MSN Messenger 6 causing entries to be stuck in GAC

[Tammy Williams]

We have seen an issue that when MSN Messenger 6 is installed on a machine
having .NET Framework 1.1 (1.1.4322.573), the assemblies we create can be
added to the GAC but once there they can not be removed. On an attempt to
remove them using 'gacutil /uf' from the command line gives an error message
that Windows Installer has a pending reference to the assembly in question.

When we uninstall MSN Messenger 6, the assemblies can successfully be
removed from the GAC.

We seem to have tracked the issue down specifically to a registry entry that
is created with the messenger install. A (Default) entry is placed in the
registry key:

HKLM\Software\Classes\Installer\Assemblies\Global

When the value for this (Default) key is deleted, assemblies can be removed
from the GAC even when messenger is still installed.

Wondered if anyone has further information on this issue including a viable
workaround?

Would appreciate any information or help you could send our way.

Tammy L. Williams

 

[Benny Fu]

Dear Tammy,

Thank you for your posting.

I would like to share some information with you:

If an assembly is installed to the GAC using a Windows Installer package
then the assembly can not be removed from the GAC with gacutil.

The Windows Installer holds a reference to the assembly which gacutil
honors and only a Windows Installer package can properly remove the
reference. (gacutil /ur and gacutil /uf can not be used).

The Windows Installer references for the GAC are held in the registry in
the following keys.

Per-user installations:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Installer\Assemblies\Global
Per-machine installations:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Installer\Assemblies\Global

The keys contain string values with the names of the assemblies installed
in the GAC. Deleting the string value releases the reference and allows
you to remove the assembly using gacutil /u.

Thanks and have a good day!

Regards,

Benny Fu
Microsoft Online Partner Support
Microsoft Corporation
Get Secure! – www.microsoft.com/security

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

--------------------
| From: "Tammy Williams" <[email protected]>
| Subject: MSN Messenger 6 causing entries to be stuck in GAC
| Date: Fri, 25 Jul 2003 14:22:02 -0400
| Lines: 26
| X-Priority: 3
| X-MSMail-Priority: Normal
| X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2800.1106
| X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2800.1106
| Message-ID: <[email protected]>
| Newsgroups:
microsoft.public.dotnet.framework,microsoft.public.msn.messenger,microsoft.p
ublic.win2000.setup_deployment
| NNTP-Posting-Host: 65.213.238.49
| Path: cpmsftngxa06.phx.gbl!TK2MSFTNGP08.phx.gbl!TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl
| Xref: cpmsftngxa06.phx.gbl microsoft.public.msn.messenger:27900
microsoft.public.win2000.setup_deployment:5389
microsoft.public.dotnet.framework:49831
| X-Tomcat-NG: microsoft.public.win2000.setup_deployment
|
| We have seen an issue that when MSN Messenger 6 is installed on a machine
| having .NET Framework 1.1 (1.1.4322.573), the assemblies we create can be
| added to the GAC but once there they can not be removed. On an attempt to
| remove them using 'gacutil /uf' from the command line gives an error
message
| that Windows Installer has a pending reference to the assembly in
question.
|
| When we uninstall MSN Messenger 6, the assemblies can successfully be
| removed from the GAC.
|
| We seem to have tracked the issue down specifically to a registry entry
that
| is created with the messenger install. A (Default) entry is placed in the
| registry key:
|
| HKLM\Software\Classes\Installer\Assemblies\Global
|
| When the value for this (Default) key is deleted, assemblies can be
removed
| from the GAC even when messenger is still installed.
|
| Wondered if anyone has further information on this issue including a
viable
| workaround?
|
| Would appreciate any information or help you could send our way.
|
| Tammy L. Williams
|
|
|

 

[Tammy Williams]

Hi Benny,

Thank you for your response. It points out to me that I was not completely
clear on all the steps followed in the situation in question.

Using gacutil was a last resort attempt to get the stuck assemblies out of
the GAC.

These assemblies were installed using a WISE msi install kit. We realized
that the assemblies were stuck after we had uninstalled our product via the
Add/Remove Programs window and then discovered that the assemblies were
still in the GAC.

Prior to installing Messenger 6.0 these assemblies were successfully removed
from the GAC during an uninstall. After installing Messenger 6.0, all other
components of our install were successfully removed. However the GAC
assemblies remained behind. Since no other products were installed that
depended on these assemblies and since these assemblies were not marked to
remain installed on an uninstall, they should have been removed as they
always have been prior to installation of Messenger 6.0. Additionally, if we
install our product then uninstall Messenger 6.0 before uninstalling our
product, the assemblies are successfully removed from the GAC during our
product uninstall.

We have not encountered this issue with prior versions of Messenger.

Regards,

Tammy