I have some unwanted software installed on my laptop which I can't remove using the Windows uninstall tool. Can you suggest any free software that would do the job? Mel Hallworth
Add or Remove Programs, in the Windows Control Panel, is usually the safest way to uninstall programs. However, some programs come with their own uninstallation files, and these should be visible in the program's Start menu folder, or in its folder in the Program Files directory on your hard drive. If neither of those applies, there are several free utilities that will do the job. The one you are most likely to have already is CCleaner. If you run CCleaner and click on the Tools icon, Uninstall is the first tool.
The main problem with uninstalling software is removing the right registry entries without also removing ones you still need. CCleaner includes a good registry cleaner, and will also back up any changes it makes, so I tend to trust it.
However, there are a few more specialised uninstallation utilities, such as ZSoft Uninstaller 2.4.1 and Revo Uninstaller. The ZSoft program is quicker and has more features than Add/Remove programs, such as search and analyse, and it looks reasonably safe to use. Revo Uninstaller has lots of extra features including Auto Run Manager, Evidence Remover, and Unrecoverable Delete. It looks powerful, but could do a lot of damage if used carelessly. There are other options at SnapFiles.
Bear in mind that some programs are designed to be hard to remove completely, either because they need to resist viruses that try to remove them, or because they have hidden anti-piracy features, or both. It's a good idea to run a web search for the word "uninstall" plus the program's name, to see if a special removal tool is available.
