Registry Cleaner ( for "GenuTax" et al.)

[ChrisGreaves]

The nice folks at GenuTax have suggested that my failure to install their latest version may be due to a corrupt registry. GenuTax recommended I run a MS cleaner which downloaded to my hard drive as the 219KB "MicrosoftProgram_Install_and_Uninstall.meta.diagcab".
I ran that, GenuTax was not on the list and so MS said "Sorry!".

I rebooted and tried the GenuTax reinstall, just in case, but nope. I still get the installation error 2503

20210301_04.png

I have had faith in GenuTax for many years. MSWindows not so much.

Solution(1): So before I email back to the nice folks at GenuTax, might someone please recommend an all-singing all-dancing Registry Cleaner that does deep, deep scouring of the registry.


Solution(2): If I can't install GenuTax I shall have to reinstall Windows⁽¹⁾, because since I retired, I have the most fun all year when GenuTax does my tax return and I learn yet again that I pay no taxes.


Solution(3): I have anticipated that another solution might be to uninstall any existing version of GenuTax, but there ought not be any previous versions on this six-month old laptop.


Solution(4): I have anticipated that another solution might be to install and run this year's version of GenuTax on one of the two other, Win7, laptops somewhere in this house.


Thanks
Chris
⁽¹⁾It's been over six months since I last did a factory reset, so I'm about due

[JoeP]

You can try the portable version of Revo Uninstaller Free or Bulk Crap Uninstaller.

Also, if the installer is a .exe file did you use "run as administrator"?

[stuck]

Before you scour the registry:

1) Is your problem that you are running an update installer, i.e. the installer is trying to update an existing installation when, as you said, there shouldn't be a version of GenuTax on this (new) laptop?

2) If you still feel compelled to scour the registry, Ccleaner will do that and find all sorts of redundant stuff in there.

3) Before you do use Ccleaner, try Revo Uninstaller, the version:
    https://www.revouninstaller.com/start-f ... -download/

Download it, install it (I know, I know, the irony of installing an uninstaller) and run it. It will display a list of all the installed applications on your machine. If version of GenuTax exists on your machine, it will be in that list. If so, select that line and use the uninstal button at the top. Revo will first invoke the application's built in uninstaller but once that's done it will then scan for stuff the unistaller doesn't bother to uninstall. Pick the most advanced type of scan. If Revo doesn't find GenuTax, I refer you to point 1)

Ken

[John Gray]

If some firm recommended that *I* run a Registry "Cleaner" on my PC, I would run for the hills...

[ChrisGreaves]

Also, if the installer is a .exe file did you use "run as administrator"?

THANK YOU JOEP! You win the man-of-the-(tax)year award!!

You appear as "SUGGESTION (16)" in the attached document.
Summary: GenuTax installed and ran on two other laptops (Win7) which proved only that the installation exe was not corrupt. My production machine is Win10.
This business of "Administrator" bugs the heck out of me. My User account (Chris074) is set with Administrator privileges, but as in "Nineteen Eighty-Four", it seems that some Administrators are more equal than others.

Whatever, my return is in, I owe no taxes, and I can get back to scrubbing the cupboard doors before Kerry arrives to stain them.

Thanks for all your suggestions.
I shall play around with Bulk Crap Uninstaller in my Copious.
Cheers
Chris

[ChrisGreaves]

1) Is your problem that you are running an update installer, i.e. the installer is trying to update an existing installation when, as you said, there shouldn't be a version of GenuTax on this (new) laptop?

Hi Ken.
This machine was bought in June2020, long after I had submitted my 2019 tax return, so there was no previous version on this (Acer/Win10) machine.

... try Revo Uninstaller, ... If version of GenuTax exists on your machine, it will be in that list.

I have been using RevoUninstaller since I first learned about it on Eileen's Lounge (or an earlier incarnation) and quickly became confident with "Select All" and "Delete All".
That said, there are often enough utility applications that I have installed that do not show up in Revo. I suspect that they are small-footprint installations. For those I shrug and use Everything.exe to track them down and delete the host folder.

Untitled.png

That said, you are correct in your statement; GenuTax does show up in Revo's list. In that sense GenuTax is well-behaved towards Revo.
Thanks again
Chris

[ChrisGreaves]

If some firm recommended that *I* run a Registry "Cleaner" on my PC, I would run for the hills...

Me?
I run to Eileen's Lounge!
Cheers
Chris

[John Gray]

If some firm recommended that *I* run a Registry "Cleaner" on my PC, I would run for the hills...

Me?
I run to Eileen's Lounge!
Cheers
Chris

Then don't come running to me if it all goes horribly wrong...
One will only say: "One told one so..."