Install and Uninstall Easily

[This is preliminary documentation and subject to change.]

Installation is one of the most important and sensitive areas for a user or administrator. First impressions are lasting, and a trouble-free installation is the best kind of first impression to make.

Also, a user or administrator needing to remove an application expects to be provided an easy, automated way to do so.

Designed for Microsoft® Windows® Logo requirements that relate to this goal are listed below. The list is just a summary. To qualify for the Designed for Windows Logo, you must comply with all stipulations of the requirement reference text to which the list refers.

Installing and Removing Applications

• Use Windows installer.
• Provide graphical 32-bit setup.
• Provide attended and/or silent installation.
• Detect versions when installing.
• Create working shortcuts during installation.
• Support Autoplay of CD-ROMs.
• Support Add/Remove Programs if not on CD-ROM.
• Check operations in advance when installing.
• Provide a fully automated uninstaller.
• Register uninstaller and make it appear in Add/Remove Programs.
• Uninstall from Add/Remove Programs.
• Remove all application files during uninstall.
• Remove all references from the Start menu during uninstall.
• Remove registry entries during uninstall.
• Remove uninstaller during uninstall.

Installing and Removing Individual Components

• Do not overwrite core components.
• Do not decrement or remove core components during uninstall.
• Register all shared components during installation.
• Do not register self-registering components during installation.
• Do not ref-count core components during installation.
• Decrement the count on shared components while uninstalling.
• Leave a zero count if not removing a component during uninstall.