Which program is the most thorough software uninstaller for Windows?

bobby holla

Level 2
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Verified
Oct 30, 2014
63
I was told by computer Expert, that the reason why Computers started out quick, but it began to slow down more and more. is as a result of pileup of old applications and software, even ones you thought you deleted/uninstalled. These files stack up and slow down your system. he did recommend getting Revo Uninstaller but i found another Called Soft Organizer. i have been puzzle and wanting to know which of these Uninstaller can perform better? any other suggestion is welcome.
 

aragornnnn

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Aug 18, 2016
561
Iobit for me because it monitors all istallations automatically.
I used all of them and out of those Iobit was the fastest and most thorough cleaner :)

If you have to choose between those 2 Revo is the way to go.
 

reboot

Level 3
Verified
Well-known
Jan 27, 2017
139
I think I did
Even though Revo Uninstaller Pro creates a Windows System Restore Point, full Registry backup and backs up every item you delete... it is still strongly recommend that one takes careful note of what leftover registry items are selected for deletion when using the advanced scan.

WinXPert when you have a chance check out the Revo Uninstaller Pro Online User's Manual especially section 3.1. If you give the program a second chance by reading the manual then testing it by uninstalling something you're very familiar with, I suspect you will be glad that you did.
 
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HarborFront

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Oct 9, 2016
6,014
I used the IOBit Uninstaller free (latest version) last night to try to uninstall BD AV free and it took a lon................g time.....looks like couldn't uninstall it. I then interrupted the process and manually uninstall BD.

Will remove it from my system and will try AppFalcon since I just got the activation code
 
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russ0408

Level 5
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Jul 28, 2013
234
I'm using Revo 2.0.2 free. I was using Iobit Pro uninstaller but felt uneasy with Iobit software on my system, I guess it's because of the shady past. I really like Revo free, it's compatible with 64 bit now, and does a great job cleaning everything when program has been uninstalled.
 
F

ForgottenSeer 55778

Surprisingly, Geek Uninstaller uninstalled Opera better and more thoroughly than Revo. I like using Geek Uninstaller Portable now.
 

Pearl96

Level 5
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Jan 14, 2017
203
Revo has always been my choice as the best uninstaller out there! The best part is the "force uninstall" feature which allows you to remove the leftovers of programs uninstalled not completely
 
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_CyberGhosT_

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Aug 2, 2015
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Considering that now the free version of Revo also detects 64bit applications, I do not feel the need to use other uninstallers.
Surely Revo Pro has a better algorithm and provides the ability to track the app's installation, but honestly the free edition is more than enough for my needs.
I use the "Pro" because I have a LT License, but your right, at this point
even the free version is running laps around the alternatives.
 

HarborFront

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Oct 9, 2016
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I just tested AppFalcon vs IOBit Uninstaller Pro

Before that I had AppFalcon installed initially. I then installed IOBit Uninstaller Pro to remove AppFalcon. After which I cleaned with CCleaner, Wise Registry Cleaner (Deep Scan), Wise Disk Cleaner (Common and Advanced Clean) and removed files using Search Everything. Then I used RegScanner to search for AppFalcon registry entries and there were few hundreds of them. I then removed them.

Next, I installed AppFalcon to remove IOBit Uninstaller Pro. Same again goes through all those mentioned cleaners. Finally, used RegScanner and guess what? No registry entries for IOBit Uninstaller Pro were found!

Thumbs Up for APPFalcon! Off goes IOBit Uninstaller Pro from my system

However, there's one puzzling thing. When I use Eusing Free Registry Cleanr to scan I found about 28 Empty Registry Keys for AppFalcon

Hope that the AppFalcon developer can explain why the software generates so many Empty Registry Keys
 
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SEA_MAN

Level 1
Feb 8, 2017
8
Surprisingly, Geek Uninstaller uninstalled Opera better and more thoroughly than Revo. I like using Geek Uninstaller Portable now.

Apologies for the late reply!

Here is a tip for all testers - uninstall an app with an uninstaller but cancel the built-in uninstaller of that app. Then scan for leftovers with your best uninstaller. AppFalcon will show only the top leftover registry keys (parent keys) and values - no subkeys and sub values. This is implemented this way to avoid confusion with the thousands leftover subkeys and values. However, you can still see leftover subkeys and values by right-clicking on a key and select Open Location from the pop-up menu.

I just tested AppFalcon vs IOBit Uninstaller Pro

However, there's one puzzling thing. When I use Eusing Free Registry Cleanr to scan I found about 28 Empty Registry Keys for AppFalcon

Hope that the AppFalcon developer can explain why the software generates so many Empty Registry Keys

Registry Cleaners - to use them or to not? That is the question.:)
We have the following note in our website about registry cleaners:

IMPORTANT NOTE
Errors you might see when you run a “Registry Cleaner” are not critical, and some are not even errors. You might have thousands of such errors on your computer and never notice a system slowdown or experience any problems. Windows can handle millions of registry keys and values without any problem because of its structure. Did you know that programs like Microsoft Office install tens of thousands registry keys and values? Does installing Microsoft Office slow down your system?

