Does the Add/Remove feature in XP do a "full" uninstall? Does it remove all the registry entries of the game/program you are trying to remove? Also, what is the difference (if any) in using the XP add remove function and using the uninstall option that coems with various games & programs? Is it worth investing in a 3rd party uninstaller program? If so, what benefit will using 3rd party software provide? Thanks

Nice Q: Also i want its Answer

No to the first question. Add-Remove only removes the folder and files(most files) that the program used when it was loaded. Entries are kept in 'the registry' along with 'saved files'(most progs do anyway) and DLL's are sometimes left behind. The only way to clean 'everything' up is to remove the DLL's(if they were left behind) and remove the registry entries. 2nd Question: Add-Remove calls the programs Uninstall program, so both features are the same. Either method will usually work just fine. The problem lies when you would go in and rip out the folders-files where the program was installed, and it keeps showing up in add-remove. I dont know much about 3rd Party Add-Remove, as I do it the Add-Remove way, then go into the registry and do the final sweep myself. I dont recommend the final sweep thing to anyone unfamiliar with cleaning the registry this way. There are a numbers of registry cleaners out there that 'claim' to clean out uninstalled progs by searching-comparing the hard drive for installed progs vs registry entries. Definately the safest way to clean your registry if you dont like the manual way. Of course, backup your registry before making any changes.

There really is no yes or no answer for this question. It all depends on how the person or company has setup the installer for the program. An uninstaller that is properly setup should remove the bulk of the left over bits. But the programmer can't always account for every registry key that a program will make. The same goes for stray files that a program might create. If the programmer doesn't know about a key/file he can't make the uninstaller remove it. The Windows Add/Remove applet doesn't even really remove the programs itself. The only thing it does is list the programs that have come with an uninstaller. Then when you select a program to be removed add/remove invokes (most of the time) an exe file located in the programs folder named unwise or unwise32. Then the unwise file reads a list of things to be removed from a file (normally) called install.log (ever seen the "can't find install.log" error??) and deletes the appropriate files and registry keys. The names like unwise.exe and install.log can be different depending on the program used to create the uninstaller. Or the programmer can choose any file name he or she wants. I just picked these names because they are very common. Do you need a 3rd party uninstaller? No probably not. Just get a good registry cleaner like RegCleaner from www.jv16.org and delete the program folders for programs you've already (properly) uninstalled. Don't forget to run disk clean up once in a while. Do that and you should be fine. Hope this helps, Sandman

Thanks Mike/Sandman, So the Add/Remove feature in windows amounts to nothing more that a list of programs on your machine that include an uninstall exe? I think I will try one of those registry cleaners mentioned above. As always when working in the registry it is wise to back it up before hand. I am correct in thinking that by creating a restore point I am also backing up the registry?

Yes you're your correct in thinking that. But for a great explanation of what System Restore does (and more importantly, doesn't do) do check out http://www.microsoft.com/technet/treeview/default.asp?url=/technet/itcommunity/Newsgroups/FAQSRWXP.asp I forgot to mention that clicking an uninstall link in the start menu is no different then removing the program from the Add/Remove control applet. Sandman