The Decompression of %s failed…

Sunday Dec 5th 2004

Warning: Techie post! (grin)

I recently installed Netscape 4.08 (really old browser) on my Windows XP Pro box to test a web site, then I went to uninstall it. I got that all-too-familiar “The decompression of %s failed..” message. No big deal really, I’ll just go and make a c:\temp folder and run the uninstaller (or “deinstall” program as old Netscape calls it). No such luck. A removal program does not exist anywhere in the Netscape directory, which is usually c:\Program Files\Netsacpe\Communicator then whatever whatever.

I scoured the ‘net for a while in the hopes of finding an answer. No such luck except for those stupid PAY SITES that make you pay for tech answers. Um.. no. That’s not what the internet is about, I’m not about to pay 10 bucks for a 5 second solution, thank you very much.

So I get into the registry. Found out that the uninstaller program is actually plopped into the Windows directory itself (like c:\windows) and it’s called c:\windows\uninst.exe. Ran it. Did nothing. Fortunately, that file was placed there by Netscape and wasn’t a spyware app (phew!)

Then I do a ‘net search for this uninst.exe file and how to deinstall Netscape. FINALLY after what seemed like forever I found this message board thread that stated “By the way, an UninstallShield program may fabricate c:\windows\temp”. Oh really..

Sure enough, C:\WINDOWS\TEMP exists. I keep the folder and delete the contents. Then I ran the uninstaller from Add\Remove Programs and guess what - Netscape 4.08 uninstalled just like it was supposed to.

Hallelujah. (grin)

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