Solved Best Uninstallers

Josey Wales · Aug 1, 2023

Flashorn said:
As Ghot said, Safe Mode might be helpful in your case.

What I like about Total U. is that you can install with the program
and it stores all the places the programs installs too in it's database.
Then, when the time comes to uninstall , Total will identify all of those
places and remove them.
But, like I said Not Free.

This can be done with REVO Pro as well .Lifetime License.

Stigg · Aug 1, 2023

x BlueRobot said:
Hmm, it looks like it believes that your store has become corrupt? Have you tried installing the problematic app again and then removing it? You should be able to do this via Add-AppxPackage.

I was hopeful that this solution would work, but I get this error.

PowerShell Add-AppxPackage Install Command For Photo Editor-Photo Studio Error.png

I got Photo Editor-Photo Studio by Express Apps from here.

Microsoft Store - Generation Project (v1.2.3) [by @rgadguard & mkuba50]

Online link generator for Microsoft Store. You can use it to get links to almost all apps, games, themes from the Microsoft Store.

store.rg-adguard.net

Something I find interesting is that the app homepage used to have several comments, and they've disappeared. It's not the first time I've noticed this.

Photo Editor-Photo Studio - Official app in the Microsoft Store

Apply stickers with funny, cute and girly themes. Make your photo more expressive! Motion Stickers & Stickers update regularly. Funny motion sticker hair, Motion Stickers & stickers cute theme. Add Text on Photos - Write texts to your editing picture using different fonts. You can resize...

apps.microsoft.com

I don't want to reset the computer because of one dodgy app. Apart from that, the computer is working fine.

Wynona · Aug 1, 2023

jimbo45 said:
My view is a simple thing -- It's actually called WINDOWS !!!.

If there's a load of things on your system that can't be uninstalled then a) those apps should never have been installed anyway, and b) time to backup user data and re-install windows.

I'm not denying that some of these 3rd party uninstallers save people a lot of time but in the end if people don't install "rubbish apps" then developers will be more conscious of the code they are writing and conform more to "Best practices". I believe Windows has a quite reasonable SDK for developers who need to create the install and uninstall procedures for their applications.

People installing things also should avoid if there's no sensible install / uninstall options too.

The only one that I've used in the past was "Delete on boot" for some "orphaned directory" that windows kept saying "was in use" when trying to delete it.

cheers
jimbo

@jimbo45, Whether you meant to or not, you're coming off as rather judgmental in that you seemingly are calling whatever @Stigg installed "a rubbish app" without knowing what he actually installed. He stated: "I have a Microsoft Store app that wouldn't uninstall or update using the normal methods.".

AFAIK, Microsoft would rather we download and install third party apps from the "Store". Therefore, I would assume the app would have had Microsoft's blessing.

Revo has worked for me every time I've uninstalled anything; however, not so much for Stigg. Rather than chastising someone, I generally keep my fingers off the keyboard if I don't know how to help them. And at this point, I don't!

Edwin · Aug 1, 2023

idgat · Aug 1, 2023

Problems lie in the blind slavish belief that the Microsoft Store is the sole place from where programs should be obtained, when in fact the Store is merely a 3rd party provider and most (all?) programs are available directly from their origin source. A bit of judicious searching and there you have it.

ShamrockRig · Aug 1, 2023

idgat said:
RevoUninstaller (the free version, used properly, is sufficient)
GeekUninstaller (freeware)

It gives me a sense of obscene ecstatic euphoria to remove Windows bloatware .... I've still yet to find one single user who wants Xbox bloatware left on their computer !!!

On new computers I set up, I use RevoUninstaller (Advanced mode, removes leftover files, folders, registry entries), then GeekUninstaller to remove RevoUninstaller (so the user is not tempted to mess around), then delete the single standalone file for GeekUninstaller. No trace of my shullduggery is left behind

EDIT Occassionally there is a leftover Windows bloat that is not listed in Revo, but in every case I find it listed in Geek ... Gone !!

Here i am, Pretty common too, If you dont play games then of course not, But if you do, Good chance, I use it for game pass and my microsoft library.

