Removing programs from Windows should be an easy task, but sometimes there will be left-overs like broken registry keys and shortcuts, that’s when you need another Windows Installer CleanUp Utility
With the release of Windows 7, Microsoft removed the Windows Installer CleanUp Utility and even stopped supporting it. This has left many users at a standstill, particularly those who enjoyed the convenience and functionality of the program. There are some alternatives that can work just as well, however.
1) Revo Uninstaller
Although Revo Uninstaller is a powerful tool, it is quite slow when compared to some other options that are available. There is a free trial version that provides only the most basic features such as the ability to fix some registry errors and delete certain registry entries that are no longer useful, but the ability to wipe out all of them is only available in the paid version of the program. Another thing that users noted is that they can only uninstall one program at a time—and generally at a snail’s pace. However, this is a great option for those who want the most thorough uninstall possible and who do not mind waiting for an abnormally long period of time.
2) Your Installer
Your Installer is not only a great comprehensive tool for uninstalling programs, but it is also a wonderful way for users to manage their programs and group them by size, date of installation, type of program and more. Users can change the icons associated with individual programs and even backup the registry entries for later recovery in the event of a hard drive failure or file corruption. This program is much faster than many of its competitors’ offerings; this is true despite the fact that the program scans users’ entire systems for traces of files that are no longer needed. In fact, the use of Your Installer can even speed up PCs noticeably.
3) GeekUninstaller
Geekinstaller is one of the few programs in this category that can uninstall any program from a user’s hard drive, even if it was installed prior to Geekinstaller itself. It installs on the user’s computer as a .zip file that only requires the user to run the .exe, so although it is very lightweight, it certainly has plenty of features. There are options to remove and modify programs as well as the ability to force-remove those that can be stubborn. Other options available on the internet do not provide this capability. Another notable feature is the ability to use Geekinstaller to perform a Google search on unknown programs and filenames before removal.
4) ZSoft Installer
The ZSoft Installer is one of the best and most well-known products on the web for replacing the Windows stock application, but it does come with one major drawback. Users will need to download and install ZSoft prior to installing their programs; otherwise, ZSoft will not be able to tell what has changed. The program takes a registry snapshot both prior to and after a new program installation and then files it away. When the user decides to uninstall the program, ZSoft simply removes all of the files that were installed with the program.
Users who are looking for programs that will do a bit of everything are also in luck. Many installers are part of entire utility packages that are available for download. However, these are often paid applications that require a steep one-time purchase or a nominal monthly subscription fee to keep active.
