[.net] How to completely uninstall Visual Studio 2010?

I've been looking to find a CLEAN solution to completely and ultimately remove Visual Studio 2010 from my computer. When you install Visual Studio, it also installs a bunch of programs (about 55) in the add/remove programs panel (appwiz.cpl).

I've already tried a small utility made by Microsoft but it does almost nothing.

I'm really looking now for a better way to uninstall any version of Microsoft Visual Studio. Because I have a lot of computers, I'm often switching to a version or another or I just decide that I don't need it anymore on one computer to get back some space.

Really, what's the best solution? If there isn't one, why haven't Microsoft developed one that is actually working well?

Struggled with the same problem: Many applications, BUT make at least this part "pleasant": The trick is called Batch-Uninstall. So use one of these three programs i can recommend:

• Absolute Uninstaller (+ slim,removes registry and folders, - click OK 50 times)
• IObit Uninstaller (+ also for toolbars, removes registry and folders, - ships itself with optional toolbar)
• dUninstaller (+ silent mode/force: no clicking for 50 applications, it does it in the background - doesn't scan registry/files)

Take no.2 in imho, 1 is nice but sometimes encounters some bugs :-)

The only real clean way to uninstall VS (Visual Studio, whatever version it is) is to completely reinstall the whole OS. If you don't, more compatibility problems might surface.

Permanent solution

Starting from scratch (clean install, VS never installed on the OS), the best way to avoid all those problems is to install and run VS from a VM (virtual machine) as stated by Default in the comments above. This way, and as long as Microsoft doesn't do anything to improve its whole platform to be more user-friendly, switching from a version to another will be quick and easy and the main partition of the HDD (or SSD in my case) won't be filed with all the garbage that VS leaves behind.

Of course, the disadvantage is speed. The program will be slower in pretty much every way. But honestly, who uses VS for its speed? Even on the latest enthusiast-platforms, it takes ages to install. Even if VS might start up faster on a high-end SSD, it's just slow.

Download and install IOBIT uninstaller: http://www.iobit.com/advanceduninstaller.php, find the date in which you install Visual Studio and select all programas from that date r elated to VS. Then run de batch uninstaller. It is not a fully automated solution but it is a lot quicker than going one by one int he add / remove programs in Windows. It even has a power scan to clean the registry.

Best way I have used is to mount the VS 2010 Image or insert the Installation disc and run the uninstall option, really works well

This is the simplest way to remove all the packages. From an admin prompt:
wmic product where "name like 'microsoft visual%'" call uninstall /nointeractive

Repeat for SQL etc by replacing visual% in above command with sql.

the best way to uninstall VS 2010 is to use Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Uninstall Utility on this link http://archive.msdn.microsoft.com/Project/Download/FileDownload.aspx?ProjectName=vs2010uninstall&DownloadId=11182

Put in your CD or mount your ISO. Run the setup program from the command prompt using the flags /uninstall /force

I actually had ran into this issue the other day and it worked wonders. =)

If I may give an answer to an old thread; You can use PC Decrapifier to select programs you want to uninstall. PC Decrapifier will uninstall them one by one for you so you don't have to click them all seperately.

This is very useful for removing all the 'junk' - like the SQL Database tools - Visual Studio leaves behind even when uninstalled.

There is a solution here : Add

/full /netfx at the end of the path!

This should clear almost all. You should only be left with SQL Server.