Installing 6.1.0.2617

[fcwatson]

When trying to install this version, I get an error that says "The older version of Eraser 6.1.0.2617 cannot be removed. Contact your technical support group". I have not been able to to install the update 6.1.0.2617. Not sure why it wants to remove this version, since it is the latest version? How do I install this? I tried to install a lower version and I get the same message response.

Thank you in advance for your help.

Fred Watson

 

[DavidHB]

I have removed your email address from your post, as this can be seen by anyone and invites spamming.

It is not completely clear to me whether or not a partial or complete installation of Eraser exists on your machine. If it does, can you uninstall it in the normal way? If you can, reboot to be on the safe side and then try installing again.

Unless you particularly wish to test a development build, I would recommend that you install the current stable version (6.0.9) for regular use.

David

 

[fcwatson]

Hi David:

Thank you for getting back to me. I had an earlier version on my Win7 system. However when I went to upgrade to the latest release that was the message I got. Now I'm unable to install any version including 6.0.9. I went through the registry and cleared out anything I could find on Eraser. Still not able to install.

Fred

 

[DavidHB]

Installing Eraser on top of another version (especially if it was Eraser 5) almost always creates trouble. You don't say precisely what error you are getting when you try to reinstall, but I suspect that probably doesn't make much odds.

You will definitely still have a conflict with some remaining element(s) of the original installation. In my experience, these can take a bit of work to remove. The problem is not with the Eraser code and data, which is quite tidily arranged. What tends to cause trouble is the material (particularly registry values) that the Windows installer happily secretes throughout the system.

You need to do what I call a 'brute force' uninstall. If there is an uninstaller, run it. Then, whether or not you have run the uninstaller, manually remove all traces you can find in the file system and the Registry. Make sure your folder options are set to allow viewing of hidden files and folders. Places to look in the file system are the Program Files folders (delete any Eraser folders completely), and the C:\Users\<Your User Name>\Appdata\Local folder, where there may be a folder named 'Eraser 6'. Then use the Registry Editor to search the registry on 'Eraser' and delete all keys and values that appear to be Eraser-specific. Reboot (this can be important). Then re-download Eraser and reinstall.

If this does not work first time, keep at it. Apart from a broken install blocking the re-installation, the only other possibility is a problem with the Windows Installer itself. But, to my mind, this seems unlikely with the error message you had.

David

 

[fcwatson]

David:

!. Nothing under the Registry for 'Eraser"
2. Cleared Eraser folders under appdata
3. Error code for installing 6.1.0.2617 = "The older version of Eraser 6.1.0.2617 cannot be removed. Contact your technical support group."

Fred

 

[DavidHB]

Just to be sure - there was no Eraser entry in Control Panel|Programs and Features?

Also, use msconfig to check that there is no startup entry for Eraser. If there still is, disable it, reboot and try again; that makes sure nothing is trying to run in the background.

Beyond that suggestion, this is one for Joel, I fear.

David

 

[Joel]

You've probably got a corrupt Windows Installer cache. This is probably caused by "registry cleaners" or "optimisers" doing their nonsense on the Registry (I'm of the opinion that if it ain't broken, don't fix it)

There's nothing we can do at this end. Microsoft used to have a Installer Cleanup tool, but they've removed it from their servers owing to instability. You can try http://support.microsoft.com/mats/Program_Install_and_Uninstall; if that doesn't work, since your system does seem to be in an incoherent state, it may make unfortunate sense to reinstall the OS.

 

[fcwatson]

et al:

Thank you for your responses.

1. No Eraser in Control Panel
2. No Eraser in Start up
3. MS Fix Clean up tool did not show Eraser

Fred

 

[DavidHB]

After a bit of searching, I have found a link to an installer troubleshooter from Microsoft, updated as recently as February this year. For obvious reasons, I can't test it, but it would be my next port of call.

David

 

[Joel]

I can't confirm (since I can't actually determine if the problem is fixed), but it does appear that both troubleshooters are one and the same.

