YOUR UNINSTALLER

What's it do?

Drag an icon onto the Uninstaller icon on the desktop and Your Uninstaller takes over by removing the application, associated data and registry items from your computer and registry. The program includes utilities for searching and organizing startup applications and a cleaner for temporary Internet files.


Does it do what it promises?

Reviewer 1: No!

Reviewer 2: Actually, this is difficult for me to verify completely. Someday, perhaps someone will explain to me the rationale of the Windows style of installation. With so much depending an a well-oiled and uncluttered central registry, one bad or misbehaving program can completely take down your computer. Would it not be smarter to have each program isolated from the rest, so that if it crashes itself - so what? If one ant falls off the twig, the others can keep marching along. From what I can see, Your Uninstaller can cheerfully uninstall programs. But completely?? I could only know that for sure if I were a registry-savvy computer guru, and this I am not.

Reviewer 3: It certainly seems to. Every program I tried it on was completely removed from the system as far as I could tell. I searched for traces of the programs afterward and could find nothing, so it seems to do its job very well.

Reviewer 4: I find it does exactly what it promises to do. As well as removing applications, incomplete program uninstalls left behind by other programs and other invalid applications, it also highlights any newly installed programs for easy identification. On top of what the base program offers, you are also given a number of built in utilities, such as a start-up organizer, IE menu organizer and an option to scan your system and remove any unused and temporary files.


Was it easy to install?

Reviewer 1: Yes. A very fast and straightforward installation utilization a standard utilization wizard.

Reviewer 2: Yes, installation was quick and straightforward. I was able to direct the program to install where I wanted it, and to put icons where I told it to. Like some of the other panel members, I have an immediate aversion to programs that make it difficult or impossible for me to have some control over the installation process. Your Uninstaller passed this first test. As well, I was immediately given the option to make sure that I had the most recent version. - I like this little extra.

Reviewer 3: Yes, there were no problems with installation. It was fast and painless.

Reviewer 4: It was very easy to install. Simply select the install icon and let it do the rest. During the installation process it will prompt you for an install location, or you can accept the default. After the installation process, the program and will scan for any updates to the program.


Good Points

Reviewer 1: The program does have a nice interface and is easy to use. It does display hidden programs not found on the standard Windows Add/Remove applet such as Windows screen savers. It does search for remnants of programs such as empty registry keys which are often left behind, and offers the user the ability to clean temporary files through a very fast search process (more on these options below). It also offers the user the ability to see and edit the startup menu.

Reviewer 2: This program certainly gives you a much better interface and set of choices than the Windows Add/Remove Programs in the Control Panel. Since I installed it on my computer, I have used it almost exclusively to do uninstallations. I also had a chance to try it out quite extensively on a computer that I was hoping to rescue from Virii (plural of virus) and multi-spyware infections. When you start it up, it loads much more quickly than Add/Remove. Like other folders (but unlike the add/remove panel) you can set the way you wish to view the window. You are already used to Large Icons, or List, but Your Uninstaller has more options. If you have a program highlighted, and you click on "Details", a pop-up window will pop-up with a wealth of information about that particular program. So if you see (and this happens!) a program you are unfamiliar with, this will help you figure out where it came from, and if you wish to keep it or not. The uninstallation program itself runs as one would expect. Once the installation is complete, another screen usually appears listing files and folders that had not been taken care of during the program uninstallation. Here you may choose to look at the folders and files before deciding whether to erase them or not. If you are unsure, and abort at this point, you find that the uninstallation itself has been aborted.

Reviewer 3: It was much easier and more intuitive to use than the default option offered by Add/Remove Programs in the control panel. I like the interface a lot, and it highlights new programs for easy location, making it simple to uninstall things you were just trying out.

