CODEWITHSUNDEEP
windowswindows-installer
CJ7
CJ7

Reputation: 23275

Does lack of Repair facility in Add/Remove Programs indicate not an MSI based installation?

If I install an application and then go into Add/Remove Programs in Windows and see that there is not a Repair button when I click on Support Information, does this indicate that the installation is not MSI based?

Will all MSI installations have a Repair button in this location?

Upvotes: 1

Views: 152

Answers (2)

selbie
selbie

Reputation: 104539

Short answer: Go look at the registry at HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall (there may be an equivalent WOW64 registry key on 64-bit machines)

An application's presence in the Add/Remove Programs ("ARP") dialog can come from several sources. Most notably of course is the MSI database.

The legacy approach to inserting an application into the ARP was for the custom installer to copy the files and settings over and the register it's uninstall exe" with the registry at this registry key. (Anyone remember "InstallShield"?)

If memory serves me correct (from back in the pre-MSI days of windows 95), the only subkeys of HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall that actually needed to exist was the "DisplayName" and "UninstallString". If these two registry values existed, then the app was in the ARP with an "uninstall" button.

More details here: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314481

Upvotes: 0

user1067737
user1067737

Reputation:

No. The ARPNOREPAIR property can be used to remove the button in MSI based installations.

Upvotes: 2

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