Windows installer information

Disable programs that might be interfering with the installation process. To do this, follow these steps:. Click Start , type msconfig in the Search box, and then click msconfig. If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password, or provide confirmation.

On the General tab, click Selective startup , and then clear the Load startup items check box. Click Services , click Hide all Microsoft services , and then click Disable all. When you are finished troubleshooting the problem, restart the computer in Normal Startup mode. For more information about how to use MSConfig, see How to troubleshoot a problem by performing a clean boot in Windows 8, Windows 7, or Windows Vista.

There are typically several ways to remove any program. In this situation, try some other method to remove the program. Click Start , and then click All Programs.

Select the program, and then click Uninstall. Follow the instructions. Make sure that you don't have any file or folder names that are longer than characters.

For more about the maximum path length limitation, see Naming files, paths, and namespaces. Most programs create an installation log. If you can't locate such a log, you can enable verbose MSI logging. For more information, see How to enable Windows Installer logging. Note If you're running the. For example, you can run the following command:.

A failed installation typically logs "Return Value 3" where the problem occurred and where the installation rollback began. The description of the failure appears immediately before the Return Value 3 log entry. You can use the Wilogutl. This tool may suggest solutions to errors that are found in a log file.

It is available in the latest Windows Software Development Kit. The following is an example of how to use the Wilogutl. You may be able to manually uninstall some parts of the program through the Windows interface. For example, you may be able to delete program files and folders. Because the steps to do this may differ widely, depending on the version of Windows that you're running and on the program that you're trying to uninstall, no prescriptive steps are provided here.

If you're not sufficiently familiar with the program that you're trying to uninstall to positively identify the files and folders for that program, we do not recommend that you try this method. Generally, when you begin to delete program files and folders, you run the risk of damaging your operating system.

Use this method at your own risk. If you are considering uninstalling the program manually, be aware of the following:. For example, move this material into the Documents folder. If you cannot manually delete a program file, this may mean that the file is being used or that some other program is accessing the file and preventing you from deleting it.

For example, antivirus software may be accessing the file. When antivirus software is accessing a program file and making it impossible to delete it, it's likely that this same antivirus software was preventing you from uninstalling the program by more traditional means. Creator, typically vendor name.

For more information, see Author Summary Property. List of keywords for use by file browser. For more information, see Keywords Summary Property.

Description of purpose or use of package. For more information, see Comments Summary Property. Supported platforms and languages. For more information, see Template Summary Property. Set only by the installer. Package code GUID. For more information, see Revision Number Summary Property. Date and time of installation image. The installer provides new capabilities to advertise features without installing them, to install products on demand, and to add user customizations.

Windows Installer 5. A Windows Installer package, patch, or transform that has not been signed by Microsoft cannot be installed on Windows RT. The Template Summary property indicates the platform that is compatible with an installation database and in this case should include the value for Windows RT. This documentation is intended for software developers who want to make applications that use Windows Installer. It provides general background information about installation packages and the installer service.

It contains complete descriptions of the application programming interface and elements of the installer database. This documentation also contains supplemental information for developers who want to use a table editor or a package creation tool to make or maintain an installation. There is no redistributable for Windows Installer 5. Versions earlier than Windows Installer 5. Windows Installer Redistributables are available for Windows Installer 4.

There is no redistributable for installing Windows Installer 4. An updated version of Windows Installer 4. Windows Installer 2. Make older programs compatible with this version of Windows.

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