________________________________________________________________ 

UnClean, Version 2.0
Copyright (c) 2002 Ziff Davis Media, Inc.
Written by Neil J. Rubenking
First Published in PC Magazine, US Edition, October 15, 2002, v21n18
http://www.pcmag.com/utilities/
________________________________________________________________ 

PLATFORMS:
Windows 95/98/Me/NT4/2000/XP

DESCRIPTION:
If the install utility for an application has been designed correctly, it will put uninstall information into the registry. This information is used by the Add/Remove Programs applet (ARP) in the Windows Control Panel. Modern install utilities store some additional information: expected size of the installation, install date, publisher's name, URL for technical support, and more. Unfortunately, the ARP for Windows 95, 98, Me, and NT4 ignores all the information, showing only a list of programs that can be uninstalled. Windows 2000 and XP have an updated ARP that displays the new information, but it's slow to load and awkward to use. UnClean 2 is an improved replacement for the uninstall portion of the ARP. It provides full and clear access to all available information, and does so for any of the six current Windows platforms. You can delete an uninstall entry if you discover that it's no longer valid. And of course you can remove, change, or repair programs in the same way that you can with ARP. 

REVISION HISTORY:
Changes in Version 2.0:
- Added support for the Microsoft Installer and certain other newer installers that weren't handled correctly. 
- Removed spurious error reports and other items that shouldn't appear in UnClean's program list.
- Added access to the additional information available from modern installers.

THANKS TO OUR BETA TESTERS:
Bob Abrahams
David Bolt
Alec Burgess
Herbert Bushong
Zimbalt Cac
Glenn Charles
Robert Eisenbach
Josh Fitzgerald
Ken Holt
Gary Johnson
Frank Phillips
Dan Seigel
Bruno Sonnino
Greg Wolking

INSTALLATION:
To install UnClean, unzip the downloaded file into a temporary folder and run the supplied installation program SETUP.EXE. To uninstall the program, use the Add/Remove Programs applet in the Windows Control Panel; don't try using UnClean to uninstall itself. For details on program operation, refer to the program's online help file.

FILE LIST:
Setup.exe     - UnClean 2 installation program
readme.txt    - the file you are reading
license.txt   - PC Magazine Utilities license agreement
un_src.zip    - UnClean 2 source code (for programmers)

SUPPORT:
Help for PC Magazine's free utilities can be obtained in our online discussion area on the World Wide Web (http://discuss.pcmag.com/pcmag). You may find an answer to your question simply by reading the posted messages. The authors of current utilities generally visit this forum daily. If the author is not available and the forum sysops can't answer your question, the Utilities column editor, who also checks the forum each day, will contact the author for you.

LICENSE INFORMATION:
PC Magazine programs are copyrighted and cannot be distributed, whether modified or unmodified. Use is subject to the terms and conditions of the license agreement distributed with the programs.

----

Neil J. Rubenking, the author of UnClean, is the Contributing Technical Editor to PC Magazine. Sheryl Canter is the editor of the Utilities column and a Contributing Editor of PC Magazine.