28 Empty Registry Keys are probably keys of the installed apps but left blank by the developers. AppFalcon has an online database system, which has additional info about the apps including info for some of the blank keys. A lot of developers do not follow guidelines and best practices of software development APIs (Application Programing Interface) i.e. Microsoft Windows Software Development Requirements and Guidelines. That is the main reason for bugs - incompatibility bugs, software update bugs causing failed uninstalls of components, which leads to mismatched components from different versions of a program. Why don't they follow guidelines? I'm not sure besides what I have seen as a developer myself. Laziness, knowledge (don't know where to find those guidelines), fogething things.

A question rises up - what is the difference between a registry cleaner and a good uninstaller if they all delete registry keys and values?

Good registry cleaners scan for potentially problematic registry keys and values.

  • Problem causing registry keys and values: Windows Installer (MSI) keys and values; ActiveX and COM (COM+, DCOM, etc.); shared files registry keys
  • Not so problematic: file extension registry keys and values
  • Not problematic: MRU (Most recently used files logs), cache keys, and alike.
  • Not problematic: empty keys if they do not belong to a problematic key category. Deleting an empty key from MSI, COM, etc. category will not fix the problem it causes.

Bad registry cleaners show a countless number of MRU and empty registry keys. You can spot such keys (not problematic) by looking to their parents i.e. look for MRU, cache, recent, temp, log. They are just lists of files that a program searched for, opened, worked with, but they do not exist anymore (the files were downloaded to a TEMP folder and deleted, were in an USB drive, DVD, network folder, web folder, etc.)

It is better to use an uninstaller than a registry cleaner (do not use bad registry cleaners at all). Why?

Registry cleaners have a very tough job to find the problematic keys because the registry key, they will find as a problematic, belongs to a program which
A) does not exist on the system (it is uninstalled) - deleting those keys is good, we do not need leftovers. AppFalcon has same functionality - force removal of already partly deleted programs.
B) the program does exist on the system - this is tough. The registry cleaner should be able to find the exact problem and make sure it is a real problem. Otherwise, the registry cleaner will cause a new problem, and the existing program could stop working because some super duper cleaner has deleted a key that holds valuable information even if it is empty (the existence of an empty key could give info to a program or an updater/installer by itself).

What solution to the tough problem have most of the registry cleaners found? Not to bother with the problematic keys, just look for MRU and recent files that do not exist and list them as errors.

AppFalcon, as a good program uninstaller, is mostly in situation A after the built-in uninstaller or B going to A.

AppFalcon has other features that is diffrent than uninstallers we know - it detects CrApps (malware, badware, crapware, etc.). We all know that such programs are tricky to remove but AppFalcon has very powerful Force removal feature that other uninstallers do not have. It is designed to delete!

We continue to add features like app update and patching system (background updating) and more. Any comments are welcome. You can also contact the support team so you can get faster response than mine here ;)
 

Davidov

Level 10
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Well-known
Sep 9, 2012
470
Revo uninstaller free is in version 2.0.3 if someone did not know .-)). Free version development is active for some time.
 

Serious Noize

Level 5
Verified
Jan 13, 2014
211
This thread is a few months old. But I noticed there have been several free offerings for Soft Organizer, and Reg Organizer. This thread is about Software Organizer and Revo so I wont compare Reg Organizer even though I have used all three.

I have used both Revo & Soft Organizer. When I say Revo, I mean I have a licensed PRO version of the software without limitations.
I think they are both really good in the fact that they show and give you the option to check or uncheck what you are deleting when uninstalling a software, this is important, but if you don't know what your doing it could be a problem.

Revo FREE up until a while ago was only allowing 32 bit software support. I think that was a bad move on their part, I did not like that honestly. That was what led me to trying Soft Organizer and others.

I must say Soft Organizer if taking precautions on uninstalling works just as good as Revo Pro honestly.

Here's the thing, and it will happen with REVO or SOFT ORGANIZER or ASHAMPOO UNINSTALLER or any uninstall software that records what is being installed. YOU MUST TAKE PRECAUTIONS TO NOT HAVE ANYTHING ELSE RUNNING AT THE SAME TIME, :::: BUT ::: Even when doing so, if the software you are installing OPENS your browser and sends you to a website which is common now days, then what will happen is it will record those entries as part of the install and after doing so if you uninstall that software it could uninstall some browser data.

Either way, I saw this thread after seeing a promo giveaway for "Reg Organizer" right now which I wont use, the registry tweaks just turn me away from it, but it is the elite version from what I understand to Soft Organizer.

Just a few of my opinions.
 
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