FAQShop.com : "Add/ Remove Programs" Status Not Updated after Application Uninstalled

"Add/ Remove Programs" Status Not Updated after Application Uninstalled

Letting the Advanced Client open the "Add or Remove Programs" Control Panel applet when a new program is available works just fine. But the way the status for applications is displayed in the "Add New Programs" section is somewhat confusing.

For example when an program is installed using SMS 2003, the status is changed to "Installed" - and that’s okay. But when you uninstall the application (either by doing it manually or by running a advertised program for uninstall) the status for the program that was used to install the same application does not change: it is still listed as installed.

Is there anyway to change this behaviour - or would it be best to just use the "Run Advertised Programs" Control Panel applet instead?

Contributed By: Shehzad Khoja (MSFT)
Unfortunately there is no good way to do that. This information comes from Execution History stored on the machine, and since execution history indicates a successful install (first time), ARP displays this as "installed".

Unfortunately, SMS 2003 doesn't distinguish between an install and an uninstall program. So even if you send another program to uninstall your program using SMS 2003, this will not mark first execution to be failed or uninstalled.

However, if you delete execution history for the program as part of your uninstall program, then this application will not be displayed in ARP.

However, deleting execution history is not recommended and supported.

Contributed By: Carl Sullivan [MSFT]
There is not a way to change how this is displayed in the Add/Remove Programs applet. If you delete the Advertisement, then the software will no longer be listed. Perhaps this will meet your requirements to delete the Advertisement after de-installing the software.

To see other SMS 2003 Troubleshooting FAQs click here.