(Un)Wise Uninstall

[Stephen Potts]

Hi,

I had a problem with my uninstall. That problem with the "Cannot open
install.log" that for some reason occurs with XP and NTFS (ahhh, those
mysterious XP problems that never manage get fixed, and are merely resolved
by stating . . . "Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem . . . will
post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes
available." I think I would prefer it if Microsoft spent time fixing those
problems - like the good ol' Compress Old Files - instead of working on
annoying anti-piracy triple checks on my system.)

Anyway, I took the Install.log and put it on my desktop and then redirected
the uninstall program to the file. During the uninstall, for some reason it
deleted a bunch of my desktop icons, including some files. I backup
frequently, but never thought about backing up my desktop (unless that's
backed up during the system state backup). I am wondering if there's any
way to retrieve this information (I didn't think I'd ever be the one asking
that question, and I think I already know the answer . . . if you know some
magic tricks to get that stuff back, I'd really appreciate it)

Stephen

 

[Galen]

In Stephen Potts had this to say:

My reply is at the bottom of your sent message:

Hi,

I had a problem with my uninstall. That problem with the "Cannot open
install.log" that for some reason occurs with XP and NTFS (ahhh, those
mysterious XP problems that never manage get fixed, and are merely
resolved by stating . . . "Microsoft has confirmed this to be a
problem . . . will post new information here in the Microsoft
Knowledge Base as it becomes available." I think I would prefer it
if Microsoft spent time fixing those problems - like the good ol'
Compress Old Files - instead of working on annoying anti-piracy
triple checks on my system.)
Anyway, I took the Install.log and put it on my desktop and then
redirected the uninstall program to the file. During the uninstall,
for some reason it deleted a bunch of my desktop icons, including
some files. I backup frequently, but never thought about backing up
my desktop (unless that's backed up during the system state backup). I am
wondering if there's any way to retrieve this information (I
didn't think I'd ever be the one asking that question, and I think I
already know the answer . . . if you know some magic tricks to get
that stuff back, I'd really appreciate it)
Stephen

Ironically enough this might be one of those times where restore will help
if you have it enabled. The desktop is (My Documents are not) one of the
monitored folders I'm pretty sure.

Files of these types are monitored:

Monitored File Extensions:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/en-us/sr/sr/monitored_file_extensions.asp

--
Galen - MS MVP - Windows (Shell/User & IE)
http://dts-l.org/ http://kgiii.info/

"Chance has put in our way a most singular and whimsical problem, and
its solution is its own reward." - Sherlock Holmes

 

[Stephen Potts]

That is a good idea, and I tried it, but unfortunately, only my icons came
back, nothing else.

According to the link you provided, *.lnk files are monitored. So, when I
did a system restore, really those links that I had saved to my desktop
should have been restored, yet they weren't.

I take it that the desktop settings and icons aren't saved during a system
state backup.

How about this, when would the desktop be saved?

Thanks,

Stephen

 

[Galen]

In Stephen Potts had this to say:

My reply is at the bottom of your sent message:

That is a good idea, and I tried it, but unfortunately, only my icons
came back, nothing else.

According to the link you provided, *.lnk files are monitored. So,
when I did a system restore, really those links that I had saved to
my desktop should have been restored, yet they weren't.

I take it that the desktop settings and icons aren't saved during a
system state backup.

How about this, when would the desktop be saved?

Thanks,

Stephen

Hmm... That /should/ be saved with every restore as far as I know?

--
Galen - MS MVP - Windows (Shell/User & IE)
http://dts-l.org/ http://kgiii.info/

"Chance has put in our way a most singular and whimsical problem, and
its solution is its own reward." - Sherlock Holmes