Uninstalling: OK to delete files not used by other processes?

[Fred Ma]

When I delete applications, I am often asked by the uninstaller whether
certain files can be deleted, as no other processes are using them.
This is a very ambiguous message. Does that mean that the program
being removed "owns" that file and that it can be safely removed? Why
isn't something as crucial as that stated in a more obvious manner? I
am being asked for a DLL when I use a gsview plugin (CORE_R_Magick++_.dll)
and I suspect that I probably deleted it in a fit of housecleaning of the
hard disk (uninstalled lots of stuff put there by others). Is there a
fundamental reason why DLLs cannot be book-kept in a less hazardous manner?

Fred

 

[Dave Patrick]

No it means that the file was registered as a shared resource. When this
happens applications that get installed that also register that they are
sharing that resource cause a counter in the registry to increment.
Conversely when that application's uninstall routine runs it will decrement
the counter. When the counter reaches one and the next registered uninstall
runs it sees that the counter value is at one which provokes the message
that you see. It asks because it may be possible that you have installed
something that didn't register the fact that it also shares the resource.

--
Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect


:
| When I delete applications, I am often asked by the uninstaller whether
| certain files can be deleted, as no other processes are using them.
| This is a very ambiguous message. Does that mean that the program
| being removed "owns" that file and that it can be safely removed? Why
| isn't something as crucial as that stated in a more obvious manner? I
| am being asked for a DLL when I use a gsview plugin (CORE_R_Magick++_.dll)
| and I suspect that I probably deleted it in a fit of housecleaning of the
| hard disk (uninstalled lots of stuff put there by others). Is there a
| fundamental reason why DLLs cannot be book-kept in a less hazardous
manner?
|
| Fred
| --
| Fred Ma
| Dept. of Electronics, Carleton University
| Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

 

[Fred Ma]

No it means that the file was registered as a shared resource. When this
happens applications that get installed that also register that they are
sharing that resource cause a counter in the registry to increment.
Conversely when that application's uninstall routine runs it will decrement
the counter. When the counter reaches one and the next registered uninstall
runs it sees that the counter value is at one which provokes the message
that you see. It asks because it may be possible that you have installed
something that didn't register the fact that it also shares the resource.

That sounds very complicated (but I get the picture, it's like reference
counted pointers). Probably a better way is for each registering app to
actually sign a file so that the user isn't left guessing whether anything
still needs the DLL. That way, the uninstaller can check whether apps that
signed up to use the DLL still exist (or at least, registered in some kind
of applications registry). I don't have much experience in this area, so
the idea may be naive. But it seems like the current method is precarious.

Fred

 

[Dave Patrick]

It's up to the developer. To install and or register the dll as shared or
not shared. Then you get into version issues and then 'side by side'
technology and such.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/d..._applications_and_side_by_side_assemblies.asp

--
Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect


:
| That sounds very complicated (but I get the picture, it's like reference
| counted pointers). Probably a better way is for each registering app to
| actually sign a file so that the user isn't left guessing whether anything
| still needs the DLL. That way, the uninstaller can check whether apps
that
| signed up to use the DLL still exist (or at least, registered in some kind
| of applications registry). I don't have much experience in this area, so
| the idea may be naive. But it seems like the current method is
precarious.
|
| Fred
| --
| Fred Ma
| Dept. of Electronics, Carleton University
| Ottawa, Ontario, Canada