How to do a "clean" uninstall?

lp · Post by lp » Fri Oct 26 2007

Hello
How am I supposed to do a "clean uninstall" of the PDF Converter printers and drivers?

I've made a few tests on a clean system (WinXP SP2)

A) I installed a printer using your install.exe, then removed it through install -u

I get this, after removal:
- printer removed from printers list
- driver removed from drivers list
- %windir%\system32\spool\drivers\w32x86\3 still contains:
acfpdf.txt
acpdf300.dll
acpdfui300.dll
cdintf300.dll
- %windir%\system32\spool\drivers\w32x86\amyuni_amyunidocumentconverter300 contains the same files listed above for w32x86\3

This is not exactly what I mean when referring to a "clean uninstall"..

B) Since I have to integrate the installation/uninstallation in our setup (a Windows Installer MSI), I tried developing a "custom" installer which (as explained in the documents) installs the pdf printer&driver by calling:
PDFDriverInit
DriverInit
EnablePrinter
DriverEnd

and, when I want to remove all, calls:
PDFDriverInit
EnablePrinter
DriverEnd

This "custom installer" gets executed in "deferred system context" (no impersonation).
After installing:
- %windir%\system32\spool\drivers\w32x86\3 contains:
acfpdf.txt
acpdf300.dll
acpdfui300.dll
- %windir%\system32\spool\drivers\w32x86 contains:
acfpdf.txt
acpdf300.dll
acpdfui300.dll
cdintf300.dll
After removing they all remain there...
Again, no-way

C) As a further try, I checked what happens when I install with B) and then remove both the printer and the driver "by hand", from the printers panel:
this effectively removes both of them and the w32x86\3 folder is "clean", but i still have w32x86\cdintf300.dll remaining..

D) The last try was to install the printer and driver (in a MSI custom action, deferred system context) invoking:
PDFDriverInit
DriverInit
EnablePrinter
DriverEnd
and to uninstall using
rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /dl /n "My Printer Name"
rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /dd /m "Amyuni Document Converter 300"

This has the same results as the "hand-made" try: only w32x86\cdintf300.dll remaining..

Well... quite enough testing for today

I'm looking for a good idea, if anyone has a clue.

Thanx in advance!
Luke

Joan · Post by **Joan** » Thu Nov 01 2007

Hello,

Well actually your are right, enough testing for one day

I added a procedure for clean unistalling to your other post: http://www.amyuni.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2210.

If your system was running and the PDF Printer was used you will have to manually delete the dlls of the driver and in some cases you will need to stop and restart the spooler to be able to delete some files. If your system is just restarted and the dlls of the driver are not used then the installer will replace replace the old files by the new ones. It is a matter of a dll being used or not.