Closed Bug 346651 Opened 18 years ago Closed 16 years ago

Thunderbird 1.5 will not uninstall: "Add or remove programs" locks up and hangs

Categories

(Thunderbird :: Installer, defect)

Product:
Thunderbird
Component:
Installer
Platform:
x86
Windows XP
Type:
defect
Priority:
Not set
Severity:
normal

Tracking

(Not tracked)

Status:
RESOLVED INVALID

People

(Reporter: me, Assigned: mscott)

References

Details

(Keywords: regression, Whiteboard: See bug 378513 for workaround) 

User-Agent:       Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.8.0.5) Gecko/20060719 Firefox/1.5.0.5
Build Identifier: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.8.0.5) Gecko/20060719 Firefox/1.5.0.5

thunderbird will not uninstall.

when you try to remove this from add and remove programs, it causes that application to freeze, and no uninstaller commences.

it appears the uninstaller is broken and just hands when you request to remove thunderbird.

this has also caused my machine to lock up and a hard restart was the only way to get out of the problem

Reproducible: Always

Steps to Reproduce:
1.press remove from add or remove programs for thunderbird
2.
3.

Actual Results:  
locks up add or remove programs and hangs, so it doesnt uninstall

Expected Results:  
Uninstaller should have launched so it can be removed from my system safly

This happens on more than one workstation, and with the latest version as from 31st July 06.
I have the same problem on Windows XP Home Dutch (FU) with Thunderbird Versie 1.5.0.7 (20060909). I didn't use the default location for installation. 

When I try to uninstall using: Control Panel | Software | Change/Remove, uninstall is launched but only freezes the Software pane.

In task manager uninstall is active but it doesn't appear to be doing anything.

When I kill uninstall.exe the Software window becomes available again... but it is still not possible to uninstall.

Uninstall also freezes when I try to uninstall using uninstall.exe in the E:\Thunderbird\uninstall folder.

(I need to uninstall because of an incorrect import caused by duplicate mailaccount/server settings so some of my mail is in incorrect folders, see bug 268034)
I checked the Thunderbird Uninstall Folder and did not find the program called Uninst.exe, which is in the Firefox Uninstall Folder.  This program brings up the Firefox Uninstall Wizard.  Shouldn't there be a similar program in the Thunderbird Uninstall Folder.
*** Bug 363314 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
> I checked the Thunderbird Uninstall Folder 

Richard, did you check your directory

C:\Program Files\Mozilla Thunderbird\uninstall\

> and did not find the program called
> Uninst.exe, 

There should be an uninstall.exe file (86 678 bytes)

Anyway, there seems to be a valid bug on the Control Panel | Software | Change/Remove, uninstall process. Several bugs have the same description, steps to reproduce, same Thunderbird rv (1.5.0.x branch) version and external symptoms (hang, non-responsive uninstall.exe): bug 335458, bug 337937, bug 365954, bug 373980


CONFIRMING

Flag requesting blocking thunderbird2

My reasons to make this bug blocker is that since an unknown minority of Windows-based users can not uninstall (accordingly by following release notes) latest Thunderbird 1.5.0.10, then such unknown minority can not download and install Thunderbird 2.0.0.x. At least 3 people from duplicate bug files have tried the 
[local drive]:Program Files\Mozilla Thunderbird\uninstall\uninstall.exe and failed. Reinstalling also have failed.

Version -> 1.5

I believe this component should be Installer ...but I could be wrong.
Severity: critical → blocker
Status: UNCONFIRMED → NEW
Ever confirmed: true
Flags: blocking-thunderbird2?
Version: unspecified → 1.5
in thunderbird 2, the uninstaller is called helper.exe and I see it located in:

c:\Program Files\Mozilla Thunderbird\uninstall\helper.exe

That's with a download of thunderbird 2 today.
Scott, 

what exactly should Windows-based TB 1.5.0.x users do? Install TB 2.0.0.0 over TB 1.5.0.x and then call 
[local drive]:\Program Files\Mozilla Thunderbird\uninstall\helper.exe
?

Or in TB 1.5.0.x, should we just set 
Tools/Options.../Advanced tab/Update/Download and install automatically the upgrades (sorry, I am not sure of exact words here as I use a localized version)?

Just asking...

The problem is with uninstalling TB 1.5.0.x ...

Updating summary to be a bit more precise
Keywords: hang
Summary: thunderbird will not uninstall, locks up add or remove programs and hangs → Thunderbird 1.5 will not uninstall: "Add or remove programs" locks up and hangs
Keywords: hang
There is also a post in

MozillaZine Forum Index /  Thunderbird Support 
Subject line: Can't uninstall TB 1.5???
Date Posted: Apr Thu 19th 2007 10:29am

http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?p=2848363#2848363
(In reply to comment #11)
> Scott, 
> 
> what exactly should Windows-based TB 1.5.0.x users do? Install TB 2.0.0.0 over
> TB 1.5.0.x and then call 
> [local drive]:\Program Files\Mozilla Thunderbird\uninstall\helper.exe
> 

There's no need to uninstall 1.5 before installing Thunderbird 2. The Thunderbird 2 installer removes old incompatible 1.5 files if you are installing 2 in the same location as 1.5 using the installer. So I'm not sure how this issue blocks users from moving to Thunderbird 2. The release notes don't say anything about running the 1.5 uninstaller first.

