Alright my Techie Friends, I need some helpsuggestions.

I am a Software developer with a company who writes Funeral Home software. One of our clients had our program "uninstall" itself. Our program doesnt install any reg keys. We use a msde database with an specific instance name.

The client is under the impression that Our Software uninstalled itself. The facts are that teh folder in program files is gone, teh msde is uninstalled, and the recycle bin doesnt have any of these files in it. Desktop shortcuts have been removed also. Our guess is that their son performed this act and wont fess up (he does have technical knowledge)

My Question: is there any log in Win XP that we could find the date that the msde was removed? Is there any log of when files were removed?

Help is appreciated. Need to get ducks in a row.

Hi Brian,
I happen to write install programs as a living, so I may be able to help...maybe.

Do you know what the install was written in? If it was Windows Installer, the event log would show a record of all install/uninstall actions.

If not, let me know and I can see what I can dig up.

Jamie

I haven't been using XP for long but doesn't it have a 'System restore' feature? That may be of use in this situation, providing you have access to your client's PC that is

Good thought, but I don't think the system restore will help in the case of a third-party product.
It is basically designed to restore Windows XP if it missing files or corrupt.

Would be nice if it did though...
Jamie

It Should work even with some 3rd party stuff... IF a proper restore point was created by the Used (not a default windows one) atleast in my little experience using it......

Matt is right. I have resored my XP machine to a set point and my games, etc. were still there afterwards.

Shaun

Thanks for the ideas. Unfortunately the user doesnt have a restore point and I dont htink they would even allow our company to attempt that. I was more or less trying to pinpoint the date it was removed from the system. My guess is that either the father or the son removed it and didnt want to take the heat for it.

Is the system unrecoverable as far as the MSDE is concerned?
I was under the impression that the MSDE uninstall removes all application files, but leaves the database files behind in the original MSDE uninstall folder (at least until someone manually deletes it, in which case it goes from accidental to intentional).
Typically, it's bad practice to remove any user modified files or data, just in case of accidental removal...

Jamie:

The Data files are still there. We have fixed the problem. It is more of a "is this covered by our companies support plan?"

This customer has a bit of a history. After we installed our software on their machine, they called and said our software was causing their internet to go haywire. I guess someone took the initiative to delete the msde and then delete our client files, desktop icons, etc. But that didnt solve their internet prob. Next thing I know they call back and tell me its their router. Then they called back 2 weeks later and say that our software has dissipeared from their machines and that it must have deleted itself.

Thanks again everyone for their help. I just wanted to try and point out to them when our program was installed and prove that none of our support people were on with them.

Glad to hear that you have recovered the data.
I have heard of clients like that, and makes me happy that I deal with corporations...sometimes.

Like I said, if you use windows installer, the Application tab in the Event Viewer will display all Windows Installer actions, including removal, with the tell tale timestamp you are looking for.

I have heard of applictions uninstalling themselves due to Windows Installer "repairing' itself, but it's not very common, and usually takes much less than 2 weeks to occur.

Jamie