One may ask why do we even need a third party tool to uninstall software when software that we install normally comes with a built-in uninstaller anyway? The uninstaller that comes with the installer is able to remove the files that it installed to your computer but a more sophisticated software such as antivirus may create or download new files and registry entries to your computer. Those new files and registry entries created after installation are not logged during installation, hence it is not recognized and removed by the uninstaller. If you normally download stuff and play around with third party software, within a few months you will notice that your computer is filled with junk files that was left around even after uninstalling the software.
One way to keep your computer clean so that it last longer without having to reformat and reinstall Windows is to use a reliable uninstaller tool. The most downloaded uninstaller in CNET Download.com with over 4 million downloads to date is Revo Uninstaller. It is probably the most popular brand when it comes to an uninstaller software. I have never done a review on such software before because I never needed one as I always use imaging or snapshot to restore the changes but I was curious to see what is so good about Revo Uninstaller Pro that is making it so popular.
There are two versions of Revo Uninstaller, the professional and freeware version. I will be reviewing the Professional version because the freeware version doesn’t have advanced scanning algorithms and real-Time monitoring of system changes during install of programs. Plus the freeware version doesn’t have full compatibility with 64-bit Windows. The professional version cost $39.25 which includes free lifetime technical support and free updates, till the next major version. Current version is at 2.5.5 and it means that if Revo Uninstaller Pro has been upgraded to version 3.0, then you will have to pay for a minor upgrade free. The Pro version offers a free 30 day trial.
The Professional version comes with the following features:
First, let us take a look at the Uninstaller feature. Clicking on the Uninstaller icon at the left hand sidebar will open two tabs, All Programs and Traced Programs. The difference between the two tabs are All Programs displays the list of installed software that can also be found in Control Panel > Programs and Features but providing more options when you right click on the items.
The Traced Programs tab displays the list of software that you’ve installed on your computer using Revo Uninstaller’s installation monitor. By using Revo Uninstaller to monitor the installation of a software, it is able to detect every single changes being made to your computer and provides a more complete uninstall. To monitor an installation, all you need to do is right click on the setup file and select “Install with Revo Uninstaller Pro”. A bar will displayed at the top of your screen telling you that Revo Uninstaller Pro is monitoring system changes…
When you are done installing, it is IMPORTANT to run the installed program first, configure and close it, then only press the red square button to stop monitoring. The reason for doing this is some software creates new files or perform registry changes when the software is being launched the first time. After monitoring the installation, you will notice that the software appears on the Traced Programs tab. To uninstall a monitored software, simply right click on the program and select Uninstall and the uninstall process will be performed by Revo Uninstall, not the program’s uninstaller. Sometimes Revo Uninstaller will find some data that may be related to the uninstalled program, but was not deleted because it was not logged during the installation of the program. You can manually review the data and delete it from Advanced Uninstall.
The Backup Manager allows you to restore deleted registry items only. As for files, they are moved to Recycle Bin. So if you want to undo an uninstallation, the best option would be to reinstall the software and second option is to use Windows System Restore.
Other than then Uninstaller module in Revo Uninstaller Pro, it also comes with extra bonus modules such as Windows Cleaner, Microsoft Office Cleaner, Browsers Cleaner, Junk Files Cleaner, Autorun Manager, Evidence Remover and Unrecoverable Delete which helps to clean up junk/temporary files.
Actually having the best Uninstaller is not just about being able to remove all leftover files so that your computer is as clean as before installing the software. A snapshot software would be most suitable for this case. It is important that an uninstaller be smart enough to detect if the files are still required by a similar software (common files, program data, sharing) and not blindly deleting them causing other software to stop functioning just because they are logged during installation. Further tests will be done to compare the uninstallers and hopefully to have the report out in December.
VS Revo Group has generously sponsored 5 licenses to be given away at this website. To join the Revo Uninstaller Pro giveaway, head on to the Giveaway page at our forum. All you need to do is be a registered and verified member to join the giveaway. Winners will be automatically and randomly chosen by our giveaway system in 48 hours and announced at the forum.