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why doesn't windows installer preserve shared files?

I'm rewording this a different way to get more responses. I'm just wondering why if you uninstall one windows installer/msi based program, it deletes the system file that other msi based programs need. My example is, after uninstalling roxio easy cd creator 5, c:\windows\system32\richtx32.ocx gets deleted. Then if I run adobe acrobat, it starts up an installer for a class software I have called arcgis desktop. Users also claim copying & pasting graphics brings up the same installer. Replacing that ocx file seems to fix it. That file seems to end up missing a lot judging by my google results.

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Answers (2)

Posted by: Rhys 17 years ago
Orange Belt
0
I had a class last week about repackaging software. According to the instructor, the best practices say you are NOT supposed to remove shared files. However, it appears that a software developer can set it to remove it.

I had thought that MSI's kept a counter on which applications needed a particular file and only removed it when at 0. Apparenlty, I was wrong.

I didn't think that Roxio 5 was based on an MSI though.
Posted by: turbokitty 17 years ago
6th Degree Black Belt
0
Well, MSI can do whatever you want it to do. It all depends on whether the author followed best practice or not.

You can set the file to remain permanently, or for Windows to keep a counter of how many apps are using it and delete it when the counter hits zero.

In this particular case, system32 files should have be marked as permanent.
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