Group Policy MSI leaves detritus in ARP registry area

[jsmith]

If I install a Group-Policy-generated MSI, it adds one more registry (and values under the key) to the ARP section of the registry than if I install the EXE-based installer. The problem is that after I uninstall, this extra registry key is not removed. To clarify:


After installing the EXE installer, the following registry keys exist:

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- HKML\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\{OUR-PRODUCT-CODE}
- HKML\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\MyProductName

After I uninstall and reboot, both of those keys are gone.

After installing the MSI installer that was created using the Group Policy Wizard, the following registry keys exist:

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- HKML\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\{SOME-RANDOM-GUID-NOT-FROM-OUR-PROJECT}
- HKML\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\{OUR-PRODUCT-CODE}
- HKML\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\MyProductName

After I uninstall and reboot, regardless of whehter I use the .exe or the .msi to uninstall, the following is left in the registry:

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- HKML\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\{SOME-RANDOM-GUID-NOT-FROM-OUR-PROJECT}

The UninstallString from this key that doesn't get cleaned up looks like this:

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MsiExec.exe /I{THAT-SAME-RANDOM-GUID}

If I run that command, it attempts to run the .msi file from it's original location. If I've since deleted or moved the .msi file, it fails with "The feature you are trying to use is on a network resource that is unavailable." It wasn't on the network, it was on my desktop.

Is there any way to have the ARP registry be fully cleaned up after uninstalling a Group-Policy-generated MSI package?

[figo]

Any Updates on this issue? I've noticed this behavior as well.

[MichaelNesmith]

I am unable to reproduce this issue.

Do you have step by step instructions that can reliably reproduce this behavior?

The {SOME-RANDOM-GUID-NOT-FROM-OUR-PROJECT} is the GUID for the external Group Policy MSI wrapper. It's GUID is going to be different from the actual internal MSI payload that the external wrapper contains and ultimately deploys on the target system. The external wrapper will correctly invoke the internal payload (the setup bootstrapper and the actual MSI containing your installation) in install/repair mode or uninstall mode based on how it itself has been invoked.

In both cases, the external MSI wrapper will correctly install or remove itself from the system, including the registry. Or, at least, in my tests, it has never left behind anything.