Hi guys, hope you're fine.

Yesterday I cleaned up my desktop from all' the crap I've downloaded over the years but never used or found useful and the problem is this:

When you uninstall some plugins, they leave behind a whole lot of crappy folders full of useless files.
So here's the deal, how can I delete those folders without going full manual until year 3000?

Do you use some utility software like CCleaner to make this pricess faster?

 

I don't think CCleaner deletes folders with content, because it doesn't know if you still use this content.

For future installs I recommend Revo UnInstaller for both operations.

For now, you can try re-installing with Revo and then uninstall immediately (the plugs, not Revo), will work.

 

Last edited: Jul 31, 2019

It seems there is no way to maintain Windows OS in the long run! Eventually you will face some serious problem about those remaining files all over the place and they slowly kill your system freshness. I have found out that having so much info on hard disk can gradually make your system slower. I did a clean up in the last few days too. If you found a good solution I would be glad to hear it.
However, try to install only VST3 version of plugins since most DAWs are supporting them and VST2 is slowly dying since it is not supported anymore in plugin developers package.

 

Use Revo for each (future) uninstall and even then you may have to check the installation path to see if there's debris (folders/files) left, and remove leftovers manually. Each time, visually check registry also. Keeping an organized reservoir of installables is in itself fine and will not hurt harddisk performance until about 90% of its storage capacity is used. Install what you really need, to test or keep, nothing more. Remove surplus once you find out.

 

lol...wrong....
and dont tell me you can install apps years years and dont deinstalling them proper wont trash up a mac system

revo or bulkcrap uninstaller,ashampoo,glary,bleachbit,wipe and eusing free reg cleaner is what i use...long year standarts now....and i thought , especially here everyone knows uninstallers

 

A lot of the time this sort of thing serves a purpose. For instance, if I installed u-he Zebra a year ago, then made a bunch of my own presets, and started having issues with it last week, I can uninstall Zebra but it'll leave my settings and presets intact so when I reinstall I haven't lost everything. Many plugins do this.

It's not really that hard to find and root out leftovers from shit you installed. Program Files, ProgramData, Appdata, Documents, Common Files, temp folders... covers 99% of it. Unless, I guess, you've installed a million plugins that you only used for a day. Then you might have some work to do

 

Revo Uninstaller Pro plus Ultra Search. Revo Uninstaller Pro allows monitoring the installation ohf a program. When program is not needed the changes made are reverted. It was recently posted bt @The Pirate on sister site. Ultra Search will look for folders and files.

 

there is nothing automated which would be reliable enough to trust it, at least none I know of;

Windows by design gets bloated overtime, problem is usually something related to registry - for its maintenance I have flawless experience with Glary Utilities Pro (yes you need full version with deep scans unlocked), much better results than CCleaner when it comes to obsolete registry keys and useless files within system locations;

if you know plugins leave some files/folders, then delete them on your own, there isn't much better you can do;
most of the leftover mess is located in %programdata%, %appdata%, %localappdata% (you access them this fastest way using "Run" aka Win+R window)
if you keep track of (write down for ex.) install date, then you can easily track down folders following that information;

I have no idea how many plugins do you have, but my experience is to perform fresh install of entire Windows or MacOS (hackintosh) every 2-3 years, unless there is a big reason to do it asap - and with nowadays SSDs, I'd even say it's faster with cleaner result to install OS with all the programs and plugins you need than waste time uninstalling things you don't need

 

thats why i use more then one cleaner...but i find leftovers anyway from time 2 time but never had issue with reinstalling warez after using revo and the rest of my pack

but their reg cleaner can be dangerous when not know exactly whats going on

always good decission..also when it runs still great....new wind in the hut...all fresh and clean..
with every fresh install we get better in setting up OS and stuff

 

Last edited: Jul 31, 2019

You know what? I'm on osx, and I have never found anything that I "trust" with it to do so, and it sucks , and it probably why my boot drives are 1TB where probably only 1/2 of that is being implemented and the rest of the files are orphans or whatnot.... I have been afraid to try some stuff, I would love some suggestions, but I would definitely clone before endeavoring...

 

Windows does not slow down like the old days. On every major update the "whole" system is replaced. Also use the Disk clean up regularly. As for your question the only way to delete crap that does not have an uninstaller is manually. What you can try is to download the Windows uninstaller/installer software but even that software would not manage to uninstall stuff that has no uninstaller. Here is the software:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us...hat-block-programs-being-installed-or-removed

 

Guys, thanks to anyone who shared knowledge.

In the end I managed to clean up the whole mess using Revo (I had some nasty plugs who didn't want to be uninstalled) and some manual work through AppData/Program Files/ProgramData/Documents and subfolders.

It was a pain but at least now it's clean and fast.

Thanks!

 

I agree with you on the pain part (lol) . Congratz

 

A quick way to get rid of a lot of folders and files is free voidtools Everything.

Let's say you installed latest Graves Complete Bundle 6.0. You just have to type 'Graves' in Everything's command line and it shows you all files and folders with this name. Then you only need to select and delete them.
It has a bunch of options and is extremely useful.

Since Everything kind of loads MBR into RAM, it's the fastest possible way to find everything you're looking for on all of your drives.

 

Does this tool identify related files correctly? Is that even possible? Since without an uninstaller not every file related to the software might be known!

 

I didn't know about this app.
Thank you No Avenger for pointing to that really amazing utility.
It scanned my 12 big internal and external drives in no time.
Search results are instant.
Finally I can enjoy searching.

You saved me so much future time, I had to take a bit of it to thank you here.

 

Last edited: Aug 4, 2019