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Uninstall does not remove the "add/remove" registry key

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Markus

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Jul 5, 2003, 7:20:38 AM7/5/03
to
Hi (again),

I have an MSI installer that installs fine. It seems also to uninstall
ok except that it leaves the registry key for add/remove programs
left behind. What might give?

Marky


Bradley Jiang[MSFT]

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Jul 8, 2003, 4:47:57 AM7/8/03
to
Hi,

Make sure you are using at least Windows Installer 2.0。

Also, make sure RegisterProduct action, RegisterUser action, PublishProduct
action, and PublishFeatures all exist in the InstallExecuteSequence table
of the msi package.

You may use ORCA tool from Install SDK to open the msi.

Best regards,
Bradley Jiang


This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
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|From: "Markus" <n...@email.com>
|Subject: Uninstall does not remove the "add/remove" registry key
|Date: Sat, 5 Jul 2003 14:20:38 +0300
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mark

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Jul 8, 2003, 5:56:41 AM7/8/03
to
> Make sure you are using at least Windows Installer 2.0。
This I cannot guarantee on end users machines but I am developing on
Win2000 having version 2.00.2600.0.

> Also, make sure RegisterProduct action, RegisterUser action,
PublishProduct
> action, and PublishFeatures all exist in the InstallExecuteSequence table
> of the msi package.

These are all present in the InstalleExecuteSequence table. The order is as
follows.
Action Sequence
RegisterUser 6000
RegisterProduct 6100
PublishFeatures 6300
PublishProduct 6400

Any other ideas?

Markus

markus

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Jul 8, 2003, 10:35:25 AM7/8/03
to
For further info, on Windows 2000 it uninstalls fine
from Control Panel but leaving the registry key behind.

On Windows 98 Add/Remove Programs reports
"An error occurred while trying to uninstall...It may have
already been uninstalled. Would you like to remove XYZ
from Add/remove programs list?". What is this?

I checked the UninstallString value of my application at
HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall
and it is correct (if ran from command line, it uninstalls ok).

Markus

"mark" <n...@email.com> wrote in message
news:uTY9YcTR...@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...

Dennis Bareis

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Jul 8, 2003, 6:15:17 PM7/8/03
to
Hi,

"markus" <n...@email.com> wrote in message news:<OO5er4V...@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl>...

> For further info, on Windows 2000 it uninstalls fine
> from Control Panel but leaving the registry key behind.

I have used WIN2000 for years and have yet to see this happen (at
least after I learnt what not to do in an MSI!).


> On Windows 98 Add/Remove Programs reports
> "An error occurred while trying to uninstall...It may have
> already been uninstalled. Would you like to remove XYZ
> from Add/remove programs list?". What is this?

The add/remove applet has a bug and the product continues to be
displayed until refreshed. It has been removed and of course this can
only be done once...


> I checked the UninstallString value of my application at
> HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall
> and it is correct (if ran from command line, it uninstalls ok).

You say "THE registry key" remains, is this all of some of the
"Uninstall" many pieces of add-remove information?

If it always "works" from the command line and not via add-remove you
have made a mistake when creating your package, are you manipulating
the registry values through custom actions etc?

Bye,
Dennis

markus

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Jul 9, 2003, 2:14:59 AM7/9/03
to
> You say "THE registry key" remains, is this all of some of the
> "Uninstall" many pieces of add-remove information?
Not sure what you are actually asking here but I can tell you this.

I am talking about the key
HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\{MyProductID}.
The whole key and all its subkeys (DisplayName,UninstallString,etc.)
are *not* removed after a seemingly succesful removal of my application.
This happens
both on 98 and 2000. Still, the Control Panel is ok, i.e. it does not list
the app anymore, but
the key is still there. I find *this* weird.

At first I thought it might be the registry permissions but it isn't. I
tried it
with admin privileges on 2000 (having enough reg permissions) and it
still leaves the key(s) behind. In addition, my installer does nothing
custom in
registry, just the usual MSI stuff.

So in conclusion, I am worried about the key itself. Add/remove programs
is almost OK. Plus, it might cause me problems with future upgrades.

Markus


Dennis Bareis

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Jul 9, 2003, 6:15:59 PM7/9/03
to
Hi,

"markus" <n...@email.com> wrote in message news:<Oi4buFeR...@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl>...

> I am talking about the key
> HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\{MyProductID}.
> The whole key and all its subkeys (DisplayName,UninstallString,etc.)
> are *not* removed after a seemingly succesful removal of my application.
> This happens
> both on 98 and 2000. Still, the Control Panel is ok, i.e. it does not list
> the app anymore, but
> the key is still there. I find *this* weird.
>
> At first I thought it might be the registry permissions but it isn't. I
> tried it
> with admin privileges on 2000 (having enough reg permissions) and it
> still leaves the key(s) behind. In addition, my installer does nothing
> custom in
> registry, just the usual MSI stuff.

Ok, I can think of one possibility which would look like that. The
product is installed twice (search UNINSTALL registry to check), once
per user (and I'm guessing for a different user as I assume you don't
see it in add-remove) and the one you are installing/uninstalling is
per-machine (or possibly per-user for you) (and its keys are elsewhere
- you are not monitoring these).

Its possible the multi-registry situation only occurs in a
per-user+per-machine situation in which case, I'd guess that it is
being installed per-user and Windows Installer keeps a count of users
who have it installed (of of course only removes it from the registry
when ALL users have uninstalled it)...

Let me know how it goes.

Bye,
Dennis

Bradley Jiang[MSFT]

unread,
Jul 10, 2003, 6:00:54 AM7/10/03
to
Hi,

First use the ORCA tool to run the validation of the msi. Check to see if
it can find any errors.


Best regards,
Bradley Jiang

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

|From: "markus" <n...@email.com>
|References: <exvJXduQ...@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl>
<vSi1p2SR...@cpmsftngxa09.phx.gbl>
<uTY9YcTR...@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl>
|Subject: Re: Uninstall does not remove the "add/remove" registry key
|Date: Tue, 8 Jul 2003 17:35:25 +0300
|Lines: 80


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