Introduction

To obtain an installation log Total Uninstall creates two system snapshots using the scanning procedure. One before and one after the install process. The system snapshots are intermediate data files in this process, and the content of these files is not accessible to users. However, for the implementation and testing of the scanning function, it was implemented a hidden simple feature to see the content of the system snapshots (this feature is disclosed to you bellow).

Some of the features used in this article are available only in the registered Professional edition of recent released versions. Please take this information as is without any additional support for this unofficial and unsupported feature.

1. Create a system snapshot

If is not obvious, two system snapshots are created every time a  monitoring process is completed. These are kept in the “Snapshots” program data folder as long as these don’t exceed the limits imposed in the Options dialog. The older files are deleted to maintain the folder limits.

options-snapshots-folder-limits

To create a fresh system snapshot  simply start the install wizard and execute the first step of the monitoring process to create the pre-install system snapshot. After that cancel the process, the system snapshot will remain saved. Just, two mouse clicks.

begin-monitoring-process

creating-system-snapshot-scanning

cancel-monitoring-process

2. Enable the “Show snapshot” hidden feature

  • You must have the Professional edition registered or else the program will prompt you at startup to register the program with a key for the Professional edition.
  • Create a text file named “tu.ini”.
  • The content of the file should be like bellow:

[general]
ShowShapshotBtn=1

  • Place the file in the program folder where Total uninstall is installed like “C:\Program Files\Total Uninstall 5\” beside the tu.exe.
  • If everything is OK, you should see a new button in the toolbar “Show snapshot” after you start the program. Because the button is placed in the “Details” group in the toolbar, this is visible only if there is a selected monitored program.

3. Explore the system snapshot

Pressing the “Show snapshot” button will reveal a menu list with the system snapshots.

show-snapshot-button

To load a system snapshot just click on the menu item that you want. In the place of the detected changes tree will appear the content of the loaded snapshot.

explore-system-snapshot

  • There is an “Open” action in the context menu that will open the RegEdit or the Windows Explorer to that location.
  • The blue numbers in parenthesis are the total count of items on that branch, including the node itself.
  • The tree shows only the names and not the stored details (file details or registry data).