The latest uninstallers employ new technology and clever tricks to track the installation habits of even the worst-behaved programs
Stan Miastkowski
Removing Windows applications from your hard drive can be like weeding your garden: Every time you think the job is done, a new weed pops up. Complex Windows applications litter files all over the place without worrying about how to clean up the mess later on. Easy,
reliable uninstalling is tricky
because there's no such thing as a "typical" Windows application; the way each handles its installation and file structure varies widely. An increasingly popular category of software--Windows uninstallers--helps clean up the mess by yanking applications out at the roots.
Nooks and Crannies
Most Windows applications rely on DLLs, and how they're ha
ndled is one of the thorny problems of removing Windows applications. Most applications have their own DLLs. Sometimes the DLLs are put in a dedicated subdirectory, but usually they're tossed into the \WINDOWS\SYSTEM subdirectory with everything else. Some applications use "standard" Windows DLLs, such as the bloated VBRUN300.DLL (Microsoft's Visual Basic run time). Multiple applications from the same manufacturer often share common DLLs, a widespread practice in applications suites like Lotus SmartSuite. If you wipe out an application and its associated DLLs, you may find that other Windows applications will not run. And if you tend to add or delete Windows applications frequently, you'll have numerous space-eating (and unused) DLLs that can slow down your system or cause intermittent problems.
And on it goes. Windows applications create their own INI (initialization) files; they also mess around with the standard Windows WIN.INI and sometimes the critical and fussy SYSTEM.INI files. Many installation
s also modify your DOS CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files. Some applications will even futz with your software drivers.
Developers can simplify removal by following simple guidelines, such as putting all their files in a dedicated subdirectory and placing REM statements in INI files. The most conscientious developers even include an uninstall option that does the removal for you. Unfortunately, such fine touches are rare.
The Contenders and the Offenders
We looked at six uninstallers. To test them, we configured a Windows installation with standard and nonstandard applications and then restored the applications from tape backups after using each uninstaller.
We concentrated on removing two packages: Microsoft Office 4.2, with its huge disk requirements and many shared files, and Traveling Software's LapLink for Windows 1.0. LapLink is one of the most complex Windows applications around; its remote-control and remote-access features require many changes to INI files
, including changing the communications and video drivers in Windows' SYSTEM.INI file. Removing LapLink was a good challenge for the uninstallers. Thankfully, LapLink has its own Remove icon that wipes out all traces of the program and changes the Windows settings back to where they were.
All the uninstallers were able to remove the various components of Microsoft Office with few problems, although the space reclaimed varied from package to package. On the other hand, none of them were able to remove all the components of LapLink for Windows.
The differences among the packages can be boiled down to how aggressive or conservative they are. Aggressive uninstallers open up more space, but with some risk of creating problems. Conservative uninstallers are more careful, but they leave more files around when they're done. Some balance aggressive versus conservative approaches, and some give you a choice. Despite the claims of companies, we don't see application speed as an important issue. Although ti
mes for each of the utilities tested varied widely, none of them are slugs. The utilities that use newer analysis technologies take longer because they do more--an acceptable trade-off. We've concentrated on the unique features of each program. For a summary of all products, see the table
"Comparing Uninstaller Features"
.
-- CleanSweep
Quarterdeck Office Systems, best known for its Desqview (DOS multitasking) and QEMM (memory management) packages, recently entered the uninstaller market with CleanSweep. Besides removing Windows applications, CleanSweep does an excellent job of finding unused Windows system components (e.g., unused video drivers or installed fonts). It also sniffs out unused or obsolete files, as well as duplicate files across drives. Those are common features across many of the packages.
CleanSweep uses two technologies new to the latest generation of uninstallers (and shared by several of the tested packages). Although the
y go by various names, in CleanSweep they're called Helper and SuperLinks.
Helper
is a database of popular Windows applications and their installation processes, making the uninstall process more of a sure thing. The Helper database does need to be regularly updated. You can do that via Quarterdeck's BBS, CompuServe, or the Internet.
SuperLinks
is a technology that continually tracks all DLLs installed on your system and the programs that use them. This is important for managing DLLs that are used by multiple applications. CleanSweep does this automatically in the background, using a TSR in the
load=
section of WIN.INI. This tracking technology, new (and common) in many uninstallers, means that the longer you have the package installed, the more it "knows" about your Windows installation and the more accurate it becomes.
CleanSweep is one of the fastest packages, although speed isn't the most important issue when choosing an uninstaller. More important are the crucial
safeguards that CleanSweep offers. There's a Trial Run option that figures out what must be removed and tells you how much space you'll recover. And for the truly cautious, there's a useful Create Backup option that puts deleted files in a compressed backup. If you later need the application back (or part of it), you can restore files from the backup. Creating a backup doesn't leave as much disk space free, but it is an important feature.
-- Remove-It
Vertisoft's Remove-It is unique in several ways. For one, its basic interface is easy to use. Remove-It offers all the usual uninstaller options, along with a few extras. For example, it stands alone in offering an Emergency Recovery Disk option. This creates a floppy disk that will get you back up and running if you accidentally delete crucial system files. (That's not likely, though, because Remove-It gives you many warnings before you do that.)