Stigg · Aug 1, 2023

Edwin said:
View attachment 66465

Clicking "Uninstall" does nothing.
Also. Notice that it doesn't even have an icon.

Photo Editor-Photo Studio Start Menu 02.png

Ghot · Aug 1, 2023

Stigg said:
Clicking "Uninstall" does nothing.
Also. Notice that it doesn't even have an icon.

View attachment 66466

Generally, if the Start Menu icon is gone... it's already uninstalled. Generally.
You may need to re-install it, then try some of the uninstall suggestions again.

Stigg · Aug 1, 2023

Ghot said:
Generally, if the Start Menu icon is gone... it's already uninstalled. Generally.
You may need to re-install it, then try some of the uninstall suggestions again.

It won't run. It won't reinstall. It won't uninstall.
It tries to update, but fails.

William654 · Aug 1, 2023

Did you try this : Geek Uninstaller - the best FREE uninstaller

It even remove leftover registry keys

Wynona · Aug 1, 2023

idgat said:
Problems lie in the blind slavish belief that the Microsoft Store is the sole place from where programs should be obtained, when in fact the Store is merely a 3rd party provider and most (all?) programs are available directly from their origin source. A bit of judicious searching and there you have it.

Exactly. I always get my programs from their origin source. Half the time, I can't find what I want in the Store anyway. Or, sometimes, a program that I can get free from the original source has a cost tied to it.

Ghot · Aug 1, 2023

Stigg said:
It won't run. It won't reinstall. It won't uninstall.
It tries to update, but fails.

Do you have a backup from before you installed it? Or yuck, a restore point?
You probably don't or you would have done that already. But ya never know.

Stigg · Aug 1, 2023

William654 said:
Did you try this : Geek Uninstaller - the best FREE uninstaller

It even remove leftover registry keys

I just tried Geek Uninstaller, but it doesn't list any Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps.

Ghot · Aug 1, 2023

Stigg said:
I just tried Geek Uninstaller, but it doesn't list any Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps.

I assume you checked in C:\Program Files\WindowsApps ?
MS hides a lot of evil things in there.

Stigg · Aug 1, 2023

Ghot said:
Do you have a backup from before you installed it? Or yuck, a restore point?
You probably don't or you would have done that already. But ya never know.

Yes, that would be good, mate.

Best Uninstallers

I have a Microsoft Store app that wouldn't uninstall or update using the normal methods. I used Revo Uninstaller to uninstall it. I also used Everything search to locate all the old file and folder remnants and also searched through the registry and removed all found items. I've also tried...

www.elevenforum.com

Stigg · Aug 1, 2023

Stigg said:
I just tried Geek Uninstaller, but it doesn't list any Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps.

I just noticed that you have to go to the View menu and select Microsoft Store Apps, but it's not listed.

Stigg · Aug 1, 2023

IObit Uninstaller uninstalled it all except for the "Photo Editor-Photo Studio" start menu entry with a blank icon.
It's gone from the store library, and gone from Apps.

Does anyone know how to remove the start menu entry?

abactuon · Aug 2, 2023

Stigg said:
I thought the Winget command might have worked as it gave me a "Successfully Uninstalled" message, but it didn't remove it. It's still there.

Before

After

But I don't remember, maybe a long time ago I ran a
winget upgrade --all

Scannerman · Aug 2, 2023

I use REVO. The free version is okay, but I find the paid version works better. In fact, I haven't found anything yet that REVO can't uninstall on the paid version. The price is reasonable.

Stigg · Aug 6, 2023

Scannerman said:
I use REVO. The free version is okay, but I find the paid version works better. In fact, I haven't found anything yet that REVO can't uninstall on the paid version. The price is reasonable.

I'm a long time user of Revo Uninstaller, but unfortunately, Revo Uninstaller failed to uninstall this particular app.
I tried IObit Uninstaller for the first time, and it removed it all except for the invalid Start menu entry.

I wish I could find someone who knows how to edit the Windows 11 start menu to remove invalid entries.