To keep your Windows OS in tip-top shape.

[james_p]

For anyone out there building a new system, getting ready to or getting ready to re-install Windows, I urge you to first get an UNINSTALLER seperate from the Add/Remove in the control panel.

This type of software I feel is essential to tracking where all software installs itself all over your system.

If there is one thing that bogs down Windows is the sloppy way Software installs and uninstalls itself, leaving junk all in the registry and sometimes even corrupting your system over time.

I personally ended up getting 'Total Uninstall' and loaded that first, the installed Office, Games, Adobe, Roxio...etc.... all using the Uninstaller software, which tracks and logs everything.

No I don't work for the prior mentioned company or any software company, just a fellow XP user that knows the frustration of watching a system over time get bogged down with empty Registry and even looking at Directories in the Program folders left behind by software that did not completly remove itself.

Just my two cents.

 

[pscowboy]

Then, if you're "Total Uninstaller" goes corrupt, what do you do?

It's really unnecessary if you constantly clean up and compact the Registry with a good 3rd party app on a regular basis. They work!

I've used them on dozens of my own machines and hundreds of customers with virtually perfect results over the last seven years. One problem only, was user-caused.

I like Registry Fix and Easy Cleaner, in combo usage with Ad-Aware & Spybot. And, there are other 3rd party apps doing good work as well.

 

[james_p]

I also agree that using a Registry Cleaner/Fixer is also a good idea.

I like the idea of an uninstaller because it will remove all files and any registry entries.

For example, I've installed some trialware utilities on my pc. Uninstalling and reinstalling using regular Add/Remove, the trialware seems to always pickup on the last install date/point and begins counting down from there to the expiration. When installed and uninstalled using the seperate installer software I mentioned above the trialware period begins it's countdown from zero as if it had never been on my machine. Now that is what I call a thorough uninstall. Hope that example makes sense?

Also, take Roxio and Adobe products, those two companies leave more files and junk on your PC after an uninstall then most any other. More clutter.

Also, I would rather not count on a Reg Cleaner to second guess behind some software install/uninstall when a seperate uninstaller specifically tracks eveything.

If the Uninstaller, as you asked, should crash. You can always use the normal uninstall method in Windows Add Remove, it's not like that becomes unusable.

 

[pscowboy]

That's a more compelling argument.

 

[INeedCache]

A nice, and free, program for registry cleaning is ccleaner, found at www.ccleaner.com.

 

[_WW_]

This is the free one I use.
RegScrubXP