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Bulk Crap Uninstaller supports a wide variety of uninstaller types, each with its own characteristics, detection methods, and handling strategies.

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Supported Uninstaller Types

BCU recognizes and handles the following uninstaller types:

MSI (Windows Installer)

Microsoft’s standard installation technology with comprehensive management features

NSIS

Nullsoft Scriptable Install System, popular for open-source software

Inno Setup

Free installer for Windows programs, widely used by developers

InstallShield

Commercial installer used by enterprise applications

Windows Store Apps

Universal Windows Platform (UWP) and packaged apps from Microsoft Store

Steam

Games and applications distributed through the Steam platform

Chocolatey

Package manager for Windows, similar to apt-get or yum

Oculus

Applications installed through Oculus VR platform

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UninstallerType Enumeration

BCU uses an enum to categorize uninstallers. Here’s the complete definition from the source code:
UninstallerType.cs
public enum UninstallerType
{
    Unknown = 0,
    Msiexec,
    InnoSetup,
    Steam,
    Nsis,
    InstallShield,
    SdbInst,
    WindowsFeature,
    WindowsUpdate,
    StoreApp,
    SimpleDelete,
    Chocolatey,
    Oculus,
    PowerShell
}

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Type-Specific Characteristics

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MSI (Msiexec)

  • Detection: Product codes in registry, MSI database queries
  • Silent Uninstall: Native support via /qn flag
  • Logging: Built-in MSI logging with /l*v flag
  • Repair: Can repair installations
  • Rollback: Automatic transaction support
  • Clean Removal: Generally leaves minimal leftovers
Silent Uninstall Command
msiexec.exe /x {ProductCode} /qn /norestart /l*v "C:\uninstall.log"

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NSIS (Nullsoft Scriptable Install System)

  • Detection: Uninstaller executable signature patterns
  • Silent Uninstall: /S switch (capital S is important)
  • Custom Scripts: Installer-defined uninstall logic
  • Common Usage: Open-source projects, freeware
  • Leftovers: Variable, depends on installer script quality
Silent Uninstall Command
"C:\Program Files\App\uninstall.exe" /S

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Inno Setup

  • Detection: Inno Setup registry keys and uninstaller signatures
  • Silent Uninstall: /SILENT or /VERYSILENT switches
  • Logging: /LOG switch for detailed logs
  • Common Usage: Widely used in Windows freeware and commercial software
  • Clean Removal: Generally good, especially with /VERYSILENT
Silent Uninstall Command
"C:\Program Files\App\unins000.exe" /VERYSILENT /NORESTART /LOG="C:\uninstall.log"

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Windows Store Apps (StoreApp)

  • Detection: PowerShell Get-AppxPackage cmdlet
  • Removal Method: PowerShell Remove-AppxPackage cmdlet
  • Scope: Per-user and all-users packages
  • Protection: Some apps are protected and cannot be removed
  • Clean Removal: Excellent, containerized app model
Remove Store App
Get-AppxPackage -Name "PackageName" | Remove-AppxPackage

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Steam

  • Detection: Steam library manifest files
  • Removal Method: Steam client uninstall command
  • Clean Removal: Excellent, managed by Steam client
  • Dependency: Requires Steam client to be installed
Uninstall Steam Game
steam://uninstall/AppID

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Chocolatey

  • Detection: Chocolatey package database
  • Removal Method: choco uninstall command
  • Silent Uninstall: Native silent operation
  • Dependencies: Handles dependency removal
  • Clean Removal: Excellent, package manager handles cleanup
Uninstall Chocolatey Package
choco uninstall package-name -y

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InstallShield

  • Detection: Registry keys and uninstaller signatures
  • Silent Uninstall: Various switches (/s, /quiet, response files)
  • Enterprise Usage: Common in commercial software
  • Complexity: Can be complex with custom scripts
  • Leftovers: Variable quality

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Windows Features

  • Detection: DISM or PowerShell feature queries
  • Removal Method: DISM commands or PowerShell
  • System Integration: Deep OS integration
  • Restart Required: Often requires system restart
  • Clean Removal: Excellent, managed by Windows
Disable Windows Feature
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName "FeatureName" -NoRestart

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Windows Update

  • Detection: Windows Update API
  • Removal Method: WUSA or DISM commands
  • System Updates: Handles KB updates and patches
  • Caution Required: Removing updates can destabilize system

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Oculus

  • Detection: Oculus library manifest files
  • Removal Method: Oculus client uninstall command
  • VR Applications: Games and apps from Oculus Store
  • Dependency: Requires Oculus software

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PowerShell

  • Detection: PowerShell-based uninstallers
  • Removal Method: Execute PowerShell script
  • Flexibility: Can handle complex custom uninstall logic
  • Modern: Increasingly common in modern software

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SimpleDelete

  • Detection: Portable apps without formal uninstaller
  • Removal Method: Delete application directory
  • Use Case: Portable applications, extracted archives
  • Caution: May leave registry entries or user data

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Detection Priority

BCU uses a priority system when multiple uninstaller types could apply:
  1. MSI Product Code - Highest priority, most reliable
  2. Package Managers (Chocolatey, Steam, Store Apps) - Well-managed uninstalls
  3. Known Installers (NSIS, Inno Setup, InstallShield) - Pattern-based detection
  4. Registry Keys - Standard Windows uninstaller registry
  5. Simple Delete - Fallback for portable apps

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Type Detection Methods

BCU examines the uninstaller executable to identify patterns:
  • NSIS: Looks for NSIS-specific strings and resources
  • Inno Setup: Checks for Inno Setup signatures
  • InstallShield: Identifies InstallShield engine files

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Silent Uninstall Generation

BCU attempts to generate silent uninstall commands for each type:
Example Logic
public string GetQuietUninstallString()
{
    switch (UninstallerKind)
    {
        case UninstallerType.Msiexec:
            return $"msiexec.exe /x {BundleProviderKey} /qn /norestart";
        
        case UninstallerType.Nsis:
            return $"{UninstallString} /S";
        
        case UninstallerType.InnoSetup:
            return $"{UninstallString} /VERYSILENT /NORESTART";
        
        // ... other types
    }
}

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Best Practices

MSI is Preferred: When possible, use MSI-based installations for easiest management and cleanest removal.
Test Unknown Types: Always test uninstallation of unknown or custom installer types in a safe environment first.
Junk Cleanup: Even well-behaved uninstallers may leave some leftovers. Use BCU’s junk cleanup feature after uninstallation.

Detection Methods

Learn how BCU discovers applications

Helper Tools

Understand the helper applications used for specific types

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