... and for those absolutely wanting to uninstall first, reporter of the previous dupe wrote me the uninstall worked fine for her in windows safe mode.
> There's no need to uninstall 1.5 before installing Thunderbird 2. The
> Thunderbird 2 installer removes old incompatible 1.5 files if you are
> installing 2 in the same location as 1.5 using the installer. 

A lot of us did not know that for sure, as a fact, until searching and reading a lot. Somewhere somehow, the release notes should clearly indicate all this.

> So I'm not sure
> how this issue blocks users from moving to Thunderbird 2. The release notes
> don't say anything about running the 1.5 uninstaller first.

A very wide majority of responsible and reasonable Windows users will understandably want to uninstall TB 1.5.0.x before installing TB 2.x. And I do read
"From the Start menu, choose Control Panel. When the Control Panel appears, double click Add/Remove Programs. Find 'Mozilla Thunderbird (1.5)' in the list and click Remove to uninstall."
taken from Thunderbird Release notes
Uninstalling Thunderbird, Windows
http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/thunderbird/releases/1.5.html#uninstall 

This bug may no longer be a blocker issue but another bug report (bug 378513) should certainly be created+filed so that the release notes are updated accordingly.

--------
> reporter of the
> previous dupe wrote me the uninstall worked fine for her in windows safe mode.

Then such info too (for bug 378513) would be welcomed in an update of TB 1.5 release notes.

Removing Flag requesting blocking thunderbird2

Severity reset to normal

I'm still not sure as to why uninstalling from Control Panel never worked in the first place without being in Windows Safe mode.
Severity: blocker → normal
Flags: blocking-thunderbird2?
Whiteboard: See bug 378513 for workaround
> There's no need to uninstall 1.5 before installing Thunderbird 2. The
> Thunderbird 2 installer removes old incompatible 1.5 files if you are
> installing 2 in the same location as 1.5 using the installer. 

Then that is what the releases notes should say. Scott, a lot of Windows-based users are not complaining without foundation, without a valid reason.

MozillaZine Forum Index /  Thunderbird Support 
Subject line: Cannot uninstall Thunderbird
Date posted: Mar Sat 3rd 2007 9:14am

"My bug is --->'I tried to uninstall it using the standard uninstall procedure. My PC freezes each time I try. I have to reboot to even exit or cancel the install/uninstall window.' "

URL: http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?p=2778074#2778074

MozillaZine Forum Index /  Thunderbird Support 
Subject line: Thunderbird 1.5.0.10 wont uninstall
Date Posted: Apr Thu 19th 2007 3:06pm

"I cant uninstall 1.5.0.10 (...) Using Windows and I even tried to uninstall it with the uninstall.exe . I guess its a habit of uninstalling it. Back in the 0.6 and early days of THunderbird you had to uninstall and delete the folder before installing the new one. "

URL: http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?p=2848867#2848867
I tried to uninstall Thunderbird 2.0.0.0 build 20070326 from Control Panel/Add or remove programs/Remove button and the Uninstall/Remove wizard popped up and uninstalled TB 2 without a problem.
Robert, do you have any idea?
Status: NEW → ASSIGNED
There were several different bugs with the xpinstall installer in 1.5.0.x and this is one of them... as to what is going on with this specific one I don't know. I'm also not the right person to ask since I really haven't spent any time with the xpinstall installer code.
Henrik and Robert,

I believe fixing bug 378513 would be a satisfactory solution for all parties involved. Fixing bug 378513
- would satisfy developers: the uninstall instructions in the TB 1.5 release notes would still apply to all TB 1.5.x users. If, say, the bug gets fixed in TB 1.5.0.12, it would still exist in 1.5.0.11 and lower and there would still be a need to address somehow, somewhat those users and tell them how to uninstall 1.5.0.11 or lower
- would give accurate and correct uninstall instructions to users TB 1.5.0.11 and lower
- volunteers helping out in various support locations (forum newsgroups, mozillazine, support groups, etc) would just have to point to the TB release notes
http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/thunderbird/releases/1.5.html
just like they often/usually/normally do anyway.

My 2 cents
Unless I'm wrong, the bug appeared for the first time with 1.5.0.10 (March 3rd 2007). So only those with 1.5.0.1x could be affected.
Scott, shall we add the uninstall information to the release notes of the next 1.5.0.x release?

Personally I'm not quiet happy with the safe mode instructions. Why this works in safe mode and not in normal mode? Is there any application or service which blocks the uninstaller?

