In Windows 10 "Apps & Features" Inkscape was showing up twice. I decided to use the Uninstall button and remove Inkscape to see if that would remove both of these entries. It did not. I am left with an Inkscape 1.3.0 entry (the one that uninstalled was version 1.3.2).
If I click on the one left in "Apps & Features" (version 1.3.0) and click on the Uninstall button it pops up a window that says:
"Windows cannot find 'C:\Program Files\Inkscape\Uninstall.exe'. Make sure you typed the name correctly, and then try again"
How do I remove this left over part of Inkscape from my system? Is it some files left over or a something in the registry left over?
It uninstalls completely from Ubuntu and Debian just fine. Just sayin. Sometimes WinDOHs is just like that. I am sure there is a solution but I bet you will find it on a WinDOHs user forum where there are people expert at solving problems with that abominable OS. Have you tried simply removing the shortcut? I am sure you must have. A registry search might turn up something but monkeying around with the registry on rare occasions can have unpleasant consequences. Even with Linux, I always refresh my backup before doing anything exotic. Especially changing any system files or even app configuration files.
The registry hasn't really worked out all that well for that OS. I was ready to abandon it already, when W8 came out and sent me screaming in terror and anguish as fast as my fingers could type. I installed Ubuntu 12.04 and never looked back. But I feel your pain. You need ideas from a Windows expert, not an Inkscape expert, I think.
Brain fart here. Right click and see if there is anything in the popup menu that could tell you if Inkscape is installed for all users or just your user account. If for all users on your computer, try creating another user account, log out, log into the new account, and see if the shortcut shows up there. That will help you to figure out where those stubborn files reside, for possible manual deletion. Another avenue to investigate, AFTER YOU BACK UP YOUR HARD DRIVE, is log on as root and see if you can uninstall from there, log out and back in as user, and see if it is still there. Anytime you do anything that could in your wildest dreams break your OS, do a backup. In fact I perform a full incremental backup every day of the computers that I frequently use, using a script that utilizes a utility called rsync. It checks every single file for changes since last backup, and backs up only files that have changed, with the latest backup using only links to unchanged files. Easier to do it than explain it. Packaged backup utilities almost always fail to do the job you think they are supposed to do. Again, ask the WinDOHs experts about what method works best for backups. Just copying your regular user files often leaves you to re-do all your program configuration settings from scratch, if you have to reinstall your OS. Bummer. If you don't have a system recovery disk, see if you can still make one from your W10 installation. It might already reside on a separate partition on your hard drive, though, but you will probably still want a recovery or boot disk ready to go.
You should also look in your program files directory, probably "C:/Program FIles" or "C:/Program Files (x86)" if memory serves me, and if you see anything that says "Inkscape" in the name, do not delete, but rename the directory or file by prepending "backup" to the name, so if you need to, you can restore those files or directories easily by removing "backup" from the name. I even use that trick in Linux sometimes, when I am not entirely sure of the wisdom of deleting something or changing permissions. Once again, be sure you have a rock solid backup of your hard drive before doing crazy stuff.
One novel solution would be to simply coexist with the issue, if it isn't hurting anything. I always found that it was easier to ignore or tolerate most windows hiccups rather than try to repair them. Next time you do a complete re-install, all the garbage should go away. If not, from your boot disk, format your entire windows drive, usually C:/. An experienced Windows geek holding your hand through the whole process will give you peace of mind. Windows has never done a very good job of housekeeping itself IME, and I always found it best to do a complete format and reinstall about once a year, anyway. All the Linux distros I have tried in the last 20 years or so have been much better in that regard. Actually, only RedHat, when it first came out, really gave me problems.
I do think this is a registry issue. I actually have this happening on several computers I have and a couple that are on friend's computers.
Due to whatever is left over in the registry (or wherever) Windows thinks Inkscape is installed. When I pull up "App & Features" in Windows settings or if I use a third party utility like UninstallView they both think that Inkscape 1.3.0 is installed. In fact the WIndows "winget" utility thinks it is installed.
I would really like a way to clean this up so that Inkscape 1.3.0 is completely off the system.
Have you tried uninstalling from Control Panel instead? On Windows 11, I'm asked if I would like to remove Inkscape from the Programs and Features list.
I went to Control Panel and then selected Programs and Features. Once this list was up I selected Inkscape 1.3.0 to be uninstalled.
I was presented with a prompt window that said:
"An error occurred while trying to uninstall Inkscape. It may have already been uninstalled. Would you like to remove Inkscape from the Programs and Features list?"
I clicked Yes on this prompt. That seems to have corrected the issue. Now Inkscape 1.3.0 is not showing up as an installed program.
I next installed the latest version of Inkscape and all seems okay as there is now only one Inkscape entry showing up (version 1.3.2).
