Old version still visible in Settings, Apps after installing update

[JohnBalcom]

-We provide updated versions of our Win-32 app like 20.0, 20.1, 20.2 with any new version of 20.x replacing any older version of 20.x.
- Version 20.0 creates a setup file 2020r0Setup.exe, Version 20.1 creates a setup file 2020r1Setup.exe, etc. so we can have each minor version (20.0, 20.1, etc. version) available for download.
- Each version had an InstallShield project file.
-We converted these install projects from InstallShield to InstallAware.
-We used the Upgrade Code plugin to get the Product Code from InstallShields Upgrade Code and that seems to work fine. InstallAware installs the new version and the replaced version is gone from Settings, Apps.
-Our new InstallAware projects for version 20 all have the same PRODUCTCODE and reuses that for the UPGRADECODE code and every build uses a new REVISIONCODE.
-But when we install version 20.1, version 20.0 is still in Settings, Apps along with the new version 20.1 we just installed. We were expecting InstallAware to remove the replaced version from Settings, Apps.

How do we remove version 20.0 (version being replaced) from Settings, Apps?

Replaced install not being removed from settings.png (49.57 KiB) Viewed 63068 times

[JohnBalcom]

Is InstallAware thrown off because each version has a different ...Setup.exe file name?

[FrancescoT]

This looks to be just an orphan entry of an un-installed app.

As first, Can you please try to manually remove the "Old still listed App" from Add Remove Program under Control Panel?

If this is just an orphan entry, while removing the app you should receive an error message about not being able to find the setup file (or similar). In this case the removal process should also ask if you want to remove the app entry in any case.

Let me know.

[JohnBalcom]

Thanks for you help.

We can manually remove it under Control Panel as you stated.

That solution will mean users of our app will have to post to our forum or contact technical support to clean up an old install. Yikes! We don't want to do that for something that should happen automatically. We never had to do that with InstallShield.

Maintenance updates like v20.0.1.0 to v20.0.1.1 work properly and the installed version in Settings, Apps is just updated.

Minor updates like v20.0 to v20.1 are the problem.

Can you help us figure that out?
What steps can we take with InstallAware to make that removal automatically?

[FrancescoT]

You may use the approach described here.
https://www.installaware.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=11278&p=42932

It consists of adding two lines of code in your main setup script.

Hope this helps you.

[JohnBalcom]

I put in the script you showed, making the change for \WOW6432Node\ and I get this message when line 41 executes.

Error Installing 2020 R2.png (121.49 KiB) Viewed 63012 times

Here is my script

MSI Script for Error Installing 2020 R2.png (58.45 KiB) Viewed 63012 times

What am I doing wrong?

[FrancescoT]

The reg key has to be:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall

The OS redirects to "WOW6432Node" as necessary. By default, the installer runs in 32 bit mode. Consequently, the install entry will be stored/loaded into/from the 32-bit hive of the Registry.

[JohnBalcom]

I made that change and get the same results.

I'll attach my 3 project files for versions 2020 R0, R1 and R2.

[FrancescoT]

You only sent the project files without including the scripts.
Please send a full copy of your project folder (all contents - excluding the release sub-folder).

[JohnBalcom]

The zipped folders are too big for your attachements.

Here is a DropBox link: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/r3gmbpxg7rzg ... 16nJa?dl=0

It has subfolders for both shared and separate Product codes for the versions. We could get either option to work properly.

[FrancescoT]

The problem you reported has nothing to do with the modifications I suggested you previously.

If you modify/alter the default behavior of the install project, you must then be totally aware of the changes you intend to apply to the project functionality.

1) ProductCode must be the same across different versions of the same product (otherwise it will be not recognized as a product family upgrade).

2) UPGRADECODE has to be unique (different from ProductCode), but identical across different versions of the same product (for a correct product update and/or Patch).
https://www.installaware.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=9883
https://www.installaware.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=11273

Consequently, I changed the PRODUCTCODE and UPGRADECODE assigned to your projects "InstallAwareApp_2020R0" and "InstallAwareApp_2020R2" as follow:

product_upgrade_code.png (14.48 KiB) Viewed 62917 times

In addition, I made the following changes to your original code where you are probably detecting for the presence of non-Installaware packages that may be installed on the target system:

img1.png (28.81 KiB) Viewed 62917 times

Finally,
1) I had to enable the "Package is InstallAware generated installation" flag of the "(Un)Install MSI Setup" plug-in inside the block that removes previously installed version of the same product. Otherwise, it will fail to remove them ...as you reported previously. THIS SETTING IS ENABLED BY DEFAULT WHEN CREATING A NEW PROJECT

uninstall_msi.png (52.66 KiB) Viewed 62917 times

Package is InstallAware generated installation

Check this field if the command will be used to operate on an InstallAware setup. This command will fail on InstallAware setups unless this field is checked. Checking this field for non-InstallAware setups is not recommended.

2) I have re-introduced the statements that removes possible orphans entry left on the system.

img2.png (25.97 KiB) Viewed 62917 times

Of course, these modifications has to be applied to any other project of the same product family.
Attached, my edited copies of your projects "InstallAwareApp_2020R0" and "InstallAwareApp_2020R2" (I had to comment-out all the "Install Files" commands ...you didn't share your sources).

Hope this helps you.

[JohnBalcom]

We everything working now. Thanks for your help.

You had commented that "If you modify/alter the default behavior of the install project, you must then be totally aware of the changes you intend to apply to the project functionality." We imported InstallShield (IS) projects and just had to learn what InstallAware didn't do. 1) handle IS's Update codes without a specific plug-in and 2) import IS's merge modules. The only modifications we made were to fix things that didn't get imported properly. But now we know how to do it.

Thanks again.

[JohnBalcom]

We are having this same issue now that we are providing both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of our app.

After installing TPC 2023 R1 64-bit, TPC 2023 R0 64-bit is still in Install Apps like before.

I've attached the project files for TPC 2023 R0 and R1.

[FrancescoT]

Attached you find my edited copies of your projects.

I have applied the following modifications:

Step 1- At the very beginning of your main setup file (Tpc2023r1Setup64) you have to comment (it should be removed from there) the "Set x64 - Native 64 bit ... - installation mode" statement. The recommendation is to switch to x64 mode in the "Global Settings" REGION of the Main Setup Script file. Unless is strictly necessary (see Step 2), you may switch to x64 mode but you should switch back to x86 mode once done.

step1.png (10.14 KiB) Viewed 60734 times

Step 2 - In your main setup file (Tpc2023r1Setup64) Apply the following modications within the "NEEDSUPGRADE" conditional block.

step3.png (61.98 KiB) Viewed 60734 times

Step 3 - UnComment the "Set Win32 - Native 32 bit ... - installation mode" statement in the "checkVC14_30_30704_x64"

step2.png (35.9 KiB) Viewed 60734 times

Finally, rebuild both projects.
Hope this helps you.