Comments on: Uninstalling a Previous Version from an MSI

By: kk

kk — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 03:18:38 +0000

From what I read at http://www.simple-talk.com/dotnet/visual-studio/updates-to-setup-projects/, the previous version will be removed only if if the previous version and the current user has the same value for INSTALLALLUSERS.

How do I overcome this? It is too much asking people to remember whether they installed Just me or Everyone on something they did a couple of years ago.

Thanks

By: dave

dave — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 18:40:57 +0000

Joel,

Thanks for kicking me in the head over the version number thing with msi files uninstall/reinstall.

so GD simple

By: Martin

Martin — Tue, 19 May 2009 11:40:52 +0000

It was exactly the same with me – I couldn’t be bothered to find out how either – until today! – And you have sussed it out for me – many thanks!

By: Launch condition to uninstall previous version of application | keyongtech

Launch condition to uninstall previous version of application | keyongtech — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 18:46:05 +0000

[...] it. The previous verison will get uninstalled first. You can see the linkfor explanation here http://www.developingfor.net/setup-a…om-an-msi.html Regards Amod "Phil Wilson" wrote: > I’m not sure what you’re doing looking for [...]

By: frustrateMSI

frustrateMSI — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 04:19:19 +0000

Joel,

Thanks for the reply. Guess the 1.0.0.0 is coming from VS2005. I’ll have to use something like 1.0.8.46

Even after I use 1.x.x version, the auto uninstall still gives me ‘Please wait while Windows configures ‘ in Vista. I don’t see it during a regular installation. We have 3 custom actions, to create desktop and quick launch link, to auto launch the product after installation and to auto kill the product during uninstall. Guess they must get in the way. I’ll google more.

By: Joel

Joel — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 16:42:01 +0000

I think you may need at least version 1.0. You might want to change your numbering scheme, like “1.0.8.46″ and then when you get to GA, the release number will be whatever it is. You are still in Version 1, Revision 0, you just have different build numbers.

I’ve never had a problem with using this approach, and I’ve never seen the “Please wait while Windows configures” message. Is there anything in your software that might be configuring the first time it executes?

By: frustrateMSI

frustrateMSI — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 10:24:49 +0000

Sounds quite simple, but I can’t make it work in my project. We are still in Beta. Thus the version is 0.8, 0.9, etc, etc. I set RemovePreviousVersions to True, increase the version number and change the ProductCode. The MSI still just installs itself and leaves two entries in Uninstall list.

Use InstEd to check the MSI. In Upgrade table, I have one record:
UpgradeCode: UpgradeGUID
VersionMin: 1.0.0.0
VersionMax: 0.8.46 (My current version)
…
ActionProperty: PREVIOUSVERSIONSINSTALLED

Does VS2005 always start from 1.0.0.0? I can modify VersionMin to something like 0.8.0. It looks like the old version is uninstalled when I install the new one, but when I launch the exe the first time, I got “Please wait while Windows configures “. What’s the issue here? A supposed simple task turns out nasty. (sigh)

By: LANdango

LANdango — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 22:33:23 +0000

Inside the Solution Explorer, click on your Setup project and look at the bottom of the properties window.

Hey, thanks to the Author, this helped me.

By: raj

raj — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 17:18:36 +0000

I am not able to find the version property of my deployment project. I am VS2008 and this is a VC++ COM office add in.

By: lbsa71 » Uninstalling a Previous Version from an MSI

lbsa71 » Uninstalling a Previous Version from an MSI — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 09:46:46 +0000

[...] was absurdly hard to figure out how to auto-uninstall a Previous Version from an MSI, so I’m just adding a link here in the hope that it will help the world find that link [...]