Reviewer 4: Your Uninstaller is fast and user friendly. It loads twice as fast as the Windows Add/Remove program and when it is ready, it shows all applications and associated icons it has found. If you cannot find what you are looking for, it comes with a search function as well. Your Uninstaller comes with a couple of great incorporated utilities. One is a Startup Organizer. This searches for and will remove unwanted autorun applications. Many spyware programs are hidden in startup folders scattered around your system and Your Uninstaller will find, remove, or hide them, based on what you want it to do.Your registry is the brains of Windows. But like anything, things get broken, misplaced or are simply left after a failed cleanup. Your Uninstaller searches the registry and your system for these types of problems, identifies them and removes them. This helps to keep the registry clean and free of unwanted data. Your Uninstaller also lets you view the properties of the installed program's, including the registry keys that are currently used by the installed program.


Weak Points

Reviewer 1: (1) It will not uninstall all programs-even some that the Windows Add/Remove applet will remove. (2) It does not remove all traces of programs left behind as it says in its promotional advertisement. (3) Many of the traces of programs left behind are not safe to remove and while it does caution you to examine each remnant it finds, this warning should be made much stronger as it finds and lists items which can be central to your computer's (and other program's) operation. (4) The temporary file cleaner- even when set at its default setting - finds (in my case "found"!) files which were not appropriate for removal, and once you click the single button the feature scans and cleans automatically without any opportunity to examine the files and make a decision on a file-by-file basis unless you realize that you can right click on each file to open the file. Unfortunately, many "temporary files" are not able to be opened. (5) Ironically, while it claims to uninstall programs completely and thoroughly, the same cannot be said for the software itself. Upon uninstalling the software I was left with 16 empty registry entries; a program folder; and the Uninstaller folder. (6) While it offers the installer the choice of installing a quick launch shortcut, it still automatically installs a shortcut on the desktop-something the regular readers of Neat Net Tricks have come to know that this reviewer finds, while ubiquitous, unacceptable! (7) Support was non-existent for this reviewer.

Reviewer 2: One rather silly hiccup is that the Tips Dialog box that pops up when Your Uninstaller starts is the same tip every time. I mentioned this to the support people who acknowledged the bug, and said that it would be rectified in the next update. Oddly enough, this has not yet occurred. As it happens every time I start up the program, I would think that it would be worth fixing that little bug right away. There is a Check for Updates item in the Help Menu, and although I have looked several times since bringing this point up with them some while ago, the same old tip keeps appearing to remind me that there is a bug in this program. To add insult to injury, the tip itself does not really seem to be true. I have dragged an icon on the desktop over to the Uninstall icon on the desktop to start the uninstall process (as it says in the tip), but all it will do is uninstall the Icon. I already have a Recycle Bin which will do exactly the same thing. The fact that this appears even before the program launches gives a very bad initial impression about the whole program itself. Another weakness: when a program is in the process of being installed, there should be some kind of action or indication that the uninstallation is actually going on. Instead, there is a window which appears that says to click OK when uninstallation is complete. The first few times I used the program, since nothing seemed to be happening, I assumed that this window appears when the uninstallation is, in fact, complete, so I happily checked OK. Uninstallation halted. I learned that I must wait until the window appears saying that the process has been completed, and now I could click OK. Developers, please fix this.

Reviewer 3: The big problem I had was that every time I started the program, it was in "trial" mode, and would ask for the registration code again, as if I hadn't put it in twenty times previously. Reinstallation did not work, and I received no reply from tech support about the problem. This bug eventually caused me to uninstall Your Uninstaller 2004.

Reviewer 4: After adding and removing a number of different games and utilities, I did notice that in some cases Your Uninstaller only removed the registry keys yet left some root entries. Is this a bug in the program or not is yet to be determined. The interface is fine as it goes, but I find it annoying to have different buttons on different windows performing different functions. Can they be place together or accessible from a common point on the screen?


