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Bulk Crap Uninstaller includes powerful advanced features for experienced users. This guide covers specialized tools and capabilities beyond basic uninstallation.

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Orphan Detection

Orphaned entries are applications that appear in the uninstaller list but have missing or invalid uninstallers.

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Identifying Orphans

Enable orphan detection:
  1. Go to Settings > Advanced
  2. Enable Display orphaned entries
  3. Orphaned applications appear highlighted in purple
  4. The list legend shows “Orphaned” category

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Why Applications Become Orphaned

Common causes:
  • Manual deletion of application files without proper uninstall
  • Corrupted or incomplete uninstallation
  • Moved or renamed installation directory
  • Broken uninstaller executable
  • Registry-only entries without actual files

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Handling Orphaned Applications

For Invalid Entries:
  1. Select the orphaned application
  2. Choose Advanced Operations > Delete Registry Entry
  3. Confirm removal
  4. Registry entry is safely removed
For Recoverable Applications:
  1. Select the orphaned application
  2. Use Advanced Operations > Manual Uninstall
  3. BCU scans for any remaining files/registry entries
  4. Review and remove found junk
Orphaned entries don’t necessarily mean leftover files exist. Check with Manual Uninstall to see what remains.

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Startup Management

Manage applications that run automatically at system startup.

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Viewing Startup Entries

Applications with startup entries show indicators:
  • Applications with active startup items are marked
  • View in Properties window under “Startup Entries” section
  • Shows executable path, type (Run key, Task, Service), and status

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Disabling Autostart

Prevent applications from starting automatically:
  1. Select application(s) with startup entries
  2. Choose Advanced Operations > Disable Autostart
  3. Confirm the operation
  4. Startup entries are disabled (not deleted)
Types of startup entries BCU can disable:
  • Registry Run keys - HKLM and HKCU Run keys
  • Startup folders - All Users and user-specific
  • Scheduled tasks - Windows Task Scheduler entries
  • Services - Windows services set to automatic start
Disabling autostart doesn’t uninstall the application - it only prevents automatic startup.

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Certificate Validation

Verify digital signatures and publisher authenticity.

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Enabling Certificate Testing

  1. Go to Settings > Advanced
  2. Enable Test certificates
  3. BCU validates digital signatures for all executables
  4. Results appear as color coding in the list

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Certificate Status Indicators

  • Green - Valid, trusted certificate from recognized CA
  • Orange - No certificate or self-signed
  • Red - Invalid, expired, or revoked certificate

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Understanding Certificate Results

Click an application and view Properties to see:
  • Certificate issuer
  • Certificate subject (publisher)
  • Valid from/to dates
  • Certificate chain
  • Validation errors (if any)

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Certificate Caching

Speed up certificate validation:
  1. Go to Settings > Advanced
  2. Enable Cache certificates
  3. Certificate results are saved to disk
  4. Subsequent scans are much faster
  5. Cache is automatically refreshed periodically
Certificate validation helps identify potentially malicious or tampered software. Unsigned applications aren’t necessarily bad, but be cautious.

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Invalid Entry Detection

Find broken or problematic uninstaller entries.

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Enabling Invalid Entry Testing

  1. Go to Settings > Advanced
  2. Enable Test for invalid entries
  3. BCU checks each entry for:
    • Missing uninstaller executable
    • Invalid paths
    • Broken registry links
    • Corrupted data

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Working with Invalid Entries

Invalid entries appear with:
  • Red highlighting in the list
  • “Invalid” indicator in status
  • Cannot be uninstalled normally
Options for invalid entries:
  • Delete Registry Entry - Remove from uninstaller list
  • Manual Uninstall - Scan for any remaining junk
  • Rename - Fix the display name if needed

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Registry Operations

Advanced registry manipulation tools.

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Open Registry Key

View an application’s registry entry:
  1. Select a single application
  2. Choose Advanced Operations > Open Registry Key
  3. Regedit opens with the key selected
  4. View and edit registry values
Useful for:
  • Verifying application information
  • Manually fixing broken entries
  • Understanding application structure
  • Troubleshooting issues
Manually editing registry keys can cause system instability. Only proceed if you understand registry structure.

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Delete Registry Entry

Remove uninstaller registry keys:
  1. Select application(s) to remove
  2. Choose Advanced Operations > Delete Registry Entry
  3. Confirm the deletion
  4. Registry key is removed
This does NOT:
  • Uninstall the application
  • Remove application files
  • Clean up leftover data
Use this to:
  • Clean up invalid entries
  • Remove duplicate listings
  • Fix corrupted uninstaller entries

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Create Registry Backup

Export registry keys to .reg file:
  1. Select application(s) to backup
  2. Choose Advanced Operations > Create Backup or press Ctrl+B
  3. Choose save location
  4. Registry keys exported to .reg file
Backup includes:
  • Main uninstaller registry key
  • All subkeys and values
  • Timestamp in filename
Always create backups before deleting or modifying registry entries. Double-click the .reg file to restore if needed.

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MSI Advanced Operations

Specialized tools for Windows Installer (MSI) packages.

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Accessing MSI Tools

  1. Select a single MSI-based application
  2. Choose Advanced Operations > MSI Uninstall
  3. Select operation mode

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MSI Operation Modes

Uninstall:
  • Standard MSI uninstall with UI
  • Shows progress and options
  • Allows customization
  • Command: msiexec /x {GUID}
Quiet Uninstall:
  • Silent MSI removal
  • No UI or prompts
  • Uses default options
  • Command: msiexec /x {GUID} /qn
Modify:
  • Opens MSI modify/repair interface
  • Allows feature selection
  • Can repair or change installation
  • Command: msiexec /i {GUID}
MSI operations require the application’s Product GUID. BCU automatically extracts this from the registry.

