How do I remove uninstalled software "leftovers"?

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I use RevoUninstaller - seems to get rid of every last drop of the associated files and folders - giving you the option to delete or not what its found. Its worked great for me, but whether it meets your high, informed standards Leo, I wouldn't bet my house on it. Oh yeah - and its free!

I also use RevoUninstaller and it also gets ride of the registry keys pretending to that program only. and there highlighted in bold as well. I would like to point out it also makes a system restore point so if damage is done you can restore it. try it out i think you will like it.

I have tried RevoUninstaller to help clean-up a real messy Dell NETBOOK (8 Gb HDD). Instructions to verify registry entries are unclear. (select all) (unselect all) and (delete). I put in the checkmarks and clicked next (did not work). Verified all check marks and clicked delete and then next ... Does anyone know if this was correct?

So far, it has done a fine job of helping me clean up a very cluttered system. It found two partial uninstalls that I didn't know I had.

Thanks for the INFO

We use Revo Unistaller on difficult to remove programs all the time. We have yet to come across a problem where it deletes a registry file that was needed for another program.

And yes D. E. Field .. You check the boxes and then click delete. Everything in the information box w/ disappear or you will get a message saying the rest will be deleted upon restart and then you click next.

I did use Revo Uninstaller,and it did a great job

REVO UNINSTALLER IS GREAT. I HAVE USED IT FOR A LONG TIME. I ALSO USE IT WEEKLY TO GET RID OF ITEMS EMPTIED FROM THE RECYCLE BIN.

You mentioned CCleaner: Another such product is "System Mechanic" from iolo. Both products clean out the obvious, yet sometimes hidden junk files. I have used both products, but prefer System Mechanic. I have never experienced a 'jump' in performance by using these products, nor doing a defrag on the hard drive. It's just good to know that the computer is cleaner - thus less susceptible to future problems.

♦I have been using Revo Uninstaller for some time. IT seems tyo do a thorough job. After running the application's own uninstall, it searches for left over registry entries and presents you with the opportunity to keep or remove them. Then it does the same for other folders and files. AT first I was very careful and checked them all, but I have come to trust it. I wouldn't be without it.

I had been using Revo Uninstaller and was impressed until I tried to remove a "messed up" Office2000 program. Nothing worked.
I found "Perfect Uninstaller" which, like Revo, also checks the registry and other files for stuff left over. It actually deleted the entire Office2000 program (allowing me to reinstall it minus the mess). I did end up buying the Perfect Uninstaller program for $30 (I think).
Since then, there has been at least one occasion where it didn't seem to work and I used Revo which did work.
Both are good, I generally use Perfect Unistaller first.
Walt in Indiana

I just want to point out that sometimes what appears to be "software rot" on an old machine, especially a laptop, might actually have a hardware-related cause.
Recently, I finally got fed up with my wife's 3-year-old Dell laptop that always seemed to be running slowly and decided to do some cleaning up. At some point I remembered that laptop processors have an ability to slow themselves down when they're not being utilized or when they're getting too hot. I installed a freeware program called CS Fire Monitor and confirmed that my CPU was typically running at less than half its maximum GHz rating. Then I installed SpeedFan, another freeware application, and found that after starting the laptop, all the device temperatures in the machine climbed steadily until things got really hot. The CPU actually reached a temperature of 79.5°C (175 Fahrenheit!) before it stabilized.
This, in hindsight, should have been fairly obvious as the cause since the CPU fan was pretty much running at high speed all the time, but I guess we just got used to it as it started to occur more often over a long period of time.
To make a long story short, the solution was to open up the machine (for Dell machines, at least, you can download service manuals directly from their site that explain all the required steps) and remove the quarter-inch-thick "dust sponge" that had accumulated between the fan and the cooling fins. After that, the laptop runs quietly, doesn't burn our laps or cause a giant hot spot in the middle of the bed, and performs like it was new again. You'd never get that kind of a performance boost from removing unused software, and cleaning the registry, and defragging your hard drive (though I did all three), or from reinstalling Windows.
Just remember to LISTEN to your PC every once in a while to find out what it's telling you - and it can't hurt to take the system's temperature every once in a while to see if it's sick due to a respiratory problem.
Happy Performance Boosting!

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