XP Add/Remove vs Install/Uninstall Programs

I have two new Dell computers running Win XP that I will be installing a number of programs and later, no doubt, some uninstalling. Many of the programs I will install have their own Uninstall routines but experience has shown me that some of these don't do the complete job. In the past I have used the Windows Add/Remove where the program doesn't have it's own Install/Uninstall but I have run into some problems there as well. However, I haven't used the XP version yet so don't have a feel for it.

Is it advisable to use a third party Install/Uninstall software program and if so, any suggestions? PC Magazine has 31 reviews of these programs which was mind boggling and they range in price from free to over $100. Anyone have any thoughts or recommendatins on this? Thanks.

 

On the times that I have elected to check, I've always found that the Windows Add/Remove points to the Uninstall.exe or unwise.exe file in the program itself so it wouldn't make any difference which I chose.

I normally run RegCleaner if I'm concerned about left-overs. Normally it's of no great importance. Sometimes I later stumble across something left in the Registry and delete it in passing. It never seems to make any difference one way or the other however.

In the final analysis, it's up to how well the program was written that determines how well it cleans up after itself. I definitely wouldn't pay for any program to do that for me. I must confess that I tend to test things thouroughly when first installed and if they don't please me, I use GoBack to clean them completely from my system. Normally that gives me 3 weeks to decide before the history expires. That beats all uninstall methods aside from restoring a drive image of earlier date. I do that at times too but only when the effects of the left-overs are severe and persistent.

 

Hi Robert,

I've found XP's Ad/Remove fairly good at uninstalling. Like surferdude, I run reg cleaners and usually heavily test after an install and use SR if the install is recent enough.

I also use TotalUninstall (probably one of the programs you read about) if I know a program will scatter itself all over Windows. NAV2004 would come under that heading, per your thread on uninstalling it.

One "hole" that TotalUninstall has: if an install reboots before completed, the "before picture" is lost and that's the end of it. There are no bad effects, you just lose the utility of doing this.

I also have a program called InCtl5 which takes before and after snapshots, for documention purposes; you have to go into the areas and take them out yourself. It will not lose the "before" snapshot and will give the "after" even if the install reboots befor completing the install.

Regards - Charles

 

I used the XP Home Add/Remove feature to uninstall the preinstalled NIS on my new Dell. As Newt suggested in another thread, I then used SYMClean to mop up after the uninstall - but it found nothing residual. So I guess the XP program did the trick.

In the future, I plan to use the XP Add/Remove and also get myself a little smarter on System Restore and take a look at the utilities that you mentioned. Thanks for you input.