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Windows Installer Patch Package Error (can't uninstall Adobe Reade


genegold

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Not sure if this belongs here...I'm trying to uninstall Reader 7.08 from the Control Panel, but getting the Windows Installer error message that the patch package can't be opened and verify that patch package exists or contact vendor. Here's how I got here (XP/SP2): - uninstalled 7.08 successfully - installed 8.0 but to wrong folder - uninstalled 8.0 and restarted per prompt - reinstalled 8.0 in desired folder, but discover much other app file loss had occurred (Quick Launch Bar icons, email settings files, etc.) - ran System Restore from day's session start, which restored 7.08 and eliminated 8.0- 7.08 runs fine - three days later try to uninstall 7.08 and get the Installer error messageAny suggestions for patch repair or other way to uninstall? Thanks.

Edited by genegold
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You can do a search for Reader 7.08 and then delete all folders and also use regedit and perform a find for Reader 7.08 .As always backup your registry before performing any work in the registry.In the future you may wish to use Total Uninstall when you install anything. It will remove any trace of the program you are removing. TU can be found HERE

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Have you tried to reinstall Adobe Acrobat Reader 7.08 and then uninstall it? Although you restored 7.08, it does not mean that your uninstallation msi still exists. It might well be deleted during your last uninstall. When you uninstall, Xp will look for the setup file at C:\WINDOWS\Downloaded Installations. Every time you install something, the setup msi will be copied over to that folder. That's how msi is uninstsalled.

You can do a search for Reader 7.08 and then delete all folders and also use regedit and perform a find for Reader 7.08 .As always backup your registry before performing any work in the registry.In the future you may wish to use Total Uninstall when you install anything. It will remove any trace of the program you are removing. TU can be found HERE
I do not recommend this method as it will create complication when you try to install Reader 8.0.
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Have you tried to reinstall Adobe Acrobat Reader 7.08 and then uninstall it? Although you restored 7.08, it does not mean that your uninstallation msi still exists. It might well be deleted during your last uninstall. When you uninstall, Xp will look for the setup file at C:\WINDOWS\Downloaded Installations. Every time you install something, the setup msi will be copied over to that folder. That's how msi is uninstsalled.I do not recommend this method as it will create complication when you try to install Reader 8.0.
No it will not, not if you only remove keys relating to 7.08.If your into oneupmanship, I don't recommend your method..This is a forum to help people and NOT to put down members suggestions. Why not stick to that principle and everyone will be better off. Edited by Gary
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No it will not, not if you only remove keys relating to 7.08.If your into oneupmanship, I don't recommend your method.
Well, I will take your advice only if you work at Adobe. Besides, removing keys relating to 7.08 doesn't help you install 8.0It is grenegold's machine at stake, not yours... so I would go with Adobe's proper method.
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Well, I will take your advice only if you work at Adobe. Besides, removing keys relating to 7.08 doesn't help you install 8.0It is grenegold's machine at stake, not yours... so I would go with Adobe's proper method.
Then you work for Adobe? :thumbsup:
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No it will not, not if you only remove keys relating to 7.08.If your into oneupmanship, I don't recommend your method.This is a forum to help people and NOT to put down members suggestions. Why not stick to that principle and everyone will be better off.
I am very hesitant to use the manual method because in the registry sometimes eliminating all of an application's items affects others in unexpected and not good ways. On the other hand, installing 7.0.8 on top aborted when it spotted the current version. 8.0 is a separate installation and not an update/overwrite. Edited by genegold
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No it will not, not if you only remove keys relating to 7.08.If your into oneupmanship, I don't recommend your method..This is a forum to help people and NOT to put down members suggestions. Why not stick to that principle and everyone will be better off.
Of course.. provided that you warn people of potential issues by mingling with registry yourself. What kind of advice is that if you don't even know that's a safe way to do it? What kind of solution can you tell me if genegold's machine goes even messier than before? or you are just gonna say "oh it is microsoft's falut!" Either you say that your method is the last resort, or provide some cautions. Edited by ThunderRiver
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Of course.. provided that you warn people of potential issues by mingling with registry yourself. What kind of advice is that if you don't even know that's a safe way to do it? What kind of solution can you tell me if genegold's machine goes even messier than before? or you are just gonna say "oh it is microsoft's falut!" Either you say that your method is the last resort, or provide some cautions.
I did that you can read can you not. And TU is one of the best programs on the market. I would personally remove both versions and use Foxitreader. It is faster and does the same job. FR is less than 4mb , Adobe is > 28 MB. It is a no brainer.
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genegold, have you tried to repair the reader 7.08? I am suspecting that if you can't repair, it is possible that the msi package got replaced with version 8.0 even though you are running 7.08. You may actually end up going under eitherC:\WINDOWS\Downloaded Installations orC:\WINDOWS\Installer orC:\Program Files\InstallShield Installation Information.Delete the reference to 8.0.All these setup files may have weird number on it, but if you check into the files' properties, it will tell you if it is Adobe and its version. I am running Professional Editions of 7.0, so I can't be much helpful in this regard. If manual removal is necessary, go ahead and follow Gary's suggestion. However, make sure you back up your registry. And even if you take that approach, there is no guarantee that 8.0 installer would behave well because it is unlikely that Adobe ever tested instsallation in such scenario.