During installation, Remove-It gives you the option of loading two a
dd-in utilities. Watch-It, a 1.3-KB TSR loaded in your AUTOEXEC.BAT, is another unique feature. It continually monitors your application and file usage and suggests unused files that you can safely delete. Log-It, placed in the
load=
line of WIN.INI, continually tracks DLL relationships as well as applications installed after you install Remove-It. This is similar to CleanSweep's SuperLinks.
Another singular feature of Remove-It is a choice of Express and Custom removal options. Express is conservative and fast. It decides what to remove and does the job without further user intervention. Most important, it automatically makes a compressed backup that lets you restore what you deleted if you need to. As the name implies, Custom goes much further. It's more aggressive at finding the parts and pieces of applications, but it also gives you much more control.
-- UnInstaller
MicroHelp was the first company to ship a Windows application remover. It had the fi
eld to itself for several years, and it's recently been a regular on software best-seller lists. The latest incarnation of
UnInstaller, version 3.0
, underlines MicroHelp's substantial experience in this field.
UnInstaller 3.0 is one of the slowest uninstallers. But that's not much of a criticism, because the program is also the most careful of the group. At the same time, it takes an aggressive approach to removing applications. It uses an integrated (and updatable) database of common Windows applications. UnInstaller's centerpiece is SmartLinks, a program that works continually in the background to build a "rules file" of DLL and applications relationships. It has similarities to features in CleanSweep and Remove-It, but it seems to go further in its analysis function. SmartLinks uses FILOG, a 2.4-KB TSR that's installed in your CONFIG.SYS file.
During UnInstaller installation, you can also add PM Sentry, which adds Install Application and Uninstall Application to the W
indows Program Manager pull-down File menu. Even if you don't opt for PM Sentry, you can (and should) use Setup Monitor. When you install a new Windows application, using the Setup Monitor instead of the more familiar File/Run option makes UnInstaller an integral part of any application installation as it tracks all the parts of an installation. This makes uninstalling virtually a sure thing.
UnInstaller also has a Move option that lets you map an entire Windows application to a different drive on your PC. It sounds simple, but this is difficult to do manually. This option is handy if you add a second hard drive or a removable hard drive.
The features that set UnInstaller apart from its competitors are its Archive and Transport functions. Archive is similar to the backup options found in other uninstallers, but with a crucial difference (UnInstaller also has its own standard backup option). Archive creates a compressed backup of all the parts of an application, which you can store on any drive i
n your system. What makes it unique is that a dummy application icon (with bars over it) remains on your Windows desktop. If you ever need the application, just double-click, and it's automatically uncompressed and started. But when you're not using it, the application takes less space.
Transport lets you move an entire Windows application to a different computer. This is perfect when you have a portable computer and want to easily transport your most-used applications. Transport creates compressed floppy disks that you use on another PC. (You'll need UnInstaller 3.0 on the other system as well.) Transport is effective for applications that rely on your own data. For example, we transported cc:Mail Remote from a desktop to a portable computer, complete with custom mailing lists and a large database of messages. (One caveat: To make it legal, you'll need to purchase additional licenses for most applications used on more than one PC.)
Finally, one thoughtful feature that none of the other products
offer is optional password access. If your PC is used by novice users, placing a password on UnInstaller can eliminate all sorts of trouble.
-- Uninstall-it
Landmark's Uninstall-it is one of the simplest uninstallers. It takes a conservative approach and doesn't use any TSRs or special INI settings to track subsequent installations of Windows applications.
The fact that it's simple doesn't mean it lacks features. Uninstall-it lets you back up and move applications to other drives and predicts how much space you'll save. It also finds duplicate and unused ("stray") applications. The user interface is simple and uncluttered. If you want an easy-to-use and painless installer, Uninstall-it is a good choice.
-- WinDelete
IMSI's WinDelete is another uninstaller that takes a simple, direct, and conservative approach to removing Windows applications. Like Uninstall-it, it doesn't use TSRs or special INI settings. Its user interf
ace is one of the simplest of the lot, with just a handful of icons and few choices to make. Testing showed it to be the most conservative of the group. Unless you tell it otherwise with multiple mouse-clicks, it removes only the files that it's sure of.
WinDelete is best used as an "after the fact" uninstaller. One of its icons is an Install Applications choice. Like the feature found in several of the other packages, WinDelete creates its own detailed database of the details of an application's installation, as long as you install it through WinDelete.
WinDelete lacks most of the advanced features of its competitors. Many of them aren't crucial, but one serious drawback is the lack of trial run, backup, and reinstall options. Once you remove an application with WinDelete, it's gone for good. The only way to get it back is by alternative methods (e.g., a tape backup).
