Cannot uninstall with NI Package manager

[sirwin]

Hello,

I am trying to clean up my computer and uninstall some old labview drivers and suites I don't use anymore (2016, etc.). Whenever I try to uninstall, I get the attached error and the uninstall fails. This happens with every package I try to uninstall (Diadem too).

I tried running it as administrator with no change. Anyone else have this issue?

[Bob_Schor]

With the introduction of the NI Package Manager in LabVIEW 2017, removing LabVIEW routines became much more difficult and fraught with problems.  I've done dozens of installations and un-installations, and I "ruined" two Window 10 machines (I ended up reformatting the C: drive and reinstalling Windows, other software, and LabVIEW) before figuring out how to do it safely.

If you search the Forums for "How to Safely Completely Remove LabVIEW 2018", you'll find my post for the procedure I'm currently running on my PC (I foolishly installed LabVIEW 2018 "on top of" LabVIEW 2016, which broke MAX and LabVIEW Services).  If NIPM is involved (i.e. if you have LabVIEW 2017 or later installed), I would strongly recommend that you not try to remove "some" software, but instead remove everything, including NIPM (using the procedure that I outline).  Once you have no NI Software on your machine, then reinstall what you want.

I am currently working with NI Tech Support to document this problem and (I hope) to get them to work on a "fix", as this is a very serious annoyance.  I'm not holding my breath ...

Bob Schor

[whitecr]

I am also facing the same problem. If you have any solution except formatting please let me know.

[Bob_Schor]

Since my post of six months ago, I've probably done a dozen install/uninstall/reinstall cycles, typically LabVIEW 2016, 2017, and 2018 (all three together), and recently I've added 2019 to the mix.  In all cases, these involved 32-bit LabVIEW running on 64-bit Windows 10.

In all cases, I have been successful when using the "proper" Uninstallers, namely Control Panel, Programs and Features, National Instruments Software and/or NIPM (note that NIPM came in with LabVIEW 2017 -- "pure" LabVIEW 2016 systems probably won't have it unless you are super-agressive about NI Updates).  If NIPM is on your system, do not remove it until you have uninstalled every other piece of NI Software (using either NIPM itself or Control P.anel/Programs and Features).  Also, remember that you use NIPM to uninstall NIPM (and you can't do it if there are other things that it "sees").

A late note -- I have discovered (and reported it to NI, who is checking that this is a "feature" of NIPM 2019) that it is possible to have a system with NIPM that can remove all NI Software but not NIPM!  I found a work-around and documented it in a Service Request -- I understand NI is testing it and will file a CAR if this is, indeed, an "undesirable Feature" (typically referred to using a 3-letter term starting with "b" and ending with "g").  If anyone stumbles upon this situation, send me a PM ...

Bob Schor

[GreyGrey]

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A late note -- I have discovered (and reported it to NI, who is checking that this is a "feature" of NIPM 2019) that it is possible to have a system with NIPM that can remove all NI Software but not NIPM!

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Are you referring to how NI Package Manager is grayed out for uninstallation in the 'Installed' tab? Or did you run into issues uninstalling NIPM from the Windows Add/Remove programs menu?

NIPM intentionally grays itself out to help prevent users from accidentally (or unknowingly) uninstalling Package Manager before removing other all NI software from their machine. I'm not sure if has always had that behavior but I do know that it has had it since at least NIPM 18.0. To uninstall NI Package Manager itself, you uninstall it using the Windows Add/Remove Programs. 

As for any issues that you may be facing while attempting to uninstall software, feel free to post to the NI Package Manager forum. If you get an error indicating that an MSI errorred out or failed, the first step would be to enable MSI logs, and generate them for the install/uninstall by re-running the install/uninstall. Once you have those logs, you can either reach out to support or post to the forum. 

[cgibson]

I have the same issue with a different package. The installer fails at this point and nothing can be removed.

[EZ-TechStop]

I took the painful but sure approach to manage my installations when I needed to add/remove <LabVIEW 2018 when NI package manager was installed and it worked fine:

1.  Remove all software in NI Package Manager

2.  Uninstall NI package manager

3.  Throw package manager out the window (in my imagination)

4.  Install/uninstall any versions off LabVIEW earlier than 2018 (e.g. 2017 sp1, 2012)

5.  Reinstall  LV 2018 or newer adding NI package manager back on the system

6.  Question why I let NI Package Manager on my system

7.  Rinse and repeat if I ever need to change any other versions not supported by NI Package Manager

8.  Warn others of the dangers of installing LabVIEW 2018 on their system if they need to manage multiple versions of LabVIEW to support long life programs/systems

I've succeeded with this process more than once. It took more than 6 hours on a fast NVMe M2 drive and I7 system that is capable and benchmarked at > 2 GB/sec sustained read-write.  If someone has a better solution, I'd love to know.  

[Sunshine_lady]

OMG, I should have seen your reply earlier, now I have suffered the same problem, and I feel this will be a disaster. I have completely remove all of the software and prefer to start over again, but now I even cannot download the NI Manager, the website is loading... So crazy.