best uninstallers

[bluesfloyd]

hi guys,
what uninstallers are you guys using for best results, i am using IObit uninstaller, i did uninstall a HP Deskjet printer using IObit, but when i used windows search looking for HP Deskjet, there are files still on the laptop something to do with HP Deskjet, are there uninstallers that would uninstall every thing to do with HP Deskjet ????

thanks for your time,
bluesfloyd,

 

[Rakk]

Normally stuff like that has it's own uninstallers that you can use or you can uninstall from Windows Add/Remove programs, and they are the best things to use, personally I don't trust third party uninstallers.

Edit: though given you've now removed it using said third party software, the proper uninstaller and the Windows one probably won't work unfortunately.

 

[ubuysa]

I use the IObit uninstaller too, it actually calls the program's uninstaller so it's identical to using the Windows remove programs feature. No uninstaller will ever completely remove every trace of an uninstalled program but the IObit uninstaller does a very good job of locating registry entries and files and folders left behind by the program's uninstaller.

The one thing I would say is to check each registry entry that any uninstaller plans to remove to be doubly sure it's related to the program being uninstalled. I've not found IObit get it wrong yet though. IMO the IObit uninstaller is as good as it gets for free.

 

[Oussebon]

I've used Revo uninstaller (free version) without harm, though haven't found it terribly effective in the particular scenarios I was in.

You could just use the program's uninstaller, then run something like CCleaner afterwards.

All the above at your own risk, obvs

 

[Wozza63]

I'll second Revo, although its very hit and miss depending on the program. Some programs it can find thousands of hidden left over files and then others it leaves behind files that are clearly visible even to the user.

 

[Spuff]

I like Revo Uninstaller. I have the Pro version. It will always start by using the application's own uninstaller if it has one and then it will hunt out files that are still there. It almost always find things in the registry that were not removed, plus often other things, the number of which I think depends of how much is there.

 

[ubuysa]

I used to use Revo but I had to change when I got my first 64-bit system, the free version of Revo didn't support 64-bit at that time. I see from their website that the free version still only supports 32-bit and that's why I'm using IObit.

I have used the Revo Pro version in the past but found it to be not worth the money - in the sense that I was paying for a bunch of stuff that I never used, all I wanted was an uninstaller.

 

[bluesfloyd]

I use the IObit uninstaller too, it actually calls the program's uninstaller so it's identical to using the Windows remove programs feature. No uninstaller will ever completely remove every trace of an uninstalled program but the IObit uninstaller does a very good job of locating registry entries and files and folders left behind by the program's uninstaller.

The one thing I would say is to check each registry entry that any uninstaller plans to remove to be doubly sure it's related to the program being uninstalled. I've not found IObit get it wrong yet though. IMO the IObit uninstaller is as good as it gets for free.

hi, ubuysa
IObit uninstaller recommends using (Advanced SystemCare 9) what do you think about this program????

thanks for your help,
bluesfloyd.

 

[ubuysa]

hi, ubuysa
IObit uninstaller recommends using (Advanced SystemCare 9) what do you think about this program????

thanks for your help,
bluesfloyd.


View attachment 8051

I don't recommend it (Advanced System Care that is). Mainly this is because it features a registry cleaner and they are to be avoided, but also because in my experience it's too aggressive in it's cleaning. I have had to fix a couple of computers damaged by over aggressive use of this product. For junk cleaning I use Ccleaner, but again avoid the registry cleaner in there.

 

[Wozza63]

I don't recommend it (Advanced System Care that is). Mainly this is because it features a registry cleaner and they are to be avoided, but also because in my experience it's too aggressive in it's cleaning. I have had to fix a couple of computers damaged by over aggressive use of this product. For junk cleaning I use Ccleaner, but again avoid the registry cleaner in there.

I use CCleaner for registry cleaning about once a year, never had a problem. The performance improvements is more or less unnoticeable unless you do it every 5 years where its built up a number of broken registry entries thats somewhat comparable to the number of actual registry entries. CCleaner is pretty safe, never had an issue with it.

The amount of difference it makes also depends on what you do with the PC, if you are installing and uninstalling a lot of programs, the number of errors can quickly build up.

 

[ubuysa]

I use CCleaner for registry cleaning about once a year, never had a problem. The performance improvements is more or less unnoticeable unless you do it every 5 years where its built up a number of broken registry entries thats somewhat comparable to the number of actual registry entries. CCleaner is pretty safe, never had an issue with it.

The amount of difference it makes also depends on what you do with the PC, if you are installing and uninstalling a lot of programs, the number of errors can quickly build up.

I realise there are two schools of thought on registry cleaners and I don't wish to preach. However, if the Windows registry benefited from cleaning then Microsoft would provide a tool to do it. Entries left behind by uninstalled programs generally do no harm at all (the progranm that referenced them has been uninstalled) and since most of the registry hives are loaded into RAM at boot time there is no real benefit gained from reducing the physical size of the registry.

I have fixed dozens (I have actually forgotten how many) computers that have been royally screwed by a registry cleaner. I have yet to come across a genuine problem that has been caused by a redundant registry entry.

Vendors of registry cleaning products spread the illusion (as a marketing tool) that because their cleaner finds more 'redundant' entries than any other registry cleaner it must be better. This is not only an illusion it's actually dangerous because people migrate to more and more aggressive cleaners in the mistaken belief that they're getting something better. What they're really doing is making it more and more likely that their cleaning will come back to bite them.

I do use an uninstaller that does delete registry entries (allegedly) related to the program being uninstalled, naturally I check every one of those before deleting them. To be honest though, the main reason I use a third-party uninstaller is to remove files and folders left behind by program uninstallers, they really do waste space.

In the ethos of 'if it ain't broke then don't fix it' I recommend to all that they avoid registry cleaners, the gains are negligible, even illusory, but the potential problems are huge.

That's just my opinion of course, backed up by decades of experience though.

 

[Wozza63]

Like I said, there would only ever be an even remotely small difference if you left it a long while and do a lot of registry intensive activities like installing and uninstalling lots of programs. I do agree with you though that many of the vendors are extremely sketchy and really do walk on a fine line when they are scanning, but I think CCleaner is by far the most reputable and doesn't really push as far as some others. Plus its free and they don't shove paid product advertising in your face.

Plus I have OCD when it comes to what's on my computer and knowing that a program will flag up 6000 registry errors really bugs me D:

 

[eric86]

i have Revo Uninstaller Pro 3 and it is way better than the standard uninstaller that comes with Windows.