Incorrect uninstall of TC 8.51a

[xrundel]

After quick upgrading from 8.51a to 8.52a or to 9.0a (with settings untouched) there is TC 8.51a still in installed programs list.
Personal settings include options / buttons / bars / plugins customization, no exotic things.
INI is in program folder or in user folder.
OS is Windows 7 x64.
I'm not sure if it is a TC bug, but it seems to be.

[sqa_wizard]

Are you sure, you are comparing the same architectures?
32-bit and 64-bit version has its own uninstall entry!

If you have installed 8.51a 32-bit and install 9.0a 64-bit you will have two entries with different versions ...

[xrundel]

I install TC using 32+64 distribution file and I do not remember I choose architecture during install.
All TC files are installed in \Program Files x86\ folder.
To use TC I run totalcmd.exe, not TOTALCMD64.EXE.
So when I install the next version (using 32+64 distribution file again) without changing settings I expect that it will completely rewrite previous one.

[sqa_wizard]

So when I install the next version (using 32+64 distribution file again) without changing settings I expect that it will completely rewrite previous one.

That's exactly how it works for me!

You may check if your if the uninstall path reads different from your \Program Files x86\ folder.

[xrundel]

My steps to reproduce bug:
a) save customized files (INI, BAR, BR and several other files) from TC program folder
b) clean all TC entries from installed programs list. To do that I uninstall TC (the 1st entry is removed) then try to uninstall the 2nd entry (it says there is some kind of error and deletes entry from list)
c) install 9.0a from 32+64 distribution file and customize it by copying saved INI etc files to new TC program folder
d) install 8.51a from 32+64 distribution file over 9.0a with no settings changed
e) look at installed programs list. There are 2 entries again (see screenshot).

So I use reverse order of version installing compared to order mentioned in the 1st post but the effect is the same.

[Dalai]

This is due to the (IMO crappy) installer of TC9 64 bit. It writes to locations where it isn't supposed to, the 32 bit Registry branch. Ghisler makes it really hard to separate TC 32 bit from TC 64 bit by doing such things. Yes, both TCs can live in the same directory, but it should be easy to separate them if needed - unfortunately it's not.

What I'm trying to say is that most likely TC9 x64 writes to HKLM\Software\Wow6432Node while the older x64 installers did not (IIRC they only write to HKLM\Software). Hence you get two entries in the installed programs list, which may even point to the same installation directory.

Regards
Dalai

[xrundel]

Dalai
Thank you for competent explanation.

So I suppose it is rather a (confirmed) bug than a feature.
Wonder how (if) it could be fixed one day.

Also, if it is a problem of 9.0 installer (not 8.5x installer) then this topic should be moved to proper forum branch, I guess.

[Dalai]

Uh, no, I don't think it's a bug but intended behavior, or design decision if you will. That's what makes it worse. But let's wait for Ghisler to reply here.

Regards
Dalai

[ghisler(Author)]

Sorry, there is currently no better solution, because people can also install the combined 32-bit+64-bit version, or even a mix of 32-bit, 64-bit, and combined to the same directory.

[Dalai]

2ghisler(Author)
The difference is in reading vs. writing. The installers can read the registry key alright (and install TC into the same directory), but writing it in the "wrong location" is not really necessary IMO. IIRC this is what TC8 installers did.

Regards
Dalai