8 replies to this topic

[POdawo]

I have just started using installshield 7.02 for creating installations for my VB applications. However, my applications cannot uninstall- I get the error "A Version of the Product is already installed on this Machine. Please goto Control Panel Add/Remove Programs to uninstall...". However, the Add/Remove gives the same message and can't uninstall.
Please help. How do I uninstall my applications.

[pdriley]

This error message means you've done a minor upgrade... ie. you've changed the Product Code, Package Code and/or Version Number.

But that should never happen when you use Add/Remove Programs.  That picks up the version from c:\Windows\Installer which must be the same as the one you installed...

... unless you've somehow updated it in between?

[CraigSander]

I have the same issue   .  I made my install program it uses 2 exe's and a few DLL's (MTS objects).  I created the install package on WinNT 4 SP6, and Installed it on a PC with the same configs but when I try to Un-install I get the same Unable to Un-Install previous version installed.  

I also get the same error message when i try to use add/remove programs.  I have basically locked up 2 PC's right now because i am unable to un-install the program and therefore am unable to re-install over top of it.

Any comments on this would be very helpful.

Craig Sander
Programmer

Remember not to name the lambs...
It only makes the chops harder to swallow

[Stefan Krueger]

Please right click the MSI file, select Properties, go to the Statistics tab and check the Revision Number entry. It should be a GUID (a long string enclosed in {}).

Did you both create the project using the VB import wizard? Which version of Developer are you using? 7.03 or an older version?

[CraigSander]

The GUID isn't the problem.  Well It could be the problem but I don't see why.

I installed with the setup.exe.  I missed a few things so tried to un-install right away with the exact same setup.exe, but it told me that there was already another version installed.  

Oh I forgot, It's Developer 7.0.2

[Stefan Krueger]

There's a bug in the VB wizard in ISD (fixed in version 7.03) that doesn't put a valid GUID in the PackageCode. This causes exactly these symptoms.

[CraigSander]

Thanks so Much Stefan.  What really Irks me is that I have seen this posted in so many other places where people are unable to un-install, but I couldn't find any bug or fix reports on the IS site.  I was in the middle of downloading 7.0.3 on my development box, but lost my hard drive shortly after.  I will be able to test this out today.  Thanks again.

Do you have any suggestions for removing the previously installed version?

[Stefan Krueger]

First fix the setup project: just go to the general settings, select the PackageCode, and click "generate GUID". Build a new release.

To fix the test machine you'll install the new release as a minor update (same product code, new package code). For this you open the setup.ini of the new release, and modify the CmdLine entry as documented for minor updates:
CmdLine=REINSTALLMODE=vomus REINSTALL=All
Now start the new setup (using setup.exe) on the test machine.

BTW I strongly suggest you use a tool like DriveImage, Ghost, VMWare or something similar. This will make it easy to restore your test machine to a clean state.

P.S. that bug is documented in the ISD 7.03 release notes, and will be added to the Bugs Bulletin here on InstallSite shortly. I didn't know about this myself until a few days ago.

[CraigSander]

 

Thanks so much for your help Stefan.

I actaully just re-imaged both the Test and Development PC's from a Ghost image I had of them.  But I will know for next time how to correct that problem should it happen again.

P.S. Here is the response from IS, regarding this.

This behavior happens if there is no package code for the product which you are installing. There is a bug in the InstallShield Developer 7.0 product that causes there to be no package code generated for a project created by using the Import Visual Basic Project wizard. I would suggest you to refer the article Q105823 using the link:

http://support.insta...m/kb....Q105823