Uninstallers are as ubiquitous today as the applications they help remove from your system. What distinguishes Symantec Corp.'s Norton Uninstall Deluxe from other uninstallers are two safety features, plus Norton's solid reputation.

The first is InstallGuard, an optional protection feature that allows you to install and "test-drive" new software before committing your system to any changes. If the new software creates problems--performance degradation or hardware/ software conflicts--InstallGuard lets you remove the offending program and return your system to its previous (working) state. For added protection, InstallGuard creates a snapshot of your Windows 95 Registry, along with other crucial system files. In the event of a major system failure caused by an errant software installation, InstallGuard can restore this information to get you running again.

The second feature, SafetyScan, maintains a knowledge base of every file and folder on your system, in the event you need to undo any action taken by the program.

Like its peers, Norton Uninstall Deluxe monitors new software installation so that the application can be removed completely at a later date, including Registry entries and DLLs (but it won't remove files that might be shared with other applications). Programs previously installed can also be removed using Norton, but like most uninstallers, Norton does not guarantee 100 percent removal in these cases or in cases in which you choose not to monitor installations.

Norton's graphical interface is intuitive and direct, featuring two main sections of interest. Program Cleanup lets you remove, copy, move, store, or restore deleted programs from your hard drive. Move lets you change the physical location of a program, from one drive to another, and Copy duplicates an entire program on another drive or computer. Both functions intelligently move/copy all associated configuration files and update Registry entries to ensure the program will work in its new location.

Disk Cleanup offers four modules designed to rid your drives of myriad unused, junk, or duplicate files taking up unnecessary drive space or perhaps hampering system performance. In each case, you're given the opportunity to either wipe these target files clean or create backups for later restoration. Auto Clean locates and removes junk from your computer such as temporary files, Internet cache files, and help files. This module can be set to automatically perform its ritual every time you start up Windows 95. Finally, Registry Cleanup automatically removes invalid entries in the Windows 95 Registry.

Overall, the basic functions Uninstall Deluxe performs aren't unique; other products offer similar functionality. The big difference here is the extra-added safety and peace of mind that its InstallGuard and SafetyScan features add. In the final analysis, that puts Norton Uninstall Deluxe head and shoulders above other uninstallers.

Norton Uninstall Deluxe
Symantec Corp.
10201 Torre Ave.
Cupertino, CA 95014
800-441-7234; 408-253-9600
Fax: 408-255-9341
www.symantec.com
Requires: 10MB hard drive space; Windows 95 or Windows NT 4.0