How to Uninstall CCleaner Browser
(when the uninstaller fails.)
Recently I had the need to do a little cleanup on my computer. So I went to a trusty old tool I used to use called CCleaner. To my surprise It started installing a browser that I did not want on my PC. I noticed the little check mark after I clicked next (sneaky)
I Immediately regretted this install
I pretty much ended my use and future use for this software at this point, and immediately uninstalled it.
When I tried to uninstall the companion software (CCleaner Browser) (PUP aka Potentially Unwanted Program) the uninstaller program just did nothing,
Searching Online proved to be useless.
Simply put, all the “How To” articles tell me to “Run the Uninstaller”. Yeah no kidding Sherlock, what happens when the uninstaller gives no error, and no output. Even running from Command Prompt results in No output, or errors.
Regedit search to the rescue.
Ok, here’s the down and dirty way I uninstalled it.
Searching the registry for the uninstaller filename (ccleaneruninstall.exe). I came across a reference to an old legacy un-installer lcoated in the following folder. “C:\Program Files (x86)\CCleaner Browser\Application\76.0.130.103\Installer\”
It had a command to un-install the app that read like this
“C:\Program Files (x86)\CCleaner Browser\Application\76.0.130.103\Installer\setup.exe” –uninstall –system-level
Simply opening a CMD as Administrator, and pasting this exactly (Including the “quotes around the filename”) into the prompt launched an alternative uninstaller that seems (so far) to have done the trick.
running without the quotes may do the trick as well, but I’m not about to install it again to find out.
Reasons why I started disliking CCleaner after today
Upon research of this issue, I came across some info about CCleaner that makes me want to steer clear now.
- Bought out by Avast and no longer under the original developers control
- Forcing users to update their applications even if they choose NOT to check for updates (Huge invasion of privacy, and ignoring privacy settings)
- Installing web browsers sneakily in their auto-installers.
- Avast (a leasing security company) had their software compromised, and caused millions of users to be infected with malware capable of stealing data and controlling their computers.
These are some very compelling arguments for NOT using Ccleaner. However there is no need to find an alternative just yet. If you are on Windows 10, a lot of the stuff CCleaner used to do is now built into Windows.
At this point I am no longer using or recommending CCleaner anymore to cleanup the small things in Windows.
In case you scrolled right to the bottom to find the uninstall method, try this link to move back up.