Software Installation Log?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Joseph Geretz
  • Start date Start date
J

Joseph Geretz

Does Windows XP maintain a software installation log?

Typical support call:

Customer: Your product (expletive deleted :-). It doesn't work.

Support: Was it working previously?

Customer: Yes.

Support: When did it stop working?

Customer: Just this morning.

Support: Was anything installed on the box between the time it was last
working and when you noticed the problem?

Customer: No. (Lie #1 :-)

Yada, yada, yada...

Does Windows XP maintain a software installation log which would show date
and time of all software installations?

Thanks for your advice.

- Joe Geretz -
 
Does Windows XP maintain a software installation log?

Typical support call:

Customer: Your product (expletive deleted :-). It doesn't work.

Support: Was it working previously?

Customer: Yes.

Support: When did it stop working?

Customer: Just this morning.

Support: Was anything installed on the box between the time it was last
working and when you noticed the problem?

Customer: No. (Lie #1 :-)

Yada, yada, yada...

Does Windows XP maintain a software installation log which would show date
and time of all software installations?

Thanks for your advice.

- Joe Geretz -
Click to expand...

No it does not maintain a software installation log in the sense that you
mean. What is available within Windows?

Some applications that use the newer Windows installer package will
automatically create a system restore point as part of their setup process.
This could be used to rollback if a brand new installation of software
causes problems. Rule of thumb in these situations is to uninstall the
troublesome program. Then rollback. Then attempt a reinstall.

In general, System Restore is useful to rollback to a time when everything
was working fine. Kind of tossup whether it will help in those "I did
nothing and it stopped working" situations but worth a try if other avenues
aren't available or have failed.

Some programs create their own install and uninstall log. The uninstall log
is pretty common and is used by the program's uninstaller to remove the
application. The install log - not as common - is created when the program
is installed and reflects changes to system files, folders and the
registry. Useful *if* the programmer was nice enough to include this
feature with their installer.

There are third party programs that monitor installations and record file,
folder and registry changes. Fills in the blanks where install logs are not
provided, are incomplete or don't take subsequent updates into account.
Caveat: The monitoring tool needs to be installed and active before a
program is installed.

Another possible resource: Software vendors sometimes have documentation
available at their tech support sites for manual removal. On occasion,
you'll find a "removal tool" that unwinds changes the program's installing
and uninstalling procedures don't normally touch.
 
Hi Sharon,

Thanks for your advice:
Rule of thumb in these situations is to uninstall the
troublesome program.
Click to expand...

Here's the sticking point. In many cases users aren't aware of what's been
installed. Certainly in many environments where Windows Update is set to run
automatically, user's won't have any idea of when there environments change:

Note to Microsoft: How about such a software installation log to help us
poor sods who have to manage these boxes?

Thanks!
 
Joseph;
There is a log of Windows Updates installed through Windows Update/Microsoft
Update:
Open Windows/Microsoft Update.
On the left side "View Installation History" "Review your update history"
 
Have you looked in Windows Explorer/Programs? There is a column that gives the date and time that a file was modified. That should correlate to the date and time the program was installed. You can click on the column to sort by date/time (to get the newest to the top of the list).

--
Just my 2¢ worth,
Jeff
__________in response to__________

| Hi Sharon,
|
| Thanks for your advice:
|
| > Rule of thumb in these situations is to uninstall the
| > troublesome program.
|
| Here's the sticking point. In many cases users aren't aware of what's been
| installed. Certainly in many environments where Windows Update is set to run
| automatically, user's won't have any idea of when there environments change:
|
| Note to Microsoft: How about such a software installation log to help us
| poor sods who have to manage these boxes?
|
| Thanks!
 
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