Other Comments

Reviewer 1: To begin, let me tell you how initially excited I was in receiving this software for review. Not only have I been looking for a good replacement to the sloppy uninstall program built into Windows, but I had a couple of possibly complicated programs to uninstall as well as some general cleanup to do in the area of rarely used programs on my home computer. Furthermore, there were some trial installations on my office computer that I wanted to get rid of; so, I had some real work cut out for testing this piece of software. Additionally, and it should be noted for the record, this software has received almost unanimously favorable - even glowing - reviews. Because of this final note, I want to be perfectly clear about my experiences with this program. Also, as I would recommend any user to do before installing new software, I did a complete and thorough cleaning of my machine to remove temporary files, history files, defragging my hard drive, and so forth. I then ran a battery of anti-spyware, anti-malware tools to be sure that my computer was completely free of viruses, Trojans, scan ware-all of those "bugs." Next, I set a new restore point and ran a complete backup of my system. In short, and I think this is important for the credibility of all reviews, I wanted to be able to guarantee that any problems which might arise after installing new software was caused by that software. After running the temporary file cleaner to see what it might find that I had missed and finding an inordinate number of files that it found and removed, the first task I set out for Your Uninstaller was to remove the new Microsoft AntiSpyware Beta program. As I had recently installed Sunbelt Software's Counter Spy, I learned that the two programs share some code and are thus incompatible on the same computer. I would need to uninstall both programs and reinstall the Counter Spy software to clean up any conflicts. Also, because of the interrelatedness of these two programs, it would be necessary to be able to completely and thoroughly uninstall both so as to get a clean reinstall of Counter Spy. A perfect job for Your Uninstaller which states "Your Uninstaller clears broken keys and files in seconds using 'SmartUninstall'," and will "detect and completely remove all of the programs and icons on your computer." Again, just what I needed for my aforementioned task, right? Wrong! First, it would not remove the Microsoft program. Each time (and I tried several times) to uninstall the program, the installation wizard opened and began to reinstall (or actually install again) the program which was not uninstalled. Okay, maybe it had something to do with the code sharing between the two aforementioned programs. So I attempted instead to uninstall Counter Spy. This it did do quickly and apparently without any problems. It then did its "SmartUninstall" search and found forty-six remaining folders, empty registry keys, etc. which it suggested should be removed also. Now, understand that while it does warn you to examine these files to make certain they can all be safely removed, it rather berates you later if you choose not to uninstall these files. More importantly, how many computer users are familiar enough with the workings and semantics of the Windows Registry to be able to make an informed decision on what should or should not be removed? So, in part because I felt I should try to replicate what you the user might experience with this software and understanding that there should be some level of trust in Your Uninstaller's so-called "SmartUninstall" which reportedly uses a "database" to make intelligent (?) decisions about the uninstall process, I allowed Your Uninstaller to remove all suggested traces and remnants. Oops! That was one BIG MISTAKE!!!!!! things began to happen or which I discovered over the next twelve hours. First, I noticed that when clicking on "My Computer" to open that window, I would get a blank window with the little Microsoft animated "search brush", taking approximately three minutes to apparently "locate" that window. When the window finally opened the icons (C: Drive, etc.) were rearranged. Next, I opened my Microsoft Word program to enter this problem in the notes I keep on each program I am testing for review only to discover that some part of my Word program had been disabled and it was now calling for the Word installation disc. In addition, a small program called WordToys which adds additional functionality to the Microsoft Word program was missing as was al program called WinPatrol. In each instance, the programs were still intact on my computer (and Your Uninstaller identified them to be in good working order!). I then decided it was time to contact support to see what they might suggest, so I attempted to start AOL by clicking on the shortcut icon, only to find that when doing so a warning box opened, suggesting that I needed to reinstall files necessary to allow me to connect to the AOL service. Clicking "yes" to allow these files to be reinstalled proved worthless as each time I attempted to start AOL the same box would appear asking me to allow these files to be installed again (and again, and again!). (A telephone call to AOL, not surprisingly, offered no help!). Now I am really frustrated and a bit annoyed, shall we say? But I am not yet ready to give up. (Remember I had a full disc image as well as a restore point I could revert to if all else failed.) So, I thought maybe the problem was that the Microsoft AntiSpyware program was still on the machine and now somehow causing problems what with its code-sharing Counter Spy removed. This seemed highly unlikely, but I was willing to give every benefit of the doubt possible to the highly praised Your Uninstaller. I removed the Microsoft program using the Windows Add/Remove applet (which it uninstalled with no problem) but all of the aforementioned problems remained. A lesser person would have given up and simply restored their system, but I am just too crotchety or stubborn or curious (take your pick) to give up so I kept examining and looking. I thought I would run Windows SFC /SCANNOW to check for internal file integrity. Nope, no longer on my computer! Now, and this takes some real digging and knowledge of the Microsoft OS, my I386 folder was gone. (Just for the record, this is an internal "hidden" file which is part of your OS's System32, and which contains backups as well as other operating components of the OS ). Now I am done! My entire operating system has been damaged by or because of Your Uninstaller. Time to restore. I restored my system to the point previous to installing Your Uninstaller and everything returned to normal. I then uninstalled Microsoft AntiSpyware and Sunbelt Software's Counter Spy the "old fashioned" way using the Add/Remove function in Windows-still no problems or changes to the computer-and reinstalled Counter Spy. Everything is working perfectly once again. One comment before I summarize. I found an email address for Your Uninstaller through their web site and, after a long search using Google and being unable to find anything about the developers of this software (URSOFTWARE), I wrote to the company explaining who I was and asking if I might have a little background on the company-usually being a "reviewer" gets you a pretty quick response. Here is what the return email said, and I quote: "We run our business since 1998 and is located on Holden, MA. We are focusing on developing products for common Windows users to make computer more friendly." It was signed "Thomas." Yep, that's the entire background on this company. Now, I apologize for trying your patience with this long (and possibly tedious at times) review; but, in the face of the many positive reviews this software has received as I stated earlier, I wanted to make you understand that this software was tested vigorously and then give you the exact results so that you, the reader can make an informed decision. Quite frankly, with no information on this company to be found anywhere, I would have normally had serious misgivings; but, I am quite favorable to new and smaller companies trying to make their way in this highly competitive field of software development. Had I received the aforementioned email which seems almost secretive in its lack of information, I would have had even more serious doubts. However, after a full and lengthy testing of this product my recommendation to you is to stay as far away from this product as you can. It is clear to me that either through its Temporary File cleaning tool; its "SmatUninstaller" function of removing registry keys, etc. ; or possibly even some, undiscovered by me, conflict with other installed software, this is a dangerous program capable of literally bringing your operating system to a standstill. Had I not created a restore point or otherwise backed up my entire system (in this case the entire operating system), I could well have been faced with doing a complete reinstall of my operating system! No thank you! Therefore. . . .