 

[fcwatson]

et al:

The MS Fix it Trouble shooter does not see the Eraser program in its evaluation of software to be repaired.

Eraser wants to remove it's own files 6.1.0.2617, before installing. Why? This is where the installation stalls and quits.

Error code = "The older version of Eraser 6.1.0.2617 cannot be removed."


Fred

 

[DavidHB]

This is where a simple utility to repair the cache would have been much more useful than a troubleshooter.

Eraser (like the majority of Windows programs these days) uses the Windows installer. The problem you are having is actually with the installer (= part of Windows) rather than the Eraser code or package as such; I think that Microsoft gets its lawyers to vet every error message, to ensure that blame is shifted wherever possible. This is why installation errors can be so difficult to deal with; we are dealing remotely with someone's Windows setup rather than with Eraser (which by now we know something about ).

The reason why this is occurring is, to put it bluntly, that you have not managed to remove all the artefacts of the original, failed Eraser installation from your system. If Joel is right, and the installation cache is the problem, this is a pain, because Microsoft specifically recommends against deleting the cache file, and I don't know enough to know whether this is just belt-and-braces caution or a warning against doing real damage to your system. So this is one possible cause on which I cannot help further.

Just to be sure, we go back to the elements of the brute force removal. You found nothing in the Registry. Can we take it that there are similarly no Eraser folders in either C:\Program Files\ or (if you have it) in C:\Program Files (x86)\ ? Have you by any chance run a Registry checker/cleaner (Joel hates them, but they have their uses at times such as this) to see whether there are still any Eraser related entries you can delete. Reasonable free checkers (which I have had no trouble with) are in CCleaner (not the cleaner itself, but one of the tools embedded it it) and also the Tweaknow Power Pack. In my experience, different checkers identify different items.

Beyond all that, I'm afraid I'm out of ideas.

David

 

[fcwatson]

Hi David, et al:

Many Thanx for the replies and help.

Where would I find the installation Cache?

I use CCLEANER.com as my reg cleaner. Has been very good up to this point. I've open regedit and done searches for Eraser. I have cleaned out everything I have found.

Again, many Thanx for everyone's responses and help.

Fred

 

[DavidHB]

Where would I find the installation Cache?

Well, let's start with the Microsoft health warning, which you should read before doing anything. It is pretty explicit.

If you still wish to go hunting, you will find that C:\Windows\Installer is a protected system folder (no surprise); you will need, at least temporarily, to change your folder options to see it. When you get to the folder, you will find that it contains a mass of sub-folders which are very hard to relate to particular applications. On my machine there is a folder C:\Windows\Installer\{809B494B-1C0B-46CE-BC1E-A14B52423700}, which contains an Eraser icon. If you find such a folder on your machine, you could try deleting it (move it to the Recycle Bin, so that you can restore it). But this is very much at your own risk, and I have some hesitation about mentioning the idea.

I use CCLEANER.com as my reg cleaner. Has been very good up to this point. I've open regedit and done searches for Eraser. I have cleaned out everything I have found.

As I said, different cleaners find different things. You could try Tweaknow PowerPack 2012, which is also free. Like CCleaner, it allows you to select what you delete. If you run a full scan, you will be surprised how much it finds. Do not delete anything from Tweaknow unless the entry has a green shield icon. If you find any entries that appear to relate to Eraser but have other icons, make a note of them and look at them in the Registry Editor before you delete them.

David

 

[fcwatson]

Hi David:

I ventured into the Install Cache and found one folder with an Eraser file. I deleted it.

I downloaded the Tweaknow PowerPack 2012, for some reason it wants me to register and pay. Any ideas on that one?

As always, many Thanx for all the help and information.

Fred

 

[DavidHB]

I downloaded the Tweaknow PowerPack 2012, for some reason it wants me to register and pay. Any ideas on that one?

None at all. On the site to which I linked in my last, which is (as far as I know) the home page for the product, it is described as freeware. An I have never had to pay, except for much earlier versions in the remote past.

What site did you download from?

David