Windows 8 error "Invalid start mode: archive file name", when running Uninstall

[haralds]

On Windows 8.1 I get the error "Invalid start mode: archive file name", when running Uninstall either from Start Menu or chained from the installer as part of an update.

There is no problem from the Control Panel, or earlier Windows versions (7, XP, etc.)

Windows 8 also gets confused with desktop alias icons, but that's another story...

Setup Factory is the latest 9.2

[Ulrich]

The uninstaller should be started ONLY from the Control Panel - Add/Remove Programs (or Programs and Features). The error you are getting would happen on other operating systems as well, as well as with former versions of Setup Factory. Recent software deployment guidelines state that the Uninstaller should not appear in the Start menu.

Ulri

[haralds]

Thanks. But I do need to run before Update. How do I deal with that issue?

[Ulrich]

I am not sure that I understood correctly, please clarify if I didn't get it right. If you wish to run the uninstaller before deploying a newer release, you need to execute the uninstaller executable with the proper arguments. You can extract the full command line from the registry, as I show in the script of my "Uninstall former version" custom screen.

This should end up in running something similar to

"%ProgramFilesFolder%\%CompanyName%\%ProductName%\Uninstall\uninstall.exe" "/U:%ProgramFilesFolder%\%CompanyName%\%ProductName%\Uninstall\Uninstall.xml"

Ulrich

[haralds]

That is what I have been doing for years, including passing parameters to avoid unnecessary screens using this flow. But I get the error in this case, too.

[Ulrich]

The "Invalid start mode: archive file name" message suggests that you are not passing the command line arguments properly. It may help if you log the actual command you execute, and verify that you aren't making any errors (missing quotes, not expanding some Session Variable, etc.).

Ulrich

[haralds]

Thanks, will investigate.
The error comes at the end of the process, on the last script event screen.
It does not occur on Windows 7, Vista, Xp.

[haralds]

The uninstall command and parameter is well formed and correct. This is also, why it executes without general issues except for this error.

Running standalone, I do not get the error dialog until I hit the Finish button on the Uninstall Successful screen.

Logs are clean and free of unexpected errors.

Any other ideas?

[Ulrich]

You could post the project and the uninstallation log files, hopefully documenting the line where the error happens.

Ulrich

[haralds]

The error does not happen until after the installation is closed. It does not happen during script execution.

I just checked in the registry, and the Program management panel has the same command in the registry that is in the short cut. It does not get the error.

[haralds]

I have attached one of the projects with the error log.

[Ulrich]

I see that you are deleting the %AppFolder% folder tree during On Post Uninstall while the uninstaller is still running at that location (%AppFolder%\Uninstall).

I also see that you are having lots of errors in the uninstallation log (ERROR_PATH_NOT_FOUND), in the On Shutdown event, which happens after you deleted files which are still expected to exist.

At a first test, I would remove the Folder.DeleteTree() command and see if this helps.

Ulrich

[haralds]

It was the first place I looked. And removing it did not fix it, but left the root app folder. But I will look again.
Clearly the most logical cause.

[haralds]

Removed it. Does not change anything except for uninstall not always removing everything as it should.

[Ulrich]

On Windows 8.1 I get the error "Invalid start mode: archive file name", when running Uninstall either from Start Menu or chained from the installer as part of an update.

Where do you create the shortcut for the uninstaller in the Start menu in this project? I don't see it... can you help?

Ulrich