-- Winformant Professional
In many ways, Neocom's Winformant Professional holds a uniqu
e position among the packages reviewed here. It takes the middle ground between the conservative and aggressive approaches. However, it lacks backup and archive options, doesn't use TSRs or special INI settings, and doesn't create its own database of details as you install new Windows applications. Winformant is actually a minisuite of utilities, including a sophisticated file-search utility. Also included is a Windows swap file checker/editor, a sophisticated INI file editor, and a handy little utility named Eject. Clicking the icon (which looks like the ejection-seat handle on a jet fighter) immediately exits Windows without further prompts.
Winformant is obviously designed for experienced Windows users, because most of its utilities will be of little use to novices. That fact is underlined by its middle-of-the-road approach to uninstalling applications, along with the lack of backup capabilities.
The package does, however, suffer from a couple of idiosyncrasies. It's the only one of the unins
tallers covered here that can't uninstall itself. To remove it from our test PC, we had to use one of the other uninstallers. In addition, there's a warning buried in its readme file that cautions you to turn off write-behind caching if you're using MS-DOS SmartDrive disk caching. This is worrisome and unacceptable, because failing to disable write-behind caching could cause data loss when you're using the package.
Making Choices
The state of Windows uninstallers proves that competition ultimately benefits us all. The heavy competition among makers has generated capable packages with cutting-edge technology. And the price has fallen, too. Even though list prices of the packages vary from $50 to $80, they're available on the street for $40 to $50. That's an unbeatable deal for an essential utility that belongs on every PC.
Packages that use cutting-edge technology are generally the most aggressive. CleanSweep, Remove-It, and UnInstaller are sophisticated, and they're the
most effective at wiping out all traces of applications. But they're still not perfect. More conservative packages--such as Uninstall-it, WinDelete, and Winformant--don't free as much space, and they lack the bells and whistles of the other packages. But they're still good choices if you want simple yet effective utilities.
We believe MicroHelp has the best overall solution. With its SmartLinks, Setup Monitor, Move option, Archive and Transport features, and password protection, we give UnInstaller a green thumbs up.
PRODUCT INFORMATION
CleanSweep 1.0................$59.95
Quarterdeck Office Systems, Inc.
Santa Monica, CA
(800) 354-4757
(310) 392-9851
fax: (310) 314-4217
Remove-It 1.0.................$69.95
Vertisoft Systems, Inc.
(800) 466-5875
(415) 956-5999
fax: (415) 956-5355
UnInstaller 3.0...............$79.95
MicroHelp, Inc.
Marietta, GA
(800) 7
75-8645
(404) 516-0899
fax: (404) 516-1099
Uninstall-it 1.03.............$69.95
Landmark Research International Corp.
Clearwater, FL
(800) 683-6696
(813) 443-1331
fax: (813) 443-6603
WinDelete 1.0a................$49.95
IMSI
San Rafael, CA
(800) 833-8082
(415) 257-3000
fax: (415) 257-3565
Winformant Professional 1.0...$49.95
Neocom Microspecialists, Inc.
Martinsville, VA
(703) 666-9533
fax: (703) 666-9534
CLEANSWEEP REMOVE-IT UNINSTALLER
Performs trial runs X O X
Estimates recovered space X O X
Deletes INI files X X X
Removes unused fonts, X X X
drivers, and system files
Archives applications X X
X
Restores deleted files X X X
Finds duplicate files X X X
Allows moving applications O O X
Allows transporting of O O X
applications to another PC
Generates reports X X X
Offers integrated
application database X O X
Watches subsequent installs X X X
Provides integrated
installation utility O O X
Creates emergency boot disk O X O
Uninstalls over network X O X
Uninstalls itself X X X
Offers password access O O X
UNINSTALL-IT WINDELETE WINFORMANT
Performs trial runs
O O O
Estimates recovered space X * O
Deletes INI files X X X
Removes unused fonts, O O O
drivers, and system files
Archives applications X O O
Restores deleted files X O O
Finds duplicate files X O O
Allows moving applications X O O
Allows transporting of O O O
applications to another PC
Generates reports X O O
Offers integrated
application database O O O
Watches subsequent installs O X O
Provides integrated
installation utility O X O
Creates emergency boot disk O O
O
Uninstalls over network O O O
Uninstalls itself X X O
Offers password access O O O
* Provides estimates only for individual files.
X = yes;
O = no
illustration_link (13 Kbytes)
Ill-behaved Windows applications litter files all over the place and change existing files. A good uninstall program must find modifications and restore your Windows environment. Removing shared DLLs and failing to restore Windows initialization files are common mishaps. Uninstall programs prompt you befo
re deleting or modifying such files.
screen_link (29 Kbytes)
The third version of the best-selling UnInstaller from MicroHelp uses sophisticated background processing and color coding during the application-removal process. Its advanced option (shown above) lets you choose the program files to be deleted.
Stan Miastkowski is a BYTE consulting editor who's been writing about computer technology for 17 years. He's coauthor of the Windows for Workgroups Bible (Addison-Wesley, 1993). You can contact him on the Internet or BIX at
stanm@bix.com
.
Weeding Windows
