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Uninstallers (a very short look at what I've tried!)

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SvenH:
You mean file/registry changes other applications may do?

Carol Haynes:
Basically the way it works is that it looks at the registry before you install and after you have finished installing (actually it isn't restricted to that ... you can run it when you like and it will monitor your system from when you start it to when you stop it).

Anything on your system that changes registry entries (and as far as I know file entries - though this may be restricted to certain folders) will be recorded.

If you then 'uninstall' what it has recorded it will restore registry settings to their previous values and delete new files but won't touch files that have changed.

If you want to avoid recording extraneous effects you need to run it with as few extra apps, processes and services running as possible.

Note you can actually edit the recorded changes so you can check through and delete entries you simply don't want it to touch. If you have a normal running system you will have a lot to wade through - stopping all apps etc. will mean this is pretty manageable and you may only have to discount 1 or 2 changes.

Note also it is not a panacea .... if you want to do things correctly you should always work like this ...

1) Do all you installs and uninstalls with TU without exception

2) Check the install log after every install and make sure there are no unnecessary entires logged

3) Suppose you have installed applications A B C D E F G and now want to uninstall application C

4) Uninstall G F E D C in that order

5) Reinstall D E F G

You now have A B D E F G installed correctly

If you simply uninstall C without uninstalling the others first you may will revert registry entries to the state they were at when you installed B. Any of D E F or G could have also altered those settings (if they are common) and consequently you would lose the correct settings for those apps and they may not work properly any more.

SvenH:
Thank you for the clarifying answer.

It seems to be much trouble to get it right. Especially if I have installed many applications after the one I want to uninstall.

Carol Haynes:
Unfortunately everyone wants a nice simple solution but in practice there isn't one - despite what the software companies tell you.

I still use TU though as it has lots of ways it can be used. For example if you want to try out a program you can install it, run it and then completely uninstall it so that not registry traces are left which is great!

kimmchii:
TU wont remove the trial key in the registry, i tested a shareware program a while ago but didnt like it, so i uninstalled it with TU and when i tried it again recently, the program is expired.

TU doesnt remove everything.

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