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An alternative to installing 3rd party applications to remove what can be normally uninstalled in Add/Remove Programs (and then reinstalling the latest version from scratch), Secunia.com has a new tool which I used just yesterday to do exactly what you want to do, genegold. You can get the Secunia Software Inspector to check for the following:

* Detects insecure versions of applications installed * Verifies that all Microsoft patches are applied * Assists you in updating your system and applications * Runs through your browser. No installation or download is required.
If you expand the entries marked by a red "X", you'll see where the files are installed, to quickly remove them. If you are at ease with the registry, you can remove the entries in the HKLM & HKCU hives too. Edited by Guitar Man
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An alternative to installing 3rd party applications to remove what can be normally uninstalled in Add/Remove Programs (and then reinstalling the latest version from scratch), Secunia.com has a new tool which I used just yesterday to do exactly what you want to do, genegold. You can get the Secunia Software Inspector to check for the following:If you expand the entries marked by a red "X", you'll see where the files are installed, to quickly remove them. If you are at ease with the registry, you can remove the entries in the HKLM & HKCU hives too.
Secunia is interesting and generally useful, but in this case the main directory was known (what it didn't show was a folder buried away with a full set up of 7.08). In any case, I decided to go ahead and manually uninstall 7, including in the registry, before proceeding with 8. That seemed to work, but when reinstalling 8.0 I got a 1714 error message saying that some parts of 8 were already present, contact the vendor. I again did a thorough search of drives and registry for the words Acrobat, Adobe and Reader, and deleted what little was left that might be related. Still, I'm getting the 1714 error. Any suggestions (other than FoxitReader)? Thanks.
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I wouldn't know where to start: Sequences view of what? etc.------The following steps set up a condition on the FindRelatedProducts action so that only one instance is called:- Navigate to the Sequences view. - Expand the Installation folder. - Expand the Execute sequence. - Click the FindRelatedProducts action. - Find the Condition field on the right side of the screen. Add the condition NOT ISSETUPDRIVEN to this field if it is not already present. Edited by genegold
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Yeah, I had looked at those and around that site a bit. Those tables and explanations are for developers. While I've done some low-level statistical programming, I'm not a developer by a longshot and, while I understand the general problem, don't have a clue even where to start with correcting it. The process appears to depend on the use of Install Wizard, a developer's application, if I'm not mistaken. Edited by genegold
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genegold - If you take Gary's suggestion and in the future install using Total Installer (TI), it might be interesting to know that the last free version (v2.35) of TI is at http://freeware4u.com/modules/mydownloads/...ile.php?lid=234 http://digilander.libero.it/molearchive3/tun235.zip I see that Gary got ahead of me in suggesting Foxit Reader (also free) as a replacement for Adobe Reader: http://www.foxitsoftware.com/pdf/rd_intro.php Many people, myself included, consider this faster, unbloated, and generally pleasanter than Adobe Reader. You could install it and use it, and that would let you uninstall Adobe at your leisure.

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genegold - If you take Gary's suggestion and in the future install using Total Installer (TI), it might be interesting to know that the last free version (v2.35) of TI is at http://freeware4u.com/modules/mydownloads/...ile.php?lid=234 http://digilander.libero.it/molearchive3/tun235.zip I see that Gary got ahead of me in suggesting Foxit Reader (also free) as a replacement for Adobe Reader: http://www.foxitsoftware.com/pdf/rd_intro.php
My understanding of Gary's initial post and a look at Total Installer is that it's too late to help with the current problem. After cleaning, I went back to 7.0.8 and also will check out Foxit, which appears vastly improved from last time I looked at it (2 yrs ago?). While I do use some of the alternative software - e.g., video players, Opera - I don't have a lot of patience with that of it which requires care and work to interact with the world (OpenOffice comes to mind). In the meantime, there's this problem with Reader 8 that I'd like to solve sooner or later without having to back to school. :)
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Final Suggestion. Remove it and use Foxit Reader. Also try what Guitar Man posted. Good Luck.
Making changes like that is not normally the way I operate. Someone suggested using the Windows Installer Clean Up tool, which with a little guess work allowed deletion of the extraneous 8.0 files and its subsequent installation. I did use Total Install in the process. Thanks. Edited by genegold
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Making changes like that is not normally the way I operate. Someone suggested using the Windows Installer Clean Up tool, which with a little guess work allowed deletion of the extraneous 8.0 files and its subsequent installation. I did use Total Install in the process. Thanks.
I will remember that. Glad you got it to work.
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Sorry I didn't get here sooner... :(As soon as I saw your problem today, I was going to post the link to the Windows Installer CleanUp Tool:http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301But at least maybe the link will help someone else by having the link here.
One thing I would add with this tool is that file remnants don't necessarily show in the list with a name, but rather as (or with) a little symbol, a rectangle in my case.
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