Removing old version

[Firefox]

We are using wise as installation engine, i wanted to try IS 2010 premier to compare features and benefits.

I found a big problem in IS that appears when you install a product, then when another version of the product is built, IS prevents installation of new version until you go to control panel and remove it manually.

I don't want to use major upgrade technique, i want to uninstall any version of my installed product, when i start installing any another version.

In wise there is a clear check box in its options lets you remove any previous installations of you product without any interruption.

Can i find similar option or workaround to this issue in IS settings.

Thanks.

[sriranjanik]

You can write custom actions (scripts) to remove the previous installtion if it exsts. You can delete the product's key from registry (it will remove from "add/remove programs", delete it from cache, shorcuts (if applicable)... All this can be done @ background...

[Firefox]

sriranjanik wrote:
You can write custom actions (scripts) to remove the previous installtion if it exsts. You can delete the product's key from registry (it will remove from "add/remove programs", delete it from cache, shorcuts (if applicable)... All this can be done @ background...

Thank you,

Actually i want to do this, but the installer sends the "another version message" before the action starts executing, Although i set execution order of this custom action as the first action to run.

[KathyMorey]

What type of installation is the old Wise one? If it was an MSI, you should be able to uninstall it from your MSI built with InstallShield simply by setting up a major upgrade. Why don't you want to use that functionality?

[Firefox]

KathyMorey wrote:
What type of installation is the old Wise one? If it was an MSI, you should be able to uninstall it from your MSI built with InstallShield simply by setting up a major upgrade. Why don't you want to use that functionality?

Because we are using custom build number not supported by Windows installer rules (it does not follow version number standers), and I want to uninstall any currently installed version of my product.

ie: I may want to install version 2 instead of version 5 which is currently installed, "we may build new version every two weeks or one mouth...", and i want version 2 when starts installing, starts uninstalling version 5,

Sorry, but that is our work logic.

[rwilde]

Hi,

I have the same issue with IS2011. I want to uninstall any old version of my product before then installing the latest version in the same flow of dialogs. As with the original issue - we can not change the product code as our product codes do not follow the recognised standards.

Please can someone post the best way to achieve this??

I have tried using the script functions FeatureRemoveAllInMediaAndLog followed by FeatureTransferData but with no luck.

I would have thought this would be an easy thing to achieve???

Thanks

[Firefox]

Good morning,

I tried solutions by using an action start removing the old installed product before new installer starts, but the problem is that, although I set the action order to start as "", the message that prompt of already installed version still appear.

Please, if there are good solutions this serious issue, examples, help links...

It may help.

Thanks.

[TommyD]

sriranjanik wrote:
You can write custom actions (scripts) to remove the previous installtion if it exsts. You can delete the product's key from registry (it will remove from "add/remove programs", delete it from cache, shorcuts (if applicable)... All this can be done @ background...

Can you explain exactly where to put a custom script that removes old version before windows installer does it's check. I have a script; put it in Custom Action - Before System Search but doesn't get executed. I've seen several posts about this issue but no solutions. I guess this means there isn't a solution or nobody wants to be bothered with answering each post. 🙂

Thanks.

[rcatwork]

On Upgrade/Upgrade Windows Installer Setup/Common tab, you can check the "Major Upgrade Settings" to "Completely uninstall old setup before installing new setup" radio button. Have you tried that?

[Firefox]

rcatwork wrote:
On Upgrade/Upgrade Windows Installer Setup/Common tab, you can check the "Major Upgrade Settings" to "Completely uninstall old setup before installing new setup" radio button. Have you tried that?

Thank you for your replay.

As i described in past posts, major upgrade doses not help in my situation, because i need to uninstall older versions (ie: currently installed version on machine) at every new installation, and this installation my be of old version or new version etc....

This solution (remove old version) is available in other installation IDEs like Wise installation studio and InstallAware, but those IDEs does not have some benefits available in InsatllShield.

Wise (Which our current setups are built using it) was closed, and InsallAware does not contain functionality we need in our work logic.

[TommyD]

rcatwork wrote:
On Upgrade/Upgrade Windows Installer Setup/Common tab, you can check the "Major Upgrade Settings" to "Completely uninstall old setup before installing new setup" radio button. Have you tried that?

I'm running Express and I can't find the Upgrade/Upgrade Windows Installer Setup/Common tab. Anyway I've resigned to making everything a Major Revision. That should work eventually when all users have upgraded to the latest.

Thanks for your time.