6.1.9.0 broke everything - 6.1.8.9.worked so well

[Cats4U]

While you're probably right, why do we treat this as a non-issue?

This is ridiculous, in almost every single forum topic / bug report there is this 'professional uninstaller' stuff mentioned.

This is a SERIOUS BUG - well... probably more than just one.

I'm not claiming it is a non-issue or not a serious bug. Initially, when you run into a problem after a new version update, you have no idea what is causing it. At that time, it is best to go back to the basics. One of these basics is to do a clean installation. This is even more important when something is changed in the configuration of the program. An example of which is going from stream downloading to stream recording (aka erroneously as re-encoding) or vice versa. Another example is what happened in 6.1.9.0 where they made a big deal about reorganizing the Settings section. For most program developers, I wouldn't think twice about them mixing up parameter variables between versions while making such changes, but StreamFab has a long history of first screwing up things worse before they finally get things worked out. And that's why I always recommend and personally do a clean install every time a new version comes out.

[Cats4U]

Your 64-bit link is wrong.

Right, you are. Thank you. It looks like part of the URL appears to be missing. It should be - - https://www.dvdfab.cn/mlink/download...=StreamFab_x64
I'll make the change to the text file I keep.

[nightwingken]

Thank you Cats4U

[NewMelle]

Please, please, please do a system backup BEFORE running a "professional uninstaller" and check your other programs afterward, especially the software you paid for. Most uninstallers CAN remove dependencies (shared DLLs, C++, etc.) that other programs may depend on. Not a single uninstaller is infallible. Many also still leave behind remnants, they aren't all they're cracked up to be.

It's your system, do what you want. If no one else warns you to do a system backup first let it be me.

If anyone knows of a "professional uninstaller" that works 100% and does NO harm of ANY kind to ANY other installed program please post a link. "Professional uninstaller" is a tad ambiguous.

I've used ProcMon to monitor installs for years but it's not for the faint of heart.

[Cats4U]

Please, please, please do a system backup BEFORE running a "professional uninstaller" and check your other programs afterward, especially the software you paid for. Most uninstallers CAN remove dependencies (shared DLLs, C++, etc.) that other programs may depend on. Not a single uninstaller is infallible. Many also still leave behind remnants, they aren't all they're cracked up to be.

While I would never try to steer anyone away from doing a system backup before doing an uninstallation using a professional uninstaller, in most cases it is not needed. Every uninstaller I have used recently have an optional feature to create a system restore prior to doing an uninstall. Along with that, they list logs of what files they are uninstalling, as well as registry entries. If you use the uninstaller program to install your programs, like I do with Ashampoo UnInstaller 14, you'll also have a log of what files and registries have been added in the Install. If you want, both logs can be compared to see that what has been added is the only thing that is subtracted during the uninstall.
I don't doubt that there might be a few fly-by-night Uninstallers out there that don't have all the security features, but all the name brand ones I've seen lately do. To be honest, I'd be more fearful of a third-party Backup program. I've never had a problem with an uninstaller removing something it shouldn't have, but I have been burned by backup programs that failed just when I needed them most.
The only programs that I ever saw inappropriately remove dependencies were registry cleaners (I haven't used one in many, many years) or virus detector/removers (even when you don't have a virus). Never have I ever had this happen with a professional uninstaller.

[NewMelle]

I wouldn't rely solely on System Restore Points. Microsoft has NEVER gotten them quite right and NEVER will. Just one of those things they put there to give you a warm fuzzy feeling. But, it is better than nothing and even when it fails it does restore some of the restore point.

While de-crapifying Win11 I entered the wrong value in a policies registry key and the system wouldn't boot but I did create a restore point just before. 11 wouldn't boot so I used the restore point. Wouldn't you know it the restore point failed. Big surprise, and this was a fresh install of Win11. It did however revert that registry change and undo my stupidity so I didn't have to boot the recovery partition and revert the change manually (and yes, I've done stupid shit to warrant this in the past ).

I had literally hundreds and hundreds of 3rd party paid programs and plugins so this might have had a bearing on my results. Personally I'll still create a system image to be safe.

Agreed about registry cleaners (CCleaner was the last to go to hell in a handbasket some time ago) and never again with a backup program, not even Windows File History. All left me standing there with my pants down around my ankles with no TP in sight.

I don't mean to hijack the thread and sorry if I did. I'll probably be trying 6.1.9.0 or 6.1.9.1 in the next few days with all this talk of changes to the UI (I hope not Pnone-ified). On a VM first of course.

[AGuyWithAComputer]

"professional uninstaller"

No such thing, just more crapware. bout as useful as anything with the words clean or registry in the title.

