Joe said:
Not sure where to raise this question. I am having trouble uninstalling
Microsoft Silverlight (WinXP SP3). I need to uninstall it because Netflix
insists that I need to install it for instant viewing. I can't install it
because the Silverlight installer says Silverlilght is already installed.
When I try to uninstall Silverlight in Add/Remove ProgramsI get this error
message: "Can't uninstall. The patch package could not be opened. Verify
that the patch package exists and that you can access it, or contact the
application vendor that this is a valid Windows Installer patch package."
Seems like a catch-22, especially the "contact the application vendor" (uh,
that would be Microsoft, of course) part: Microsoft says to use Add/Remove
to remove Silverlight, but says nothing about that "patch package" thing. I
saw a number of posts about troubles uninstalling Silverlight. Any
suggestions?
Did you install their pre-released version? If so, read:
http://www.microsoft.com/silverlight/get-started/install/uninstall-arp-win.aspx
I had Silverlight installed, decided to uninstall it (using Add/REmove
Programs), and later needed it but it wouldn't install. A registry
search on "silverlight" turned up:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{DFEAF541-F3E1-4c24-ACAC-99C30715084A}
The server listed is the npctrl.dll file but the "C:\Program
Files\Microsoft Silverlight" folder no longer exists for where that file
is to be found.
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Installer\Assemblies
A bunch of paths to folders that also no longer existed on my host.
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TypeLib\{283C8576-0726-4DBC-9609-3F855162009A}
The server's file was in a path that no longer exists on my host.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Low
Rights\ElevationPolicy\{003B91A6-61E3-4591-891D-01E94C8CB11E}
Odd that IE needs an elevation policy on a plug-in that supposedly
doesn't exist, and under a path that no longer exists.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Installer\UserData\S-1-5-18\Components\3075C420A61E4E647946AD08210A8361
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Installer\UserData\S-1-5-18\Components\51156D8C3F88E164B8A253FA0CD486D1
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Installer\UserData\S-1-5-18\Components\77C7B055A1E2D674C915617960666BAC
Point back to the above elevation policy for a plug-in in a non-existent
folder.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Silverlight
If the software is uninstalled, an entry for it isn't needed here. It
is a remnant from a dirty uninstall.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Installer\UserData\S-1-5-18\Components\097E1FDABB0E0EF458D9926F9EAA8D1C
Key pointing back to the assemblies that aren't needed for an uninstall
program.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Installer\UserData\S-1-5-18\Components\0A7E7004D02EB304688DF66BF5FC073A
Points to another .dll file under the folder that got deleted by the
prior uninstall of Silverlight.
There were a whole slew of these remnant registry entries from a dirty
uninstall of Silverlight that refer to the folder that got deleted by
the uninstall of Silverlight. So they are superfluous since they point
to a file that no longer exist (because the folder doesn't exist).
There were dozens upon dozens of their worthless entries left in the
registry. They got deleted since obviously they pointed at something
that no longer exists. I didn't care about the MRU (most recently used)
entries.
Did all that registry cleanup get Silverlight to now install? Nope, it
still failed. It directed me to the following page:
http://www.microsoft.com/silverlight/resources/help.aspx?errorID=1625
I had already downloaded that file (that's the one whose installation
failed), unloaded IE before running the install, and I was already
logged on under an admin-level user account yet the install still
failed. I also tried their hint of Run As and selected Administrator
but the install still failed.
I also found the following remnant folder with some subfolders and files
but deleting it did not get an install to work:
%userprofile%\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Silverlight
I search on "silverlight" string in all files. Of interest were several
found under the following path:
C:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution\Download
However, I'm not expert in the catalog used by Windows for installs. I
found the following article that attempts to discuss how to fix a broken
install of Silverlight:
http://blogs.msdn.com/rpomeroy/arch...-clean-up-a-bad-silverlight-installation.aspx
For me, there were no remnant entries under the Uninstaller registry key
that would show up in Microsoft's Install Cleanup utility. The registry
keys no longer existed since I already did the exhaustive cleanup. The
install folder no longer existed.
Obviously Microsoft hasn't a clue on how to uninstall their Silverlight
program or how to ignore or step on any remnants when doing an install.
Just as obvious is that Silverlight is not as important as Microsoft
makes out as their replacement for Flash and its scripting abilities.
In the Silverlight forums, even the developers can't manage to get
Silverlight reinstalled. Makes you wonder if the 3 Stooges are writing
the code for the plug-in.
Considering the lack of impetus in Silverlight infiltrating into web
sites, I suspect it is doomed as is their PowerShell. Microsoft's
Silverlight has as much chance at replacing Adobe's Flash as Microsoft's
XPS has of replacing Adobe's PDF: not likely.
