Utility to list/remove orphaned Program Files folders?

[Larry Sabo]

Many systems have orphaned Program Files and AppData folders that beg to be removed when recycling or cleaning up a system. Anyone know of a utility to identify them, e.g. list and optionally remove all Program Files folders for which there is no entry in Add/Remove Programs? Would be nice if it could also clean out related AppData folders.

Revo Uninstaller makes it easy to clean up unwanted programs and their residuals, but it requires that the programs be installed. I'm talking about programs that have been uninstalled. Somebody cue Nick!

 

[dannyd]

Many systems have orphaned Program Files and AppData folders that beg to be removed when recycling or cleaning up a system. Anyone know of a utility to identify them, e.g. list and optionally remove all Program Files folders for which there is no entry in Add/Remove Programs? Would be nice if it could also clean out related AppData folders.

Revo Uninstaller makes it easy to clean up unwanted programs and their residuals, but it requires that the programs be installed. I'm talking about programs that have been uninstalled. Somebody cue Nick!

I Usually do this manually as many programs claim to remove all junk files and folders, but you can usually still find more doing the work manually.

 

[FoolishTech]

Should be an easy task to compare folders in program files to their respective add/remove programs entries and push out the orphans with an option to delete.

Won't be so easy with Appdata folders as these aren't defined by installer apps in the registry, usually in the programs themselves. That part might not be so doable...

I have one concern however, the possibility of a program "installing" to program files but not using an official installer method that puts an entry in add/remove programs...

Let me run some experiments and see what I come up with... (as time allows)

 

[Larry Sabo]

@dannyd: Yeah, me too, but there has to be a faster way. Doing it manually also doesn't tell you whether the program is still installed. I'd like something t6hat makes quick work of the task and doesn't bork an installed program. Thanks for the reply, nevertheless.

 

[FoolishTech]

Larry, got a rough draft attached.

• It does Program Files only, no AppData yet (not sure how to approach that to be honest.)
• Note this will probably show a few Windows built-in programs in the list, I tried to weed them all out for WinXP but Vista/7 may show some; but you can easily weed those out by sight because you should know what Windows puts there, I hope!
• Also, I already confirmed I have one app on my system that is in fact installed by a legacy installer that doesn't put uninstall information in the Windows registry, so it shows up in the list but it is definitely an installed program!!! So be sure to use with CARE and CAUTION!
• EDIT: One more thing, I don't have it ready for 64bit versions of Windows yet. Thought I did, but just tested and there's a bug in there somewhere so all 32bit apps installed show up in the list. Working on it...

EDIT AGAIN: Removed attachment, see my next post down for a current draft, fixed for x64 OSes.

 

[Larry Sabo]

Thanks, Nick! Will give it a try and post results.

 

[FoolishTech]

Ok, got the 64 bit issues sorted, and file is attached....

Let me know if this works ok and I can add to a new D7 version...

EDIT: attached a newer draft with a few new features. When clicking on a directory in the results list, it identifies the dir size and whether it contains EXEs and/or DLLs, and also gives you the option to open the directory in Explorer.

EDIT AGAIN: Added this feature to the Maintenance tab (under Not Automated) in D7 v5.8.4 uploading now... All future updates to this code will likely be through D7 only, but I will leave the original attached to this post for reference/stand-alone usage.