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Old March 23rd 15, 08:24 PM posted to microsoft.public.windows.vista.general,alt.windows7.general,alt.comp.os.windows-8
VanguardLH[_2_]
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Posts: 104
Default Interesting uninstall problem with old software

Ken Springer wrote:

VanguardLH wrote:

Revo doesn't have you reinstalling Windows. Their database is a
hardcoded list of known registry entries and files for the programs they
know about so they know what to remove. If doing the manual remnant
cleanup of the registry and files is beyond you or you want a quick stab
at the cleanup then Revo Uninstaller might work. They have a free
version you can try. The payware version includes a monitor so it can
see what changes were made to know what to remove later. The freeware
doesn't have the real-time monitor but it still has the database of
hardcoded expertise that might help remove the stubborn program.


It worked!!! I chose the Advanced button, I wanted everything gone. I
did not use the portable version. Took forever to shut the computer
down and reboot, but it seems to be OK. No extensive use as of yet, but
then there never has been any extensive use of Vista for me. LOL

One thing I found interesting, if you use the Advanced setting, the
program allows you to "clean" the registry of entries relating to the
program being removed. Doing exactly the actions that people don't like
registry cleaners doing. G


I haven't needed Revo yet but my understanding of that product is its
registry cleaning would be based on its hardcoded expertise in its
database. So the registry cleanup is focused on the program you want to
remove. This is unlike registry cleaners that look all over the
registry finding irregularities based on the hardcoded expertise in
those registry cleaners. One is focused, the other is shotgun approach.
One looks at entries for a particular program, the other is looking for
irregularities and not specifically for good entries of programs. One
will find entries for a program, the other often only drills down to one
or two levels for a dependency of an entry (e.g., it takes me 2 runs of
CCleaner: one to find the top-level non-dependent entries and another to
find the dependent entries now stripped of their parent entries).

I doubt the registry cleanup in Revo Uninstaller operates at the same
level (catch anything) of registry cleaners. That's why Revo should be
safer. Registry cleaners would find a lot more than just the entries
for the program you wanted to remove and as such are dangerous when used
by those ignorant of what entries are for and their interdependencies.
With registry cleaners, if you don't know then don't touch.

Again, I haven't use Revo (only know of others that used it) but I'm
guessing their registry cleaner is focused on the unwanted program based
on what they put in their database. Well, I hope that is what Revo does
to determine which registry entries to delete. I sure wouldn't want it
to act like other registry cleaners that wander all over the registry
rather than focus on known registry entries for a particular program.