[Sebastian001]

I agree with Cats4U on this point. I also don't create a backup when changing versions. I use Renovo. Of course it is important to regularly create a backup of personal data. However, I don't back up the system files of Windows or other programs. If something gets damaged, like Windows, for example, it's time to reinstall.

[NewMelle]

Maybe I was misunderstood. I don't feel the need to do a system image for switching versions of SF. If I were forced to use an uninstaller I would definitely create a system image.

Re-installing the OS may be easy for some but I have dozens and dozens of paid program and plugins, all of which have to be reinstalled, have licenses installed and then configured. PITA on a grand scale.

My machine is the central hub in my network and all management handled there which requires installation and configuration of software and Windows, some of it tedious.

What most fail to take into account is the reason a "professional uninstaller" is recommended in the first place. The SF uninstaller is broken. If it functioned properly and completely there would be zero need to recommend the risk of running 3rd party software to remove it. If the uninstaller did it's job there would be no trace of SF in the registry or the file system for an uninstaller to find.

I'm not inclined to recommend something that has the potential to do damage (and no-one can 100% guarantee it won't in all cases) but instead pressure the developers to update the uninstaller to completely remove all traces of SF. Especially in light of the fact we so often have to switch between versions due to one bug or another. I'd be more than happy to beta test that for free.



Back to 6.1.9.0....

I did not test 6.1.9.1 as the fixes have no impact on my use. Only the services I have subscriptions to were tested.

Amazon analysis takes as long or even longer than 6.1.8.3, up to about 2 minutes for a series.
Disney+ about the same.
Paramount+ about the same.

Default naming conventions (templates) work properly but I did not customize them.

The Analyzing throbber in the bottom right corner is essentially pointless as the analysis dialog is still displayed. Actually I prefer the dialog as it indicates at which stage the analysis is.

No problems with the updated settings UI. It is a little more organized but any more "shuffling" and it may as well be Windows 10/11 (e.g. X dialogs deep just to change the screen saver or config a printer).

Download speed (for my inet speeds) seems to be about the same for all but the calculated download speed still appears to be cumulative and not refreshed/recalculated often enough to reflect actual current speed (e.g. SF reports 824K when network monitor reports 1200K). Paramount+ never downloaded at full bandwidth for me.

Aside from the protracted analysis for Amazon no errors and all came down at the chosen resolution/bitrate and EAC3 5.1.

I did not test high resolutions. I did not test movies. Just episodes. Someone with fiber can do that.

[Chameleon]

Someone with fiber can do that.

I have enough fiber in my diet. I spend half the day on the can.

[Cats4U]

I'm not inclined to recommend something that has the potential to do damage (and no-one can 100% guarantee it won't in all cases) but instead pressure the developers to update the uninstaller to completely remove all traces of SF. Especially in light of the fact we so often have to switch between versions due to one bug or another. I'd be more than happy to beta test that for free.

I'm sorry, but I'd trust a professional uninstaller in its 14th version to anything that this band of one-step-forward, two-steps-back misfits were to come up with a complete removal of their prior version for the first time as part of their offline installation. Their online installer fails so often that the consensus on this forum is "Don't use it".

[Cats4U]

No such thing, just more crapware. bout as useful as anything with the words clean or registry in the title.

So you prefer to use the built-in Microsoft uninstaller that leaves an enormous amount of stuff behind or to simply overwrite one version with another, leaving the possibility that a portion of a configuration file or registry remains from a previous version causing a hybrid that doesn't work. This is what was happening when the developer kept switching back and forth between stream downloading and screen recording (aka - re-encoding). Go back and read the forum messages from that time period and see all the failures and crashes that were reported.

[NewMelle]

I have a batch file written that takes care of "after uninstall" cleanup, even the registry entries. It's not MY coding but once again I'm cleaning up someone else's mess.

An EXE does't usually use the Microsoft installer. For this you need the .MSI installer version, but then again, it's still Microsoft. SF does not offer an .MSI option.

If the pro uninstaller works for someone else that's a good thing. Three of them trashed PAID software applications for me including CCleaner. If it never happens to anyone else, also a good thing. All I've ever said is it CAN, and this I know from experience. I'm not going there ever again.

I also HATE online installers/updaters. Any program I install I scour the net for the offline installer first. I don't want the latest and greatest vomit some suburbanite pink-palmed yuppie phone-walking text-and-driving latte swilling mango-cigar-smoking Izod wearing moron thinks looks and works great, I want the version I like, that works for me. SF, Firefox and Thunderbird are perfect examples.

[NewMelle]

I have enough fiber in my diet. I spend half the day on the can.

Please do! Sometimes I feel like I'm stuck in bumf**k East Jesus reduced to sending smoke signals.

[Chameleon]

Please do! Sometimes I feel like I'm stuck in bumf**k East Jesus reduced to sending smoke signals.