Beginners' Questions Can't completely uninstall Inkscape from Windows
Inkscape.org
Hello,
In Windows 10 "Apps & Features" Inkscape was showing up twice. I decided to use the Uninstall button and remove Inkscape to see if that would remove both of these entries. It did not. I am left with an Inkscape 1.3.0 entry (the one that uninstalled was version 1.3.2).
If I click on the one left in "Apps & Features" (version 1.3.0) and click on the Uninstall button it pops up a window that says:
"Windows cannot find 'C:\Program Files\Inkscape\Uninstall.exe'. Make sure you typed the name correctly, and then try again"
How do I remove this left over part of Inkscape from my system? Is it some files left over or a something in the registry left over?
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks!
It uninstalls completely from Ubuntu and Debian just fine. Just sayin. Sometimes WinDOHs is just like that. I am sure there is a solution but I bet you will find it on a WinDOHs user forum where there are people expert at solving problems with that abominable OS. Have you tried simply removing the shortcut? I am sure you must have. A registry search might turn up something but monkeying around with the registry on rare occasions can have unpleasant consequences. Even with Linux, I always refresh my backup before doing anything exotic. Especially changing any system files or even app configuration files.
The registry hasn't really worked out all that well for that OS. I was ready to abandon it already, when W8 came out and sent me screaming in terror and anguish as fast as my fingers could type. I installed Ubuntu 12.04 and never looked back. But I feel your pain. You need ideas from a Windows expert, not an Inkscape expert, I think.
Brain fart here. Right click and see if there is anything in the popup menu that could tell you if Inkscape is installed for all users or just your user account. If for all users on your computer, try creating another user account, log out, log into the new account, and see if the shortcut shows up there. That will help you to figure out where those stubborn files reside, for possible manual deletion. Another avenue to investigate, AFTER YOU BACK UP YOUR HARD DRIVE, is log on as root and see if you can uninstall from there, log out and back in as user, and see if it is still there. Anytime you do anything that could in your wildest dreams break your OS, do a backup. In fact I perform a full incremental backup every day of the computers that I frequently use, using a script that utilizes a utility called rsync. It checks every single file for changes since last backup, and backs up only files that have changed, with the latest backup using only links to unchanged files. Easier to do it than explain it. Packaged backup utilities almost always fail to do the job you think they are supposed to do. Again, ask the WinDOHs experts about what method works best for backups. Just copying your regular user files often leaves you to re-do all your program configuration settings from scratch, if you have to reinstall your OS. Bummer. If you don't have a system recovery disk, see if you can still make one from your W10 installation. It might already reside on a separate partition on your hard drive, though, but you will probably still want a recovery or boot disk ready to go.
You should also look in your program files directory, probably "C:/Program FIles" or "C:/Program Files (x86)" if memory serves me, and if you see anything that says "Inkscape" in the name, do not delete, but rename the directory or file by prepending "backup" to the name, so if you need to, you can restore those files or directories easily by removing "backup" from the name. I even use that trick in Linux sometimes, when I am not entirely sure of the wisdom of deleting something or changing permissions. Once again, be sure you have a rock solid backup of your hard drive before doing crazy stuff.
One novel solution would be to simply coexist with the issue, if it isn't hurting anything. I always found that it was easier to ignore or tolerate most windows hiccups rather than try to repair them. Next time you do a complete re-install, all the garbage should go away. If not, from your boot disk, format your entire windows drive, usually C:/. An experienced Windows geek holding your hand through the whole process will give you peace of mind. Windows has never done a very good job of housekeeping itself IME, and I always found it best to do a complete format and reinstall about once a year, anyway. All the Linux distros I have tried in the last 20 years or so have been much better in that regard. Actually, only RedHat, when it first came out, really gave me problems.
Thanks for your reply GrowleyMonster.
I do think this is a registry issue. I actually have this happening on several computers I have and a couple that are on friend's computers.
Due to whatever is left over in the registry (or wherever) Windows thinks Inkscape is installed. When I pull up "App & Features" in Windows settings or if I use a third party utility like UninstallView they both think that Inkscape 1.3.0 is installed. In fact the WIndows "winget" utility thinks it is installed.
I would really like a way to clean this up so that Inkscape 1.3.0 is completely off the system.
Thanks!
Have you tried uninstalling from Control Panel instead?
On Windows 11, I'm asked if I would like to remove Inkscape from the Programs and Features list.
Thanks for your reply Aero.
I went to Control Panel and then selected Programs and Features. Once this list was up I selected Inkscape 1.3.0 to be uninstalled.
I was presented with a prompt window that said:
"An error occurred while trying to uninstall Inkscape. It may have already been uninstalled. Would you like to remove Inkscape from the Programs and Features list?"
I clicked Yes on this prompt. That seems to have corrected the issue. Now Inkscape 1.3.0 is not showing up as an installed program.
I next installed the latest version of Inkscape and all seems okay as there is now only one Inkscape entry showing up (version 1.3.2).
This looks like it fixed my issue.
Thanks!