Some files / dirs were not deleted when I deinstalled some software and there are some more paths / dirs / files which can be deleted like:
C:\ProgramData\PC Tools\DownloadManager (old installers)
C:\ProgramData\Adobe\Setup (old installers from adobe)
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Sidebar\Gadgets
C:\Users\...l\AppData\Local\Downloaded Installations (also some unnecessary old installers)
C:\Users\...\AppData\LocalLow (same?)
there could be some more maybe
there could be some more maybe
There are other missed privacy issues also ...
Right I forgot to mention, all the windows logs should also be deletable.
Hi, there is a way to get any and all entries for the program vetted
that way is to create and test your own entries in a winapp2.ini (see the link in my signature)
when you have tested the entries on your own machines to the extent that you can, there is a public community driven winapp2.ini file found at the top of the CCleaner discussion board, there you can submit your entry(s) and the community will test/comment on them. Many of the entries in the ccleaner program got their first start in the community file so chances are better that it will be added.
I, too, would like to see extra attention focused on orphaned installers. I just used MSIZAP.EXE from M$ to trim a couple more gigs of failed and aborted installs. Installer crap was left behind by programs I had removed and am 100% certain I won't be using again.
My take is simple when it comes to uninstall information - If you no longer have a program, blast it and all the remnants, including msi, msp, and other install package files.
@Keatah
so you have had no problems using MSIZAP ?
I found this on the MS site;
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/aa370523%28v=vs.85%29.aspx
Don't use MSIZAP or MSICUU2
MSIZAP and MSICUU2 are no longer supported because they have been found to cause problems. Please use the Program Install and Uninstall troubleshooter available here:
Well, I only used the G-switch, and that seems related to orphaned installs. Which is what I wanted. I ran it that way, and that way only. On my daily-driver system It came up 400-500 megs. These were about 25 large files. Some were Java and MS Office related. It was clear they were orphaned, in fact, they had duplicates going too.
I made an appropriate disk image prior to blasting them and will save the image for a couple of months to help ensure against any latent errors. But I don't anticipate having to use it as the files it blasted were clearly and unquestionably from some failed installs. It's too simple to screw up. To its credit, MsiZap left behind 1 valid installer for these two programs, under a different name. What I mean to say it really picked out the orphan files and left the ones that were not orphaned (and linked to real programs with valid uninstallers) alone. That is what I expected and wanted.
I clearly see that some of the options can be dangerous to the uninstall capability of windows. But I don't really care. I used the G-option and that's good enough for me.
I don't know of the problems folks have been having with this, nor does the link you provide actually say what the problems were. So I don't know. I'm just happy to have reclaimed almost 500 megs.
In this era of big discs 500 MB might not seem like a lot when computers have 1TB and 2TB drives standard. 500MB, that's 1/2000th the capacity of a big disk. But I look at it this way, that's 500 megs less load on the file system, 500 megs less on the backup. And if we aren't tidy this stuff just accumulates over time.
My personal recommendation when using any sort of system cleaner (or any untested-by-you utility) for the first time is to backup the disk prior to doing the operation. Read the instructions. Become familiar with what is expected and what is actually done. There should be no surprises. And you should have an understanding of how things are working.
I did the exact same thing with CCleaner in the waning days of Windows 98. Once I gained confidence and got a grip on how it all worked I no longer made backups prior to cleaning. I had began trusting the program to do what was expected.
{REMOVED REFERENCE TO ACCIDENTAL SWEARING BY THE ABOVE POSTER}