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Uninstall from Directory

Attempt to uninstall based on installation folder.

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When to Use

Useful for:
  • Portable applications
  • Manually installed software
  • Damaged or missing registry entries
  • Leftover folders after uninstall

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Process

1

Select Folder

  1. Choose Tools > Uninstall from Directory
  2. Browse to the application’s installation folder
  3. Select the folder containing the application
2

Detection

BCU attempts to:
  • Find an uninstaller in the folder
  • Match folder to known installed applications
  • Create a temporary uninstaller entry
3

Uninstall

If an uninstaller is found:
  • BCU prompts to run it
  • Standard uninstall proceeds
If no uninstaller found:
  • Proceeds to junk scan
  • Scans for registry entries
  • Offers to delete folder
4

Cleanup

After uninstall:
  • Junk scan runs automatically
  • Remove any remaining files
  • Clean up registry entries

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Directory Ownership

Take ownership of protected folders for removal.

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When Needed

Some applications install to protected locations:
  • System folders with restricted permissions
  • Directories owned by TrustedInstaller
  • Folders locked by Windows security

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Taking Ownership

  1. Select application(s)
  2. Choose Advanced Operations > Take Ownership
  3. Select target directory from submenu
  4. A command prompt opens
  5. Ownership is transferred
  6. Permissions are granted
Commands executed: 
takeown /f "<directory>"
icacls "<directory>" /grant administrators:F
Taking ownership of system folders can compromise Windows security. Only use for removing stubborn third-party applications.

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Export and Import

Share and synchronize uninstaller lists.

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Export Applications

Save application list to XML:
  1. Select applications to export
  2. Choose File > Export Selected
  3. Choose filename and location
  4. XML file contains:
    • Application names, publishers, versions
    • GUIDs and registry keys
    • Install locations
    • Uninstall commands

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Export Uses

Documentation:
  • Create inventory of installed software
  • Track installed versions
  • Audit compliance
Automation:
  • Generate batch uninstall scripts
  • Create deployment packages
  • Standardize installations
Synchronization:
  • Maintain same applications across multiple PCs
  • Remove the same bloatware from multiple systems
  • Audit differences between systems

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Export Store Apps to PowerShell

For Microsoft Store applications:
  1. Select Store apps
  2. Choose File > Export Store Apps to PowerShell Script
  3. Save .ps1 script file
  4. Script contains PowerShell commands to remove selected Store apps
  5. Run with administrative privileges
PowerShell scripts are useful for removing Store apps in bulk or deploying to multiple systems.

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Online Search Integration

Quickly research applications online.

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Search Options

Right-click an application and choose from:
  • Search Online - Google search for application name
  • Open Web Page - Visit application’s official website (if available)
  • Search Publisher - Find other applications by same publisher
Searches open in your default browser.

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Using Search Effectively

Before uninstalling unknown applications:
  1. Search online to identify it
  2. Check if it’s required by other software
  3. Verify it’s not a system component
  4. Read removal experiences from others

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Protected Application Handling

Override protection for system components.

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Protection System

BCU marks certain applications as “Protected”:
  • Critical Windows components
  • Drivers and system utilities
  • Security software
  • Firmware and BIOS tools
Protected applications:
  • Cannot be uninstalled by default
  • Show warning indicators
  • Skip during batch operations

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Disabling Protection

Only disable protection if you fully understand the consequences. Removing protected applications can break Windows or cause boot failures.
  1. Go to Settings > Advanced
  2. Enable Disable protection of system components
  3. Confirmation warning appears
  4. Protection is bypassed for the session
  5. Protected applications can now be uninstalled
When attempting to uninstall protected items:
  • Warning prompt appears listing affected applications
  • Option to proceed or cancel
  • Operation can be canceled at any time

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Simulation Mode

Test operations without making changes.

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Enabling Simulation

  1. Go to Settings > Advanced
  2. Enable Simulate uninstallation
  3. All operations run in simulation mode
  4. No actual changes are made to the system
Simulation mode:
  • Pretends to run uninstallers
  • Simulates file deletion
  • Fakes registry modifications
  • Shows progress and results as normal

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When to Use Simulation

  • Testing bulk operations before executing
  • Learning how BCU works
  • Verifying what would be removed
  • Creating documentation or tutorials
  • Troubleshooting without risk
Simulation mode is primarily for debugging and testing. Don’t forget to disable it before actual uninstallation.

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Advanced Clipboard Operations

Copy detailed application information. Right-click application(s) and choose Copy to Clipboard:

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Copy Options

Program Name:
  • Just the display name
  • One per line
  • Plain text
Full Information:
  • All available details
  • Formatted text with labels
  • Includes publisher, version, size, paths, GUIDs
Uninstall String:
  • Just the uninstall command
  • Can be used in scripts
  • One per line
Registry Path:
  • Registry key location
  • Can be pasted into regedit
  • One per line
GUIDs:
  • Product codes only
  • Useful for MSI operations
  • One per line

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Advanced Clipboard Copy

For customized output:
  1. Choose Copy to Clipboard > Advanced
  2. Select fields to include
  3. Choose delimiter (tab, comma, pipe)
  4. Choose format (plain text, CSV, XML)
  5. Copy to clipboard

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Tips for Power Users

Combine with Task Scheduler

Export PowerShell scripts and schedule them to run automatically for maintenance.

Use Portable Version

Run BCU from USB drive to clean multiple PCs without installation.

Create Standard Lists

Maintain XML lists of bloatware to remove from new PC setups.

Integrate with Scripts

Use command-line switches and exported data for automated workflows.

Monitor Certificate Changes

Regular certificate checks can identify tampered or replaced executables.

Batch Registry Backups

Before major changes, export all uninstaller registry keys as a master backup.

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