Uninstalling Pre-RTM Visual Studio Express builds (CTPs or Betas)

Here are a set of resources to use before installing the RTM versions of VS or the .NET Framework. 

The main key is to uninstall SQL Express, VS, and MSDN *before* uninstall the .NET Framework. 

If you don't, you will end up with some orphaned files in the GAC which will lead to package load failures. Aaron's blog has some suggestions on how to clean that up.

Tools and Tips on Uninstalling Previous VS 2005 Releases
Official: http://lab.msdn.microsoft.com/vs2005/uninstall/

Official: http://lab.msdn.microsoft.com/vs2005/uninstall/preRTMuninstall/default.aspx

astebner: http://blogs.msdn.com/astebner/archive/2005/11/09/491118.aspx

astebner: http://blogs.msdn.com/astebner/archive/2005/10/30/487096.aspx
astebner: http://blogs.msdn.com/astebner/archive/2005/10/27/485987.aspx
astebner: http://blogs.msdn.com/astebner/archive/2005/09/27/474744.aspx
astebner: http://blogs.msdn.com/astebner/archive/2005/07/01/434814.aspx
astebner: http://blogs.msdn.com/astebner/archive/2005/04/19/409555.aspx

ReadMe Documenation:
http://lab.msdn.microsoft.com/express/readme/
http://lab.msdn.microsoft.com/teamsystem/readme.aspx

-Bret Grinslade
VS/.NET Setup Team



Answer this question

Uninstalling Pre-RTM Visual Studio Express builds (CTPs or Betas)

  • sdfgsdf

    Bret Grinslade   THANK FOR HELPING ME OUT WITH THE PROBLEM WITH WINDOWS PROGRAM, I AM DISABLED MY COMPUTER IS MY WAY OF TALKING TO FRIENDS THAT I CAN'T WALK TO SEE, AS I HAVE SPINE PROBLEM! YOU SURE HAVE A BIG HEART THNKS LIKE GETTIN EARLY CHRISTMAS GIFT!! IF I CAN EVER BE OF HELP TO YOU JUST ASK FOR redheadedsnookie OKAY, THANKS AGAIN REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE TROUBLE YOU WENT TO HELP ME OUT OF A MESS!!! Smile
  • rich4542

     THE RED SNOOKIE wrote:
    THANK FOR YOUR ANSWERS TO MY PROBLEMS OF UPGRADING THEY HELED ME GREATLY!!!
     IF YOU EVER NEED ANYTHING JUST CONTACT ME TO SEE IF I WOULD BE ABLE TO HELP YOU OUT THE SAMEWAY YOU, HAVE HELPED ME, YOU KNOW THE E-MAIL ADDRESS PLEASE EXCEOPT MY MANY THANKS FOR YOUR HELP WITH MY PROBLEMS I WAS HAVING YOU ARE A LIFE SAVER!!!
                               YOUR KINDLY & RELIEVED GREATLY
                                          RED SNOOKIE

  • Alvin_D

    THANK FOR YOUR ANSWERS TO MY PROBLEMS OF UPGRADING THEY HELED ME GREATLY!!!
     IF YOU EVER NEED ANYTHING JUST CONTACT ME TO SEE IF I WOULD BE ABLE TO HELP YOU OUT THE SAMEWAY YOU, HAVE HELPED ME, YOU KNOW THE E-MAIL ADDRESS PLEASE EXCEOPT MY MANY THANKS FOR YOUR HELP WITH MY PROBLEMS I WAS HAVING YOU ARE A LIFE SAVER!!!
                               YOUR KINDLY & RELIEVED GREATLY
                                          RED SNOOKIE

  • Jacek Jablonski

    Hi:

    Checkout another post on this forum detailing similar registration problems - hopefully, some of those suggestions will help: http://forums.microsoft.com/MSDN/ShowPost.aspx PostID=103653&SiteID=1

    Also, have you looked at the Registration FAQ   http://lab.msdn.microsoft.com/express/register/faq/default.aspx

    Thanks,
    Ravenna

  • duckling24451

    Hi,

    I've gone from Beta2 to the release version of c# express and a project now is doing really weird stuff.  Lots of error messages and warnings to do with the code produced by the designer.  I started to debug - duplicate names where previously there had been none but found myself going round in circles - things I'd fixed came back - sometimes it built, then it wouldn't.

