# (Resolved) uninstall shield in use



## JennyZ (May 7, 2001)

Help! I am trying to install new software on my computer, but every time it states that "uninstall shield is in use", will need to disable it before continuing. I have tried to find Uninstall Shield on computer, but can't, though I have seen uninstall so and so for different programs. I have to admit to doing a stupid thing. I asked my husband to get rid of a number of computer games that were taking up space on the computer, and he deleted the folders, not uninstalling them. However, he insists he only deleted the specific folders of the particular game, nothing else. However, I'm afraid something important may have gotten deleted. We have the original software to reinstall those programs, but again, can't install any software at this time because of that message. Some details, recently upgraded from Win 95 to Win ME, and have Fix it utilities on computer. 

Jenny


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## brianF (Dec 2, 1999)

Well it is much wiser to use the add remove programs or game specific uninstallers to remove applications, then delete the remnants of the folders afterwords.

Have you done a disk clean up and removed all temporary files from the computer.


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## rogers55 (Mar 25, 2000)

Jenny,

The UninstallShield in Use message usually means that the install program (Installshield) is unable to create a log file that will be used if you uninstall the program later.
If you click on ok, the installation should continue. The downside is that you will not be able to uninstall it using Add/Remove programs later.
This can be a permissions or rights issue not having necessary access to create the file or because an old corrupt log file can't be overwritten.
Reboot and empty the temp directory often fixes it.

Regards,
Roger
P.S. Don't worry about your husbands games, he will just use it as an excuse to buy new ones anyhow.


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## rogers55 (Mar 25, 2000)

Jenny,
I have also gotten that error by starting more than one copy of the installation program at the same time.
For instance if the install screen doesn't show up right away and you click on the Setup icon again then it starts running two instances of the setup.

Roger


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## JennyZ (May 7, 2001)

thanks for all your feedback. I asked around and someone said it might be some kind of virus scan going on in background that may be causing some kind of conflict. I uninstalled my fixit utilities which has an automatic virus scan and it let me install the game. I really appreciate this website, it's a valuable resource when one is "stuck", as I'm sure I will have questions in the future!

Jenny


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