Problem with Add/Remove Programs

[ericjheld]

Hello,

I installed my application and realized that I had forgotten to include certain files. I include the files in my installer and decide that I need to uninstall what I previously installed before I try and install again. I go into Add/Remove Programs and there is no option to remove what I installed. Is there any reason for this or any way to fix it?

Thanks,

Eric

[RobertDickau]

That's odd---what kind of project are you using? How are you launching the installer?

[ericjheld]

I'm using an InstallScript MSI project and I made a single executable and am launching off from the setup.exe file created. I'm on a 64-bit environment (Windows Server 2003). I install the application, look in the Add/Remove Programs and see that there is nothing there. I then try and delete all of the files manually and when I go to install again, the files don't come in as if it thinks that it is already installed. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Eric

[SMadden]

Hi,

I would check if under Project Settings and Maintenance the Setting is not on "No uninstall or Maintenance"

or verify that the registry key
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\\SystemComponent is set to 0. Setting SystemComponent to 1 will hide the entry under Add/Remove Programs

Sandra

[ericjheld]

Thanks Sandra!

The problem was with the SystemComponent set to 1. However, this poses a different problem. Why did it default to 1? Is there an option that I can activate so that the SystemComponent defaults to 0?

I tried creating 2 dummy projects that install a text file to test the results: one MSI Installscript project and one Installscript project. The MSI Installscript project does not show up in the Add/Remove by default and the Installscript project does. What's going on with these options and why are the defaults different for the two types of projects?

[SMadden]

In general, calling an MSI install with the parameter ARPSYSTEMCOMPONENT=1 is going to create the SystemComponent key and set it to 1.

But that should not be the default setting for an InstallScript MSI SFX install.

I checked one of my projects and it doesn't create the SystemComponent regkey at all.

If you can't find out what causes your projects to create the key, you might want to set it to 0 manually in OnEnd or so. Just as a workaround until there is a proper fix.

Sandra

[RobertDickau]

Quite right, I think no project type defaults to hiding the Add or Remove Programs entry.

For background, InstallScript MSI has two entries in the Uninstall section of the registry: the MSI entry is automatically hidden, in favor of a separate Uninstall key named InstallShield_{prod-uct-code} that runs the uninstallation using the InstallScript wrapper. Please see the InstallShield topics "UNINSTALLKEY" and the "traditional style" part of "Using the InstallScript Engine as an External vs. Embedded UI Handler for InstallScript MSI Installations".

Is the InstallScript_{ProductCode} entry there?

[#8]

There is an issue in IS 2009 RTM related to InstallScript MSI and 64-bit windows:

This issue is resolved in SP1.

From the SP1 release notes

http://kb.acresso.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?cmd=displayKC&docType=kc&externalId=Q200150&sliceId=1&docTypeID=DT_INFO_1_1&dialogID=29082312&stateId=0%200%2029080230

IOC-000072553, IOC-000072555 (InstallScript MSI)

A 64-bit InstallScript MSI installation now works as it did in InstallShield 2008. If you create an InstallScript installation and change the Template Summary property from Intel to x64, InstallShield creates a 64-bit MSI installation combined with the 32-bit InstallScript MSI installation. This partially works in InstallShield 2008: the InstallScript MSI–specific uninstall key was created in the 32-bit part of the registry, and it did not contain all the information that the MSI–created key had. However, it did have enough information to allow the product to appear in Add or Remove Programs and work in maintenance and uninstallation modes. In InstallShield 2009, the InstallScript MSI–specific registry key was previously not created at all; thus, the InstallScript MSI installation did not appear in Add or Remove Programs or work in maintenance and uninstallation modes.


The release notes page includes a link to get the latest SP (SP2)