Windows Installer Cleanup Utility

I found a MS tool the other day that saved me lots of time.  One of my users needed iTunes upgraded (there is a legitimate business need).  Something went wrong in the iTunes program and it would not uninstall.  The problem appeared to be with Quicktime.  I could not get iTunes uninstalled or reinstalled.  I found a posting on the internet that mentioned the Windows Installer Cleanup Utility from Microsoft.  Here is the Microsoft description:

SUMMARY

Microsoft has updated the Windows Installer CleanUp Utility. With the Windows Installer CleanUp Utility, you can remove a program’s Windows Installer configuration information. You may want to remove the Windows Installer configuration information for your program if you experience installation (Setup) problems. For example, you may have to remove a program’s Windows Installer configuration information if you have installation problems when you try to add (or remove) a component of your program that was not included when you first installed your program.

The Windows Installer CleanUp Utility does not perform the following functions:

Remove Windows Installer
Remove files of any programs that are installed by Windows Installer, such as Microsoft Office 2003

The Windows Installer CleanUp Utility does perform the following functions:

Provides a dialog box in which you can select one or more programs that were installed by Windows InstallerTo do this, select the programs that you want in the Installed Products list in the Windows Installer CleanUp dialog box. After you make this selection, the utility removes only the Windows Installer configuration information that is related to those programs.
Removes the files and registry settings that make up the Windows Installer configuration information for programs that you select

If you use this utility to remove the Windows Installer configuration information for your program and you plan to reinstall the program, you should reinstall the program in the same folder where you originally installed it. This prevents duplication of files on your hard disk or disks.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301

This tool was extremely useful for me.

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3 responses to “Windows Installer Cleanup Utility

  1. Thanks a llot for this post

  2. That’s what happens when you run iTunes on a PC. As a matter of fact, that’s pretty much what happens when you run anything on a PC (you can tell I’m an avid Mac/Unix user).

  3. No, but I can tell your a flippin moron. I use macs by default at work – they suck and crash more than the PCs – and all my mac buddies will admit that people like you who make comments like that are morons too.

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