I have been using Revo Uninstaller (Free Version) and I have realized that it does NOT actually remove things from the registry.
Is there any uninstallers that do actually remove info the registy when doing uninstall?
Thanks
I use the Revo Uninstaller (Pro). I used the free version for a long time and it will remove items from the registry. Whether they actually remove all the left over items???? (and whether this is really needed is another question). The Pro version has options for three different levels of registry search and removal. The free version only removes 32 bit programs. The Pro version, along with additional features, handles the 64 bit program removals.
Advanced Uninstaller Pro by Innovative Solutions has what they call an "installation monitor". If this function is enabled prior to installing a new program, it supposedly takes a before and after "snapshot" of the registry. The theory being if you eventually remove that program it will know which registry entries to also remove.
Advanced Uninstaller PRO: A Swiss Army Knife for PC Users - Completely uninstall any program, even if it has no uninstaller of its own
The questions I have is how long before the registry has other changes made to it that were not included in that "snapshot"? What happens to the other registry changes if that "snapshot" is used? Will other programs, apps, even the computer itself suffer problems because an outdated registry backup is reinstalled? I asked these questions of Innovative Solutions and never got a response.
To me, the "snapshot" feature is too much like a registry cleaner. Many of the people on this Forum (including MSMVPs and others who have been using Windows 7 when it was still in Beta and before) strongly recommend that registry cleaners are not needed. Windows 7 is quite capable of handling the registry on its own. So I would be very careful about using any 3rd party product that claims to restore the registry to a pre-existing condition. The only exception I'd make is the Windows 7 System Restore feature. Create a restore point before installing any new programs and registry information is included. Or better yet, create a system image which is a "snapshot" of the entire hard drive, not just the registry.
Just my 2 cents worth. :)
I'm using that Advanced Uninstaller Pro and it does a fairly good job. It has the "leftover scanner" that runs after running an uninstaller and searches for anything the program may left behind.
I've used the "installation monitor" you talk about a couple of times, but it does not work as you say. It's not a snapshot what it saves, it's the changes made to files and registry. It keeps a log sort of "that file has been added, that registry key modified fro X to Y value, that another key added", etc. When unistalling using that log, it simply reverts those changes recorded and nothing else. It's not a complete restore of an old state, it's a trace back of some concrete changes. Of course, things changed after the install survives that method.
And about the "registry cleaners are not needed", it's completely untrue. That phrase of "Win7 is capable of cleaning itself" is nothing more than a marketing lie in order to convince people to buy, but nothing technically really. Programs may leave things on registry and Windows will NEVER go and delete those on its own, those accumulate there until explicitly deleted by an uninstaller.......... or a registry cleaner.
The OP specifically asked, "Is there any uninstallers that do actually remove info the registy when doing uninstall?" I used Advanced Uninstaller Pro simply as an example of a registry cleaner that purportedly takes a before and after "picture" of the registry to supposedly clean out unneeded registry entries when software is uninstalled. If you'll notice, I put the word "snapshot" in quotation marks. In literary circles that means "similar to but not exactly". Please forgive me for not using your preferred terminology.
The subject of which registry cleaner is best has been discussed on this Forum and elsewhere ad nauseum. Same for discussions about whether or not registry cleaners are necessary. It was not my intent to get into another debate on the pros and cons of using registry cleaners or which one is best.
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The improper use of a registry cleaner can brick a computer if the user doesn't know what he or she is doing. It's really just that simple. At one time, Microsoft offered Windows Live OneCare to consumers. It included a registry cleaner. But product support was discontinued in April 2011 and Microsoft has not seen fit to offer its own registry cleaner or endorse any 3rd party registry cleaners. IMHO that means Microsoft doesn't think that registry cleaners are necessary. If MS felt a registry cleaner served a useful porpose, they'd offer one - either free or paid.
Is there a Microsoft licensed registry cleaner? I have heard - Microsoft Community
Windows Live OneCare - Microsoft Windows
The fact that you like registry cleaners is fine. You obviously know what you're doing. As to whether or not registry cleaners are really needed, well ... we can agree to disagree.
And you can have the last word on this subject because I've said all I have to say. :)
I installed "Revo Uninstaller Pro" and am using it now.
As far as I can tell there is NO uninstaller that automatically removes information from the registry when using an uninstaller program. The only way to do this is to edit the register and every time I have edited the registry I have regretted it. I guess I will just have to live with the way things are now.
Windows 7 is running fine.
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