Silent InstallSheild Uninstall
I am trying to silently uninstall an application installed with InstallSheild.. The uninstall script that came with the application has a custom dialog box that prompts for the user's confirmation to close the application/s before uninstall continues. The only way I found to suppress this is to have a vbscript running that makes the dialog box active and sends the "Y" key to it.. This works great, but only if a user is logged in..
How can I make this silent uninstall work if no one is logged in?
For a previous silent InstallSheild uninstall I did, I was able to create an answer (.iss) file. That worked great, but I can't do that on this one (as far as I can tell) due to the fact that it has a custom dialog (see string below)...
Application Name:
SCO XVision Eclipse
Uninstall String:
[C:\WINDOWS\IsUninst.exe -f"C:\Program Files\Common Files\Vision\XVision.isu" -y -c"C:\WINDOWS\system32\UNINST.DLL"]
(taken from: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\XVision)
Thank you all for any assistance that can be provided! I am stuck and need to push the new version out by 3/19...
How can I make this silent uninstall work if no one is logged in?
For a previous silent InstallSheild uninstall I did, I was able to create an answer (.iss) file. That worked great, but I can't do that on this one (as far as I can tell) due to the fact that it has a custom dialog (see string below)...
Application Name:
SCO XVision Eclipse
Uninstall String:
[C:\WINDOWS\IsUninst.exe -f"C:\Program Files\Common Files\Vision\XVision.isu" -y -c"C:\WINDOWS\system32\UNINST.DLL"]
(taken from: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\XVision)
Thank you all for any assistance that can be provided! I am stuck and need to push the new version out by 3/19...
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Answers (14)
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Posted by:
anonymous_9363
14 years ago
In your shoes, I'd simply capture the uninstallation to an MSI and use that instead. I've never liked ISSs.
Posted by:
dunnpy
14 years ago
Dustin,
You can configure your removal MSI in Wise not to show in Add/Remove Programs.
Thanks,
Dunnpy
You can configure your removal MSI in Wise not to show in Add/Remove Programs.
Thanks,
Dunnpy
Posted by:
dunnpy
14 years ago
Dustin,
If you re-run the setup executable does it give the option to uninstall from there?
If so, then you can record an InstallShield uninstall answer file that should cover what you need.
Google and search this site for InstallShield answer file recording.
Thanks,
Dunnpy
If you re-run the setup executable does it give the option to uninstall from there?
If so, then you can record an InstallShield uninstall answer file that should cover what you need.
Google and search this site for InstallShield answer file recording.
Thanks,
Dunnpy
Posted by:
drumstin
14 years ago
VBScab: Even when killing the associated processes prior to launching the uninstall, the custom dialog appears. It seems that it isn't checking for the process/s first, just asking anyway..
dunnpy: I'm afraid it does not give the option to uninstall when launching the setup executable.
Thank you both for the suggestions. Any other ideas?
dunnpy: I'm afraid it does not give the option to uninstall when launching the setup executable.
Thank you both for the suggestions. Any other ideas?
Posted by:
drumstin
14 years ago
Or, if anyone knows how we could run the uninstall in a "simulated logged in" environment using Altiris Deployment Solution (which is how we deploy here). Since the uninstall works great when someone is logged in...
Posted by:
drumstin
14 years ago
Wow, so you can capture an uninstall in an MSI? I never knew that.. Wouldn't the MSI show as and installed product after the app is removed (we use Wise Package Studio)?
Thanks!
Thanks!
Posted by:
drumstin
14 years ago
Great! Sounds like the best method.. I'll go that way and stop fooling with ISS and dialogs etc...
Thanks again!
Thanks again!
Posted by:
drumstin
14 years ago
Wait a sec.. wont there be tons of randomly generated unique identifiers that are potentially different on each machine (relating to this app's classids and interfaces etc..) ? Since it will be looking for those found on the capture, wouldn't it potentially not find them on the other machine since the identifiers will be different?
Thanks!
Thanks!
Posted by:
anonymous_9363
14 years ago
I can't work out what you're driving at.
The installer already wrote all its junk and it will be the same junk for all machines: class IDs and so on don't change from machine to machine. When you capture the uninstall, you'll be capturing that junk's removal.
Does that make sense?
BTW, to prevent entry in ARP, add a public property called ARPSYSTEMCOMPONENT to your MST and give it any value.
The installer already wrote all its junk and it will be the same junk for all machines: class IDs and so on don't change from machine to machine. When you capture the uninstall, you'll be capturing that junk's removal.
Does that make sense?
BTW, to prevent entry in ARP, add a public property called ARPSYSTEMCOMPONENT to your MST and give it any value.
Posted by:
drumstin
14 years ago
Okay, so the class ids are generated before the install and are already bundled in the install.. I thought there might be some random id generation during the install that might change from machine to machine.. Great news, thank you so much for the help!
Posted by:
Jamie B
14 years ago
Be careful with any shared files in common areas using this method. You could rip out files and registry keys that are required by other applications.
Posted by:
drumstin
14 years ago
Thanks.. I scrutinized the capture includes/excludes pretty good. Got my uninstall ready for testing.. Just have to get past this stinking dll error having to do with not upgrading to 7 SP3 yet. Still on SP2..
Posted by:
drumstin
14 years ago
Also, running install watch and analyzing before install of legacy software and MSI removal of it to see regrot.. So hopefully it wont be an issue...
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