Start Menu Entries Remain After Uninstall with InstallShield

ID: Q211134

The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server

SYMPTOMS

After you uninstall a program with InstallShield, the program's entries on the Start menu may remain. If you try to use the Start menu item, you receive an error message about missing files. For some programs, program folders may also remain.


CAUSE

This behavior can occur with programs that use earlier versions of InstallShield. These versions of InstallShield do not use the same CSIDL value for uninstalling that were used for installing. The different CSIDL values used by InstallShield have no effect in versions of Windows prior to Windows 2000, but in Windows 2000, they cause InstallShield to use the wrong locations for Start menu shortcuts and other folders that should be removed.

CSIDL values (sometimes referred to as "logical directory indicators") identify special folders. They supersede the use of environment variables for this purpose.


RESOLUTION

After InstallShield has uninstalled a program, it is safe to delete the remaining shortcuts and folders to complete the uninstall process. To do so:

  1. Right-click the Start button, and then click Explore All Users.


  2. Check the folders under the All Users\Start menu folder, but you will probably not find the entries for the program you uninstalled. This is where InstallShield was expecting to find these entries, but did not find them. If you do find entries for products that you uninstalled with InstallShield, you can delete them.


  3. Click the minus sign (-) to the left of the All Users folder to collapse the folder. This makes it a little easier to view the other folders.


  4. At the same level as the All Users folder, look for a folder with the user name you used when you logged on.


  5. Look inside this folder for entries for programs you uninstalled with InstallShield. You can delete these entries. Be careful not to delete entries for programs that you have not uninstalled.



MORE INFORMATION

Although programs that use the latest versions of InstallShield may not exhibit this behavior, Microsoft does not recommend installing the latest version of InstallShield just to uninstall a program that was installed with an earlier version. Instead, uninstall the program by using the version of InstallShield that you have, and then use the steps in the "Resolution" section of this article to finish the uninstallation.

If you are a software developer and you are using InstallShield for your Setup routine, InstallShield version 6.0 or later may not exhibit this behavior. For additional information about InstallShield, please contact its manufacturer directly, or visit the InstallShield Web site at:

http://www.installshield.com/
The third-party contact information included in this article is provided to help you find the technical support you need. This contact information is subject to change without notice. Microsoft in no way guarantees the accuracy of this third-party contact information.

The third-party products discussed in this article are manufactured by vendors independent of Microsoft; we make no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding these products' performance or reliability.

Additional query words:

Keywords : kb3rdparty kbsetup
Version : WINDOWS:2000
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbprb


Last Reviewed: December 29, 1999
© 2000 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Terms of Use.