Uninstalling program incomplete

[Amber]

I had subscribed The Weather Channel's "Desktop" program,
but on start up, it takes forever for the system to start
up and the culprit is this program, and it runs in the
background, and I really don't use it. I have tried to
uninstall the program, but I keep getting an error
message.
"WISE UNINSTALL"
"Could not open INSTALL.LOG file" Can anyone advise me on
how to uninstall this program?


Often times, the solution to a stubborn uninstall is just
to download and install again, and then immediately
uninstall. -- Chris Jackson Software Engineer Microsoft
MVP - Windows Client Windows XP Associate Expert --

Hi reinstall the program, then uninstall it

Thanks for the replies.
I should have mentioned that I have tried to reinstall
and then uninstall and I get the same thing. Something I
would like to ask you about, I have a program
called "Eraser" that wipes a program permanently from the
hard drive .... If I tried that, would I run the risk of
possibly erarsing shared folders to other programs? I'm
stumped over this, but this particular program is the one
that takes forever to load on cold boot, and I sure would
like to get rid of it. Any ideas appreciated.
Thanks

 

[Ramesh [MVP]]

Amber,

The install.log/uninstall.log usually contains the uninstallation
information about a program. When you remove a program from Add/Remove
Programs, the log files come into play and remove the corresponding software
entries from the registry and the files in the hard disk.

If the LOG files are missing, you may need to reinstall the application
again (in the same path) and then try a clean uninstall again. In some
cases, the application might be removed, but the entries may still exist in
the Add/Remove Programs applet. Orphaned entries are usually a result of a
system restore rollback operation.

--
Ramesh - Microsoft MVP
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

10 Myths about Windows XP:
http://www.microsoft.com/WindowsXP/expertzone/columns/honeycutt/03december01
..asp


I had subscribed The Weather Channel's "Desktop" program,
but on start up, it takes forever for the system to start
up and the culprit is this program, and it runs in the
background, and I really don't use it. I have tried to
uninstall the program, but I keep getting an error
message.
"WISE UNINSTALL"
"Could not open INSTALL.LOG file" Can anyone advise me on
how to uninstall this program?


Often times, the solution to a stubborn uninstall is just
to download and install again, and then immediately
uninstall. -- Chris Jackson Software Engineer Microsoft
MVP - Windows Client Windows XP Associate Expert --

Hi reinstall the program, then uninstall it

Thanks for the replies.
I should have mentioned that I have tried to reinstall
and then uninstall and I get the same thing. Something I
would like to ask you about, I have a program
called "Eraser" that wipes a program permanently from the
hard drive .... If I tried that, would I run the risk of
possibly erarsing shared folders to other programs? I'm
stumped over this, but this particular program is the one
that takes forever to load on cold boot, and I sure would
like to get rid of it. Any ideas appreciated.
Thanks

 

[Gilles Bounne]

Hi,

I have witnessed the same problem very often on Windows XP / 2003 systems.
For example, at the moment, I can't uninstall Webcam32.

Add and Remove Programes -> Webcam32 -> Remove
gives "Could not open INSTALL.LOG file".

What's funny, is that the .log is actually there:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\Webc
am32]
"DisplayName"="Webcam32"
"UninstallString"="C:\\PROGRA~1\\Surveyor Corporation\\WebCam32\\Program
Files\\Surveyor Corporation\\Webcam32\\UNWISE.EXE C:\\PROGRA~1\\Surveyor
Corporation\\WebCam32\\Program Files\\Surveyor
Corporation\\Webcam32\\INSTALL.LOG"

dir "C:\PROGRA~1\Surveyor Corporation\WebCam32\Program Files\Surveyor
Corporation\Webcam32\INSTALL.LOG"

Directory of C:\PROGRA~1\Surveyor Corporation\WebCam32\Program
Files\Surveyor Corporation\Webcam32
10/12/2003 10:37 PM 3,825 INSTALL.LOG

I tried adding quotes in the registry, around both wise .exe and the .log,
and it doesn't help.

The only way i found to remove those rogue Wise Installer Apps (!) is to
copy both the .exe and the .log in another folder with no spaces in it, like
C:\, and then drop the .log on the .exe
The Wise Uninstaller starts and uninstall the application.

But this is kinda weird and boring to do each time Wise can't find the file
by itself...

If you want to reproduce, you could try installing Surveyor Webcam32 and see
what u get when u try to uninstall it. Might work.

Any idea on what I could try ?

.....gb

 

[Ramesh [MVP]]

Could be the "short file name" issues?

--
Ramesh - Microsoft MVP
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

10 Myths about Windows XP:
http://www.microsoft.com/WindowsXP/expertzone/columns/honeycutt/03december01
..asp


Hi,

I have witnessed the same problem very often on Windows XP / 2003 systems.
For example, at the moment, I can't uninstall Webcam32.

Add and Remove Programes -> Webcam32 -> Remove
gives "Could not open INSTALL.LOG file".

What's funny, is that the .log is actually there:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\Webc
am32]
"DisplayName"="Webcam32"
"UninstallString"="C:\\PROGRA~1\\Surveyor Corporation\\WebCam32\\Program
Files\\Surveyor Corporation\\Webcam32\\UNWISE.EXE C:\\PROGRA~1\\Surveyor
Corporation\\WebCam32\\Program Files\\Surveyor
Corporation\\Webcam32\\INSTALL.LOG"

dir "C:\PROGRA~1\Surveyor Corporation\WebCam32\Program Files\Surveyor
Corporation\Webcam32\INSTALL.LOG"

Directory of C:\PROGRA~1\Surveyor Corporation\WebCam32\Program
Files\Surveyor Corporation\Webcam32
10/12/2003 10:37 PM 3,825 INSTALL.LOG

I tried adding quotes in the registry, around both wise .exe and the .log,
and it doesn't help.

The only way i found to remove those rogue Wise Installer Apps (!) is to
copy both the .exe and the .log in another folder with no spaces in it, like
C:\, and then drop the .log on the .exe
The Wise Uninstaller starts and uninstall the application.

But this is kinda weird and boring to do each time Wise can't find the file
by itself...

If you want to reproduce, you could try installing Surveyor Webcam32 and see
what u get when u try to uninstall it. Might work.

Any idea on what I could try ?

.....gb