Gerard, can you reproduce this issue? If yes, it would be nice to do some more testing. Close/kill any running application step by step and have a look, if the uninstaller works than. I'm not able to see this behavior on WinXP even there are some reports for that system. And this doesn't start with Thunderbird 1.5.0.10. Bug 337937 reports this issue already for Thunderbird 1.5.0.2.
> Gerard, can you reproduce this issue? If yes, it would be nice to do some more
> testing. 

No, I could not reproduce the issue despite many trials in mid-april. Back on April 18th-20th, I tried many ways to uninstall, then searched for bug reports and then tried to figure out some kind of steps to reproduce the bug or understand what conditions or actions (like installation of an add-on) were involved. 
I didn't understand/couldn't figure out why some Windows-based users could uninstall, say, TB 1.5.0.2 or TB 1.5.0.4 or TB 1.5.0.10 and then why some Windows-based users could not in those same versions.

> Close/kill any running application step by step and have a look, if
> the uninstaller works than. 

I'm sure I tried that on April 18th-April 20th that and the uninstalled did not work.

> I'm not able to see this behavior on WinXP even
> there are some reports for that system. And this doesn't start with 
> Thunderbird
> 1.5.0.10. 
> Bug 337937 reports this issue already for Thunderbird 1.5.0.2.

That's true.
Effort to Uninstall 1.5.0.12 on Windows ME and all I get is a hung Uninstall task in Task Manager.  Fortunately we are near the end of the 1.5.x.x series of builds.
Firefox had this same kind of bug, and specificly with Win 9xME.  There the fix was to revert to the 1.5.0.1 uninstallfirefox.exe inplace of the later uninstall.exe.

the Fx bug is https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=338752
I have found a workable solution.  Problem is the 1.5.0.xx shipping uninstall.exe is incompatable with Windows ME.

I pulled the uninstallthunderbird.exe from the 1.5.0 FTP site and renamed to uninstall.exe in the Tb uninstall folder.  Control Panel Uninstall executed normaly and did process the uninstall leaving only three files behind, uninstall.exe and two files in the chrome folder.

I am now ready to be able to do a clean install of Tb 2.
Interesting. So it's mainly a Win9x/ME issue. The uninstaller at following location works correctly for you?

http://releases.mozilla.org/pub/mozilla.org/thunderbird/releases/1.5/win32/xpi/UninstallThunderbird.zip

Could you test which is the latest uninstaller of 1.5.0.x which is working for you? Due to the lack of a missing WinME I cannot test it on my own. That will help us to get a regression range.
Keywords: regression
Testing was already done, the 1.5.0.12 is the most current release effected by the bug.  This makes the regression range 1.5.0.2 through 1.5.0.12.  This is like the regression range of Fx where it's bug began at 1.5.0.2 through it's last shipping 1.5 branch release.

I anticipate this bug will also effect Win98SE due to ME being 98SE at core with  addition of WBEM, WMI, PC Health and Signed system files.

I sought the older Tb uninstaller do to my prior experience with the Fx bug. Then I came looking for and found this bug to see if the Fx solution had also been found for Tb.

We need to get this information into the hands of the tech support volunteers working mozilla.support.thunderbird. This together with editing the release notes and a warning note on the Tb download page so Win9X users can take proper corrective action.  That also indicates a link to a zip package for Win9X users.
Darin, could you have a look please on this which affects the Thunderbird and Firefox uninstaller (bug 338752)? I have taken a search on Bonsai for changes inside the installer between the dates when Firefox 1.5.0.1 and 1.5.0.2 (we had no Thunderbird 1.5.0.1) was released. I got three bugs were patches went into the 1.8.0 branch for this timeframe:

http://bonsai.mozilla.org/cvsquery.cgi?treeid=default&module=all&branch=MOZILLA_1_8_0_BRANCH&branchtype=match&dir=mozilla%2Fbrowser%2Finstaller+mozilla%2Fmail%2Finstaller&file=&filetype=match&who=&whotype=match&sortby=Date&hours=2&date=explicit&mindate=2006-02-17+00%3A00%3A00&maxdate=2006-04-21+23%3A59%3A59&cvsroot=%2Fcvsroot

Bug 328886 - Talkback not being updated properly
Bug 319319 - Remove incompatible MyWebSearch toolbar on install or upgrade if found in old version to prevent launching a broken browser
Bug 320504 - Prompt users to submit feedback when uninstalling FF

Especially the last one made the same changes to the uninstallation process for both products. I think that this bug could be a regression of your 1.8.0 branch patch?
(In reply to comment #19)
> I tried to uninstall Thunderbird 2.0.0.0 build 20070326 from Control Panel/Add
> or remove programs/Remove button and the Uninstall/Remove wizard popped up and
> uninstalled TB 2 without a problem.
> 

TB 1.5.0.x is now end-of-life and TB 2 does not have this problem. Resolving.
Status: ASSIGNED → RESOLVED
Closed: 16 years ago
Resolution: --- → INVALID
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