How does it work?

[JerryM]

I am in the slow group, and I cannot determine how I use ZSoft or what the symbols mean. I  have AdAware with a red X and above it seems to mean Delete. Why would I want to delete it. A couple more programs show the same red X, including SnoopFree.
Is there a tutorial anywhere?

Thanks,
Jerry

[Admin]

No there isn't really any tutorial, and I don't remember if i wrote anything about it in the help-file.

The red cross means that the program "thinks" that the program is already uninstalled and it is therefor a "dead link". It does this by checking if the uninstall-program exists, so it should be fairly accurate, even though probably not 100%.

From the (newer than published) help file, about deleting it:

If you find a dead link, there's really no reason for it to stay in the registry, and therefor you can delete it. Right-clicking on the list brings forth a menu. When choosing "Delete" (or by simply pressing the Delete key on you keyboard) you will be asked if you are sure, and if you are, it will be deleted.

Please ask again if you have anymore questions.

[JerryM]

Thanks. What is a surprise is that the programs shown with a red X beside them are programs that are on the system. Two of them are AdAware and SnoopFree. Adaware does have an uninstall program with it, but
SnoopFree doesn't show one on the Start Programs. Anyway as long as I know what it  means.

My next question is what do I do to use it when I download a program, or is it an automatic thing? Do I call it up and use the address of the download?

Thanks,
Jerry

[Admin]

I'm not really sure what you mean here.

If you just want to use it as a replacement for Add/Remove you should just install downloaded programs as normal.
If you want to use the programs advanced features (the installation analyzer) you download you program, fires up ZSoft Uninstaller, presses "Analyze" on the toolbar, chooses "Analyze an installation" -> next, mark the drives you want to scan and presses "Before Installation". When it's done you install you program. Then, when that is done, you press "After installation"... The rest can't be done wrong (the naming of the analyze)...

Write again if your in doubt.

[JerryM]

I'm not really sure what you mean here.

If you just want to use it as a replacement for Add/Remove you should just install downloaded programs as normal.
If you want to use the programs advanced features (the installation analyzer) you download you program, fires up ZSoft Uninstaller, presses "Analyze" on the toolbar, chooses "Analyze an installation" -> next, mark the drives you want to scan and presses "Before Installation". When it's done you install you program. Then, when that is done, you press "After installation"... The rest can't be done wrong (the naming of the analyze)...

Write again if your in doubt.

Sorry to be so dense. I assume then that if I just want to be able to use it as Add/Remove it recognizes what has been downloaded since ZSoft was installed, and accordingly cleans the remnants of the program when it is removed.  It just operates in the background.

What has been done when using the "Analyze" function? What is it analyzing? How does that fit in with the uninstall function?

Thanks,
Jerry

[Admin]

(Edited you reply so you new question wasn't in the quot box)

Well, if you analyze an installation, you do exactly that.

Sometimes the programs own uninstall feature leaves things behind. Meaning that if you install a program, it may put 10 files on you hard-drive, but upon uninstallation only remove 7 of them - leaving 3 useless files behind.

What the analyze feature in ZSoft Uninstaller does is that it scans you registry and the hard-drives you select for registry entries and files.

Then you install you program, and run the second scan.

Then the ZSoft Uninstaller Installation Analyzer compares the list of files and registry entries there was on you computer before you installed the program, with the list of what's on you computer after you installed it, leaving only the changed files in a new list witch it then saves.

In this list is (almost) all the changes the installation program (or whatever you've done) have done so that it can be reversed (files deleted, registry entries deleted and deleted once recreated) completely.

Hope you understand.

As always, feel free to ask questions.

[JerryM]

Admin,
Thanks, and I pretty well understand now. It would appear that it is advantageous to use the "Analyze" function, since one goal is to completely uninstall a program without leaving fragments behind.

Will ZSoft uninstall the programs already on my computer after "Analyze" of those programs?

Thanks,
Jerry

[Admin]

You unfortunately can't really analyze a program that's already installed on you computer...

[JerryM]

Thanks, and I think I have it now pretty well. If not I'll yell again.
Thanks again, and I appreciate your patience.

Jerry