Uninstalling if no AddRemovePrograms Icon

[michael]

Under the don't do this catgory:

I created an application and forgot to include an
AddRemoveProgramsIcon. Now I can't remove the application
from the control panel. I can't seem to install a newer
version over it without getting a message that instructs
me to remove the application from the control panel. How
can I do it manually?

I tried creating another version, this time with an
AddRemoveProgramsIcon and the RemovePreviousVersions flag
set to true. Unfortunately, when I run the setup, it
tells me that I must go to the control panel to remove
the previous version of the application (which I can't do
because there is no icon). I assumed that the
RemovePreviousVersions flag would allow the setup to
automatically remove old versions of the application and
then install the new version.

Help. I need to remove this old version so that I can
install a new version.

Michael

 

[Gabriele G. Ponti]

Michael,

Even if you don't specify an icon for the AddRemoveProgramsIcon property, a
default one will be provided for you. So unless your setup program is doing
something strange, you should see the icon in the Add or Remove Programs
applet.

If you still have the original setup, you can right-click on the MSI package
and select Uninstall.

Regards,

Gabriele

 

[Felix Wang]

Hi Michael,

Thanks for posting. Are you installing the application using VS.Net Setup
Project? If this is the case, I agree with Gabriele. There should be an
entry in the "Add/Remove Programs" by default, even if we do not specify
the icon.

In addition to Gabriele's suggestions, we can also remove the product using
msiexec.exe if we have rebuilt the original MSI:

msiexec.exe /x {7811D231-4408-4825-BBD1-529D4681BB16}

You need to change the GUID to the product code of the MSI package. We can
see the "ProductCode" if we click the setup project and look for it in the
"Properties" window. It will not be changed even we have rebuilt the
project.

I hope this helps.

Regards,

Felix Wang
Microsoft Online Partner Support
Get Secure! - www.microsoft.com/security
This posting is provided "as is" with no warranties and confers no rights.

 

[michael]

Thanks for the advice, but I fear that something is more
seriously wrong. The install machine is running Win2K
(with all the correct SP's). When I looked in the
Install/Remove applet of the Control Panel, the
application in question was not listed in any way, not
even with a default icon. Also, even with this absence in
the Install/Remove applet, the application still exists
on the compter's Start menu and can be executed without a
problem. I just can't remove it, nor can I upgrade it.

If I try Gabrielle's suggestion, such as right clicking
on the .msi and selecting Uninstall (or even repair), the
process fails. I used your suggestion by running
msiexec.exe /x {CA95BC68-7E1D-494E-A5CF-E166176BF517},
which has been customized for my applications product
code, but it fails with the following message:

Windows Installer Service could not be addessed. This can
occur if you are running Windows in safe mode or if
Windows Installer is not correctly installed.


I really need to manually uninstall this software. I
realize that this may involve Registry editing or some
other distasteful process. Can you help me either fix the
problem with the Windows Installer Service or to manually
uninstall the program.

Michael

 

[michael]

Thanks. See my post to Felix below.

Michael

-----Original Message-----
Michael,

Even if you don't specify an icon for the

AddRemoveProgramsIcon property, a

 

[Felix Wang]

Hi Michael,

Thanks for your feedback. It seems that there is something wrong with your
Windows Installer Service. Is it explicitly disabled? Please have a check:

1. Open "Administrative Tools" from your Control Panel.

2. Open "Services".

3. Make sure that the "Startup Type" for the Windows Installer service is
not "Disabled".

In addition, let's try re-registering the Windows Installer service:

1. "Start" | "Run" and run "cmd.exe". This will open the command line
interface.

2. Issue the following commands:

msiexec /unregister

msiexec /regserver

regsvr32 C:\Windows\System32\msi.dll

The Windows Installer service is crucial. I hope this will fix the service.

Regards,

Felix Wang
Microsoft Online Partner Support
Get Secure! - www.microsoft.com/security
This posting is provided "as is" with no warranties and confers no rights.