SOLVED Is Reno Uninstaller a safe program to use?

[catilley1092]

Yesterday, I was reading an article about a program that removes every crumb left behind from uninstalling programs, sniffing out all junk files and had some useful tools on it. It's called Reno Uninstaller and I tried it out on XP Pro and it found over 400MB of junk files, bits of uninstalled files and their registry entries and other crap. Having nothing to lose on that laptop, I cleaned them. Is this program safe for Windows 7, and is there such a thing as too much cleaning when it comes to programs that you no longer use or want to uninstall. When you use it to uninstall, it claims that there's no trace of it left behind. Is this a safe alternative to the default Windows program, or could I be flirting with disaster?

 

[Nibiru2012]

I think you mean Revo Uninstaller. No, it doesn't work well in Windows 7, it misses a few programs usually.

I like to use Smarty Uninstaller 2009 Pro v2.5.4

• COMPLETELY removes applications from your PC (all files, shortcuts and registry entries)
• Easy to use and modern user interface allows to comfortably work with Smarty Uninstaller!
• Very fast and reliable. More comfortable solution than regular Windows Add/Remove.
• Smart Protection feature. This feature will protect critical system components. You will not be able to delete system files accidentally or in any other way.
• Uninstall applications using drag-drop and context menu! Just drop application's icon on Smarty Uninstaller icon on the desktop. Or choose appropriate command in context menu (Right mouse click).
• Create a queue of applications for analyzing or uninstalling (you can select more than one application at same time)
• Smarty Analyzer will deeply scan your computer for traces left by selected application.
• Force uninstalling applications with broken uninstaller! Complete uninstall.
• Automatically detects invalid installations and give ways to fix them
• Detailed information about application (Name, Version, Size, Install location etc.)
• Create and Print detailed reports about installed applications. (html formatted)
• Smarty Analyzer will deeply scan your computer for traces left by selected application.
• Backup your system directly from Smarty Uninstaller.
• Useful tips and detailed Help provide you with all information you need to work with it.
• Multi-language interface!
• Fast search feature allows to quickly find application you need.

It does quite a thorough job IMO. Windows 7 32 and 64 bit compatible too!

Softpedia gives it FIVE STARS.

I don't believe there is "too much" cleaning cause usually not enough is done when removing programs.
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[catilley1092]

Thanks, there is also a free version of the program. Probably not as many features as the newer one, but I'll try it out. Thanks.

 

[Veedaz]

I don't believe there is "too much" cleaning cause usually not enough is done when removing programs

Very true and the old favourite regedit gets a lot of use.

 

[catilley1092]

I've used the regedit function a few times, but that's one thing I'm afraid of messing with myself, is the registry. I guess it's because I broke a couple of OS's (XP) in doing so. I do use CCleaner to delete things, and I use the uninstaller and startup program options with it. But I don't mess with that registry cleaner. Years ago, I used those programs, but not now. I was just looking for a uninstaller that cleanses all traces of the programs that I don't want.

 

[Veedaz]

I do use a portable registry cleaner that i keep on a flash drive as its handy when i come across a PC that has a lot of registry junk on it, but i would not recommend any registry cleaner as most can be configured in a way that is detrimental to the OS.

 

[catilley1092]

The only registry cleaner that I come close to trusting is the one in Windows Live Safety Scanner. They have a Windows 7 / Vista version, as well as a XP & below one. It's a decent program.

 

[draceena]

The only programs I trust to help clean my registry is CCleaner and Glary Utilities. Now I know these don't remove everything bad but they do find some incorrect reg entries and I've not hosed a system yet in using them

 

[Veedaz]

CCleaner

One of the best apps ever, its been going years and still free.

 

[catilley1092]

CCleaner is a great program, Glary Utilities, you need to be careful with some of the tools on it. It has some useful tools, but the memory "optimisor" and the registry "defraggler", I wouldn't mess with again. I tried both, and I was running out of memory, when I never did before, and though I used it with no negative results, why does the registry needs defragging? Windows Defender reported it as potential spyware (this was on XP Pro), so I removed it and restored my system to the point before the install. I learned long ago that before downloading a program to create a restore point. This proved to be a good thing when I tried out Advanced System Care ( I don't remember the exact name of the program). It screwed up my laptop and I had to restore.

 

[Nibiru2012]

For the registry cleaning I have used REGISTRY MECHANIC for a couple of years now and never had any issues with it. It does a thorough job and have had a system crash yet due to using it.

 

[catilley1092]

I once bought a laptop that had that program on it, mabye four years ago, but I never used it. There are dozens, if not hundreds of these programs out there, and the bulk of them are garbage. You can, if you have the time, run these free scans and it doesn't matter if you have a new computer or one ten years old. They all "find" all kinds of things wrong, and one cleaner's scan will differ from the other. If they are legit, the results should at least be close to the others. That's like if you're sick, you go to three or four doctors, one says you'll be fine with rest, on the other extreme, you need major surgery. This actually happened to me, here I was with my lower spine eat up with osteoarthritis, and that's what the first specialist said to me. Gave me a note, told me to rest for two weeks and go back to work. It took the third one to correctly diagnose me. I needed a four level lumbar fusion, have part of a cadaver's spine bones in me with twenty pounds of hardware holding it all together. Well, with registry cleaners, it's the same. I read in a tech article recently that the best registry cleaner is none. If your OS is in that bad of shape, it's time for a fresh reinstall.

 

[draceena]

Concerning Glary...I only use the basic one-click scan and never touch the Registry Defragger or the other more indepth tools. I use the same thinking for CCleaner, run the standard scan and reg scan and leave the more advanced bits alone unless I have good reason to or on the knowledgable advise of others and always, always, always create a system restore point before using any of the advanced features

 

[clifford_cooley]

I will second that draceena.

 

[catilley1092]

Concerning Glary...I only use the basic one-click scan and never touch the Registry Defragger or the other more indepth tools. I use the same thinking for CCleaner, run the standard scan and reg scan and leave the more advanced bits alone unless I have good reason to or on the knowledgable advise of others and always, always, always create a system restore point before using any of the advanced features

That's smart thinking, draceena. Some of those tools can mess your system up.

 

[Veedaz]

catilley1092 wrote

I learned long ago that before downloading a program to create a restore point.

I do so wish others would follow your example mate as it would make some of my work a lot easier

 

[clifford_cooley]

I do so wish others would follow your example mate as it would make some of my work a lot easier

I know this is not funny, however I couldn't help but laugh. :lol:

 

[Nibiru2012]

This thread has gone off-topic. Started out with a question about a software uninstaller and now has gone off on registry cleaners.

IMO, the debate is over.

 

[Veedaz]

I know this is not funny, however I couldn't help but laugh. :lol:

well its true :lol: