I am trying to install Ad-Aware 2007 v. 7.0.2.6, but it needs to de-install Ad-Aware 2007 v. 7.0.2.3, which it thinks is on my PC. Unfortunately although it shows on the ADD/Remove programs window, it is not actually there. A file is needed to delete this program and it is missing. The missing file is WISDED53B0BB67C4244AE6AD6FD3C28D1EF_7_0_2_3.MSI, which it appears should be in the folder C:\Program Files\Common Files\Wise Installation Wizard.

Can anyone either send me the file or let me know how else I can delete this ghost program please?

Since first posting this, I have found some further info on the forum and have removed all references to Ad-Aware 2007 from the Registry (including one for AD-AWARE2007 no space). It no longer appears in the Add/Remove programs window and there is no trace of it searching the file names on the hard drive. Still the installation program seems to think it needs de-installing.

Hi Chris John:

See if you still have any of these in your registry:

v16 PowerTools 2008 [1.8.0.444]

Data fields are: Key, Entry's name, Value, Entry last modified

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\Installer\Products\B0B35DEDC76B4424EAA66DDFC3821DFE\, ProductName, Ad-Aware 2007, 02.09.2007, 15:42
HKCR\Installer\Products\B0B35DEDC76B4424EAA66DDFC3821DFE\, ProductName, Ad-Aware 2007, 02.09.2007, 15:42
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Installer\UserData\S-1-5-18\Products\B0B35DEDC76B4424EAA66DDFC3821DFE\InstallProperties\, DisplayName, Ad-Aware 2007, 29.02.2008, 06:43
HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\aawservice\, DisplayName, Ad-Aware 2007 Service, 29.02.2008, 06:43
HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\aawservice\, Description, Ad-Aware service, 29.02.2008, 06:43
HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet003\Services\aawservice\, DisplayName, Ad-Aware 2007 Service, 29.02.2008, 06:43
HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet003\Services\aawservice\, Description, Ad-Aware service, 29.02.2008, 06:43
HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\aawservice\, DisplayName, Ad-Aware 2007 Service, 29.02.2008, 06:43
HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\aawservice\, Description, Ad-Aware service, 29.02.2008, 06:43

Thanks for the suggestion. I was unable to find the actual entries suggested, but inspired by the ideas, I found an entry under installer/products, which I deleted.

The good news is that it worked in as much as the installation program no longer thinks that an earlier version is installed - at least not to start with. The bad news is that during installation of the newer version, it creates the file WISDED53B0BB67C4244AE6AD6FD3C28D1EF_7_0_2_6.MSI in the folder C:\Program Files\Common Files\Wise Installation Wizard and then says that it has an Error 1316: A network error occurred while attempting to read from the file C:\Program Files\Common Files\Wise Installation Wizard\WISDED53B0BB67C4244AE6AD6FD3C28D1EF_7_0_2_3.MSI, which of course does not exist and was the one missing in the first place!

Any other ideas?

I've cracked the problem by cheating! Having convinced the installer that the old program was no longer there, I realised that it probably only wanted to access the file WISDED53B0BB67C4244AE6AD6FD3C28D1EF_7_0_2_3.MSI to delete it, especially as it was towards the end of the process. So I copied the file WISDED53B0BB67C4244AE6AD6FD3C28D1EF_7_0_2_6.MSI and renamed it and it worked!

I hope someone else learns something from this.

Thanks for posting that, Chris John.

Since your problem is now resolved I'll go ahead and close this Topic.

Regards,

Spike

NB: A note any others considering this method, particularly those not familiar or experienced with regedit - always back-up your registry before editing it.