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Software install/uninstall in dual-boot

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7 replies

by obersturnbanfuhrer

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My PC has dual-boot installed (Win98SE & Win2000 Pro). Booting up into each OS is very smooth. I've installed several identical program in both OS in the same directory to save space and increase usability (I guess). All of them are smoothly installed and fully functional.
Problem arise during uninstallation process. Some program (not all) can't be uninstall in one OS (ie Win98SE) after I've uninstalled them in the other OS (ie Win2000 Pro and vice-versa). I have to reinstall the program (in which OS it was corrupted), and then, uninstall is possible.
Are there other practical solutions for this situation or any tips to avoid this install/uninstall mess?

7 replies

by dmiles

Try installing the programs in a different directory than the one is specified in the other operating system,which you may do when you perform the install,change the directory when the screen displays the default directory.

by thechas

The root cause of your problem is using the common directory for both installations.
When you un-install the program in one OS, it wipes out the program files in the directory.
So, when you go to un-install the program from the other OS, it cannotfind the files it needs to perform the un-install.

The only way I know of to avoid dual installation directories would be to use registry and disk cleanup utilities in the secondary OS.
I would probably choose to perform normal un-install in W2K, and use the cleanup utilities in 98.
There are a few freeware utilities out there. I have used both Norton Win Doctor, and Mijenix Fix-It with good results. Unfortunately, neither utility finds everything in the registry.

I don't have a "favorite" disk clean-up utility. Choose one from a software company that you are happy with.
You need to be careful with deleting "unused" DLL files that a disk cleaner identifies. Not all programs properly register DLL usage in the registry.

I don't recommend clearing the registry manually, as it is very dificult to identify all of the keys that a software program adds or modifies when it is installed.

by d_v ant

I agree with soulrider. Use different directories for each OS. You have been lucky so far that all the apps worked in each OS. Usually, there are compatibility issues which is why they have different versions of the apps for the different OSs. In your case, none of the files modified between versions were overwritten. I wouldn't keep tempting fate. It could corrupt your OS if you try to load the wrong version.

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