Windows installer cleanup utility
| Article ID | : | 290301 |
| Last Review | : | May 7, 2007 |
| Revision | : | 5.6 |
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SUMMARY
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 Installer
- To 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.
MORE INFORMATION
- Microsoft Windows Vista
- Microsoft Windows Server 2003
- Microsoft Windows XP
- Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition
- Microsoft Windows 2000
- Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 with Service Pack 3 or later
- Microsoft Windows 98
- Microsoft Windows 95
This version of the Windows Installer CleanUp Utility works correctly in all 64-bit versions of Microsoft Windows. The 64-bit versions of Microsoft Windows are as follows:
- Microsoft Windows Server 2003
- Microsoft Windows XP
- Microsoft Windows Vista
The following file is available for download from the Microsoft
Download Center:
Download the
Windows Installer Cleanup Utility package now.
(or you can download it at
http://download.microsoft.com/download/e/9/d/e9d80355-7ab4-45b8-80e8-983a48d5e1bd/msicuu2.exe)
Contents of the Readme.txt file
README FOR WINDOWS INSTALLER CLEAN UP UTILITY version 3
SEPTEMBER, 2006
WHAT IS THE WINDOWS INSTALLER CLEAN UP UTILITY?
The Windows Installer Clean Up Utility is a tool that can be used to
remove Windows Installer configuration management information if a
problem occurs.
*** NOTE: The Windows Installer Clean Up Utility should not be used
to remove the 2007 Microsoft Office System installation information.
***
The Windows Installer configuration management information can
become damaged if any of the following issues occur:
- The computer's registry becomes corrupted.
- A registry setting that is used by the Windows Installer is
inadvertently changed, and this change results in a problem.
- The installation of a program that uses Windows Installer (for
example, Microsoft Office 2003) is interrupted.
- There are multiple instances of a setup program running at the
same time, or
an instance of a setup program is "blocked."
WHAT HAPPENED TO MSICU.EXE?
In the original release, there were two versions of the Windows
Installer Clean Up Utility: Msicu.exe (for use in Microsoft Windows
95, Windows 98 and Windows ME), and Msicuu.exe (for use in Windows
NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003). Msicu.exe
was removed because Msicuu.exe now works with all 32-bit versions of
Microsoft Windows.
WHAT IS MSIZAP.EXE?
The Windows Installer Clean Up Utility uses the Msizap.exe program
file to perform cleanup operations on the Windows Installer
configuration management information. Microsoft does not recommend
that you run Msizap.exe manually, because Msizap.exe uses a
command-line interface. Msizap.exe does not provide the same ease of
use or level of protection as the Windows Installer Clean Up
Utility.
WHY IS THERE NO MSIZAP.EXE IN THE EXTRACTED FILES?
There are two versions of MSIZAP.EXE: MsiZapA.exe (for use in
Windows 95, Windows 98 and Windows ME), and MsiZapU.exe (for use in
Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003). The
appropriate executable must be renamed MsiZap.exe in order for the
Windows Installer Clean Up Utility to work correctly. The
installation process renames and installs the correct version
automatically.
HOW DO I INSTALL THE WINDOWS INSTALLER CLEAN UP UTILITY?
When you download the utility, choose either Install or Save (if you
choose Save then run the downloaded executable from the folder in
which you saved the executable). By default, the setup program
installs the Windows Installer Clean Up Utility files to a folder
beneath the Program Files folder. This folder is called "Windows
Installer Clean Up."
All the files that are used by the utility (Msicuu.exe, Msizap.exe,
and this Readme file) are copied into this folder, and a shortcut is
created on the Programs menu under the Start menu.
The files may also be extracted manually from the downloaded file.
However, after you do this, you must rename the appropriate
MsiZap*.exe file "MsiZap.exe." (NOTE: If you use the utility on
Windows 95/98/98SE/ME, rename MsiZapA.exe. Otherwise, rename
MsiZapU.exe.)
HOW DO I RUN THE WINDOWS INSTALLER CLEAN UP UTILITY?
To run the Windows Installer Clean Up Utility, use either of the
following methods:
- Click 'Start', click 'All Programs' (or 'Programs' on some
operating systems), and then click the shortcut for the
Windows Installer Clean Up Utility.
- Find and run the Msicuu.exe file.
A dialog box will be displayed that contains a message, a list of
installed products, and four buttons.
The message that is displayed is as follows:
Continuing further will make permanent changes to your system. You
may
need to reinstall some or all applications on your system that used
the
Windows Installer technology to be installed. If you do not want to
proceed, please press the 'Exit' button now. Choosing 'Remove' will
make the permanent changes.
The list contains the titles of all the installed programs that are
registered with Windows Installer. Because the Windows Installer
Clean Up Utility installation also uses Windows Installer, the
Windows Installer Clean Up Utility should be included in the list.
Select the programs that you wish to remove. (To select multiple
items in the list, hold down the SHIFT key or the CTRL key as you
select the items.)
The four buttons in the dialog box are as follows:
[Select All] - Selects all the programs in the list.
[Clear All] - Clears the selection of all the programs in the list.
[Remove] - Removes the Windows Installer installation information
for
the selected program or programs.
[Exit] - Exits the Windows Installer Clean Up Utility.
If you click 'Remove,' the following prompt is displayed:
Warning - All items selected will be removed from the Windows
Installer
database. In order for the items to work properly, you must
individually
re-install all items selected. Select OK to continue removing
product,
Cancel to abort.
If you click 'OK,' all the Windows Installer information that is
associated with the selected programs is removed. This includes the
entries for the programs in the Add/Remove Programs tool in Control
Panel. If you remove the installation information for an installed
program, the program is prevented from being able to add or remove
components or to repair itself. NOTE: If you remove the installation
information, files or shortcuts for the programs themselves are not
removed. You should reinstall the programs before you try to use
them.
WHAT IF I RECEIVE AN ERROR MESSAGE?
The following table lists the Windows Installer Clean Up Utility
error messages that you may receive and the cause for each message.
Error message:
This utility requires that Msizap.exe version 2
or greater reside in the same folder.
Cause:
Msizap.exe version 2 or a later version of
Msizap.exe cannot be found in the same folder as Msicuu.exe.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Error message:
You must have Administrator rights to run this
utility.
Cause:
To run Msicuu.exe, you must be logged on with
administrator rights.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Error message:
This utility requires that the Windows Installer
be installed and properly registered.
Cause:
Msicuu.exe uses the Windows Installer object
model to identify the installed products.
To correct the problem, try reregistering
Msi.dll.
HOW DO I REMOVE THE WINDOWS INSTALLER CLEAN UP UTILITY?
When the Windows Installer Clean Up Utility is installed, an entry
for the utility is created in the Add/Remove Programs tool in
Control Panel. To remove the Windows Installer Clean Up Utility,
click the entry in the list of installed programs, and then click
'Remove.'