Reviewer 2: There are a few quirks in the program that I was unable to sort out myself. The first involved a problem with the registration process. This gave me a chance to find out how the support people would respond - a very important factor in any software purchase. The response was quick, polite and efficient, and the problem was resolved. Another time I could not find a program listed in Your Uninstaller that was certainly on the computer. I got in touch with Support. They downloaded and installed the program in question, to find out why Your Uninstaller had not been able to find it. As it turns out, that particular software does not install in the Windows registry, and can simply be erased by deleting the folder it is in (Oh! That all Windows programs could be thus!) To me, their response in this case represents support people who really do want to provide service.

Reviewer 3: While I was using it, it worked well.

Reviewer 4: Your Uninstaller displays a lot of information about the program you are wanting to remove. It covers the application maker, the version of the program and a list of orphaned files left behind and gives you the opportunity to remove them as well. After you have used Your Uninstaller , you will realize it nicely replaces Windows Add/Remove program. It cleans better, it lists hidden programs and will remove broken registry keys and will delete unused files on your system through a simple user-friendly interface.


Will you continue to use it?

Reviewer 1: No. Not with a gun pointing to my head!

Reviewer 2: Yes. I like the interface and the extra features. However I remain to be convinced that any uninstaller can really clean up all traces left by a program that I want to clear off my computer.

Reviewer 3: No.

Reviewer 4: After using Your Uninstaller for a while, I find it a useful addition to my utilities and yes, I will definitely continue to use it.

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