    So i've stopped, this reminds me of the weird stuff that happened when moving from beta1 to beta2 which was fixed by an unisnstall tool but this time I was really careful following the uninstall instructions (Once bitten twice shy!).

    Any advice on what to do next   Uninstall c# express   follow the beta manual uninstall procedure, reinstall, different order, different things

    Any and all advice greatfully received.
    Thanks
    Steve

  • Eric Wisdahl

    Despite I followed the instructions, trying to upgrade from beta2 broke all msvc's installations, including my msvc7.1 one.
    In the end, the installer told me i had to install service pack 2.

    The problem with SP2 is that it doesn't work on my computer (windows won't boot but in safe mode).

    I managed to uninstall SP2, but i'm now left without any working msvc version. Hopefully, i have gcc as a replacement.

    I wish Microsoft did more testing on their upgrade system. It's always so risky and painful to upgrade that I often delay any upgrade until it's absolutely necessary, which leaves no time for failures.


  • Luis Sa

    THANK YOU FR THE HELP I APPRECIATE VERY MUCH FOR THE TROUBLE OF YOU GIVING INFORMATION I NEEDED FOR MY P.C. AS I SAID "I REALLY APPRECIATE IT VRERY MUCH!"THANKS AGAINSmile
  • darach

    Hello guys!!

    I am having problem in installing Visual C# 2005 express on my pc (windows xp with service pack2).as soon as I run setup.exe , setup aborts after cpying files.I am getting frust after many attempts . Please Help me out.

    Thanks in advance.



  • Database Whiz

    I uninstalled all of the beta2 programs that I could find, and then ran the uninstall tool. The uninstall tool said there were pre-RTM components installed, but was unable to remove them. I installed C# Express successfully but am unable to install SQL Express. It gets most of the way through the installation, but then reports that "SQL Server Setup Failed to complete the Managed Object Format (MOF) file C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\90\Shared\sqlmgmproviderxpsp2up.mof".

    What to do

    Thanks,

    Eric

    PS. How do I read the replies to this post



  • Tony Thomas

     THE RED SNOOKIE wrote:
    Bret Grinslade   THANK FOR HELPING ME OUT WITH THE PROBLEM WITH WINDOWS PROGRAM, I AM DISABLED MY COMPUTER IS MY WAY OF TALKING TO FRIENDS THAT I CAN'T WALK TO SEE, AS I HAVE SPINE PROBLEM! YOU SURE HAVE A BIG HEART THNKS LIKE GETTIN EARLY CHRISTMAS GIFT!! IF I CAN EVER BE OF HELP TO YOU JUST ASK FOR redheadedsnookie OKAY, THANKS AGAIN REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE TROUBLE YOU WENT TO HELP ME OUT OF A MESS!!! Smile


  • HydraXL

    I know this is not the proper place to post this question but it's been more than 2 week since I posted this and I need help here. please see my post at http://forums.microsoft.com/MSDN/ShowPost.aspx PostID=138465&SiteID=1

    anybody there who wants to help me out

    Sad

  • Tobias0815

     THE RED SNOOKIE wrote:
    THANK YOU FR THE HELP I APPRECIATE VERY MUCH FOR THE TROUBLE OF YOU GIVING INFORMATION I NEEDED FOR MY P.C. AS I SAID "I REALLY APPRECIATE IT VRERY MUCH!"THANKS AGAINSmile


  • Uninstalling Pre-RTM Visual Studio Express builds (CTPs or Betas)