Norton Cleansweep 2003

[CrowDog]

Anyone use this program? Its supposed to be good but when I click on a program to uninstall and uninstall, it still appears in the "Windows" add/remove programs list.

Any opinions or thoughts on this program?

 

[Goi]

I'm using it as part of Norton SystemWorks. Normally I don't use it, except when the program's own InstallShield fails to uninstall it properly. In those cases, CleanSweep worked fine for me.

 

[CrowDog]

So you recommend a programs built in uninstaller over any other uninstaller utility?

Ive heard the windows built in uninstaller dosent do a good job...so I thought I would try and learn more about cleansweep....

 

[prosaic]

You didn't say what version of Windows you're running. There's nothing wrong with the "Windows uninstaller". It unstalls everything it's told to uninstall. The problem is with idiots who write uninstall routines that don't properly remove all changes that have been made to the system by their installation routines. In Windows XP you can use the System Restore feature to get around that issue, but that approach does have limitations.

The point I'd like to make is that, if you don't choose your options carefully, the use of a third party auto-uninstaller to "clean up" Windows can quickly make you an expert at reinstallation of the OS and all of your apps.

Although there's more work to my method I use a little freebie utility called InCtrl5 (PC Magazine -- they should be useful for something, after all) to monitor the installation of new applications and drivers. It provides a list of changes made by the installation routine in system file complement and registry hives. I use that to reverse changes manually, if need be. Harder, but safer.

- prosaic

 

[CrowDog]

Ok I just used it to uninstall some crappy dvd player that was on Starwars episode 2 dvd. After the uninstall was complete there was still a shortcut on my desktop (didnt work tho) and a folder dropdown in the start menu (didntwork). It was however not to be found on Windows XP default add/remove programs list.

So would it be safe to delte the start menu folder and the install folder files? Cleansweep said it was uninstalled and windows no longer seen the program...but Cleansweep throws me off when it leaves behind the shortcuts and startmenu items.....

 

[Goi]

Its probably safe to delete the shortcut and start menu group.