Revo is a little known -- and marvelous -- tool for uninstalling programs from your PC. I promise it'll exceed your expectations for a freebie and surpass anything Windows has to offer. Except for 64-bit operating systems, Revo is compatible with all versions of Windows. Grab a copy here.
Revo gives me the details that the Windows uninstaller doesn't: It lists every program's version and location on the drive, tells when the app was installed, and provides links to vendor site. Curious about a program? Right-click and hit Google: Your browser opens with a Web search on the program. Or you can highlight a program's name and open its folder or Registry entry.
Most important is that Revo really scrubs your system clean when uninstalling a program. Revo first uses the app's uninstall routine and then scans your PC to find any odds and ends. Revo's wizard then gives you the option to remove them all from the Registry.
Update: Revo's developers told me that I misunderstood how the Registry entry deletion feature worked. I removed the incorrect copy and replaced it with the following paragraph. [Thanks for the clarification, Shenel.]
There's one thing that Revo doesn't make clear: Revo shows the entire Registry listing--not just the relevant entries--and warns you to delete only the Registry entries marked in bold. That's an unnecessary warning because Revo lets you check mark the entire tree rather than selecting individually bolded items. Only bolded marked items--those with blue icons--are deleted.
Revo needs to be more like CCleaner and provide an undo feature or an automatic Registry entry backup.
Click the top of the Registry entry and only bolded items are deleted.
Revo's Hidden Helpers
I use Revo to uninstall programs, but it has other features you might want to try. From the Tools icon, you can get quick access to 14 Windows tools that are in Control Panel, including Add/Remove Windows Components and Group Policy. The Junk Files Cleaner scans all your local drives for temporary files; you can customize it by adding file extensions of your favorite temp files.
Add file extensions to Revo's Junk filter.
The one feature I don't use is the Hunter Mode, a way to uninstall apps using drag and drop. You might like it, but I'd prefer right-clicking a program's Desktop icon (or highlighting a file in Windows Explorer) and seeing an uninstall option using Revo. In the meantime, I've pinned Revo to my Start menu for quick access--you can do that by right-clicking the Revo icon in your Start menu and choosing "Pin to Start Menu.".
Bulgaria? No Kidding!
More than a few readers, me included, wanted to know more about Revo -- like where were the developers are located. Roger H. subscribes to my newsletter and he found out: Revo was created by a group of developers in Varna, Bulgaria. Revo is their first worldwide project, a company rep said in an e-mail. If you have questions, contact them here.
Talkback
Have something to say about uninstallers? You can use Comments below or if you'd prefer, fire an e-mail right into my inbox.
I use the portable version of Revo Uninstaller - the idea of not having to uninstall an uninstaller struck me as very neat. I also like the fact that you can choose how thoroughly Revo scans the registry after uninstalling an application.
I use AVG Ant-Virus and it detected a trojan horse in uninst.exe after I downloaded and installed Revo. What gives!?
As I mentioned to BigAl -- it's a false positive and you don't need to worry. --Steve
I'm playing with two iUninstallers on my XP SP2 desktop(yea, Microsoft...aka M$.. XP is my continued OS of choice, thank you; that's right XP, XP until you decide to RTM another Win 95- like OS__remember the excitement and longs lines of customers waiting for the stores to open to get their copy opening day??? And, kids this was after M$ kept it VAPORWARE forever, it seemed) Sorry for the aside, Steve; but the uninstallers I'm using are REVO which I'm beginning to really like for its tenacity to root out the registry garbage most apps leave behind. The other is X-soft Uninstaller which I have to be more careful with. I especially like its CCleaner-like Temp Search & Find junk files that is super fast. Also, the diligent of us can use it to record every file & item of an app being installed. Unfortunately it's a manual initiated Analyze Program requiring a before installatio, installation, then a Post-Install to achieve its analysis. It's also freeware.Theyboth fit together well.
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Mine: You mean Zsoft Uninstaller? [ http://www.zsoft.dk/index/software_details/4 ] It sounds too complcated. At least for me.
I use avg as well and i also got that message saying it detected a trojan in uninst.exe
BigAl: Revo's clean. It's a false positive. I sent a note to AVG about it. --Steve
I have used Revo for nearly a year now. Love it and sticking with it.
Thanks a lot steve.I have been a long time user of revo and love it so it shocked me when that threat appeared thanks again for checking on it.
Hey Steve, I love following your work, it's useful and fun.
But this Revo thing, you mentioned it awhile back. So I tried it, but I noticed it didn't find it all, I had to go through the same steps to find and dig up whatever I wanted out. If fact, this is the funny part, Revo didn't even completely get rid of itself. So I had a good laugh. Seems like it needs more work to me.
I use the regular uninstallers, search my folders where programs usually hide themselves, and then use CCleaner.
Did Revo send you a box of candy, :)