Hello Brent,
281612 "Remove Previous Installs" Option Does Not Apply to Earlier Product
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=281612
here is some more information from a newer article:
SYMPTOMS
========
When you use Group Policy-based Software Installation to install a program,
you may experience any of the following symptoms:
- A previous or existing installation of the program may be
automatically removed at Windows startup or when you log on, before the
assigned or published version of the application is installed.
- The "Remove previous installs of this product from computers, if the
product was not installed by Group Policy-based Software Installation"
(or "Remove existing installs of this product for users, if the product
was not installed by Group Policy-based Software Installation") check
box is missing from the "Advanced Deployment Options" dialog box in the
Software Installation snap-in, but Help still refers to these options.
As a result, an administrator is not able to set this policy for
computers running a version Windows 2000 prior to Service Pack 4 (SP4),
or for computers running a version of Windows XP prior to Service Pack
1(SP1), by using any of the products listed at the beginning of this
article.
- If an administrator sets the "Remove previous installs of this
product from computers, if the product was not installed by Group
Policy-based Software Installation" (or "Remove existing installs of
this product for users, if the product was not installed by Group
Policy-based Software Installation") policy by using a version of
Windows 2000 prior to SP4, or a version of Windows XP prior to SP1,
then the policy is ignored by client computers running the products
listed at the beginning of this article.
CAUSE
=====
The Client Side Extensions (CSE) for Software Installation will
automatically remove any previous or existing installations of an
application at startup or when you log on (as part of Group Policy-based
Software Installation's standard attempt to apply administrator mandated
changes to the user or computer) before Group Policy installs the assigned
or published application if the following conditions are true:
- The previous or existing installation has the same Windows Installer
product code as a Windows Installer package deployed through Group
Policy-based Software Installation to the computer or a user on that
computer.
- The previous or existing installation was not installed by Group
Policy-based Software Installation.
CSE for Software Installation will not remove the application in the
following scenarios:
- The application is installed for all users on the computer.
- The application has been granted elevated privileges.
- The application is installed for an administrator.
As a result, the option to "Remove previous installs of this product from
computers, if the product was not installed by Group Policy-based Software
Installation" (or "Remove existing installs of this product for users, if
the product was not installed by Group Policy-based Software Installation")
is ignored and the check box for this option has been removed from the
"Advanced Deployment Options" dialog box in the Software Installation
snap-in.
In versions of Windows 2000 prior to SP4, and versions of Windows XP prior
to SP1, programs are not automatically removed unless the administrator
turns on the option to "Remove previous installs of this product from
computers, if the product was not installed by Group Policy-based Software
Installation"(or "Remove existing installs of this product for users, if the
product was not installed by Group Policy-based Software Installation")on
the "Advanced Deployment Options" dialog box in the Software Installation
snap-in.
STATUS
======
This behavior is by design.
Hope this helps,
Buz Brodin
MCSE NT4 / Win2K
Microsoft Enterprise Domain Support
Get Secure! -
www.microsoft.com/security
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