portion attached? I would not know how to even start to designate what part I would want monitered.
I don,t know what a registry entry would look like.

Thanks,
Jerry

 

Jerry,

I noticed http://clifnotes.mybesthost.com/ and click on
The Freeware Review Wiki, has a bit of help re. TUN.
It's about a 2 inch scrolldown at his Wiki.

HTH,

Regards.

 

Thanks.
One thing I noted in the instructions is that one must close all running applications before launching TUN. I don't like the idea of turning off all my security while on line. I am on DSL.

Jerry

 

Hi Jerry,

I haven't turned off all security programs during a TUN installation, and so far, so good. Perhaps that is a "recommended" setting, because I know that it isn't "required".

And as for your earlier question regarding what to have monitored....I simply checkmark ALL options. Even though it is probably unnecessary and may be a bit redundant, I figured it wouldn't hurt to have every option available monitored during the installation......

 

Thanks, JR. I have not tried to use it yet. Maybe I'll have more confidence after I "study" it some more. I must say that I have not had problems uninstalling programs, including Norton 2003, and McAfee.
However, it will be better to have new downloads done through TUN, and save the trouble.
Regards.
Jerry

 

here's another thread about total uninstall, i think it's relevant, but i don't use it so am not completely sure
https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=68848

 

While not necessary it can make things easier. Total Uninstall picks up changes between your "before" and "after" snapshots, regardless of which program made them and if you have other software running, it will make its own changes which you then need to remove (often these are quite obvious, e.g. changes to files in C:\Program Files\Your Program\...). You can always disconnect from the Internet while doing installs (a good practice since some software installs may require you to lower your security settings).

Also note that a Windows restart (which a lot of software requires) adds lots of changes. Since these tend to be system/software specific, you may find doing a "dummy install" (i.e. take a snapshot, restart windows, finish the snapshot) helpful in identifying what changes need to be excluded from future installs. Also note that the default Registry exclusions are rather broad (as noted in the thread linked to by Iceni60) and could be reduced.