Question Win 10 upgrade from Win 7 fails - need remove incompatible programs

allenp

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Aug 27, 2007
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I have downloaded the upgrade CD to change from W10 from W7. It says it will keep my original W7 license and all my programs when it does the upgrade. When I start the upgrade it checks the old system and stops and says I need to manually uninstall two incompatible programs - Ahead Nero and Winzip 6.3-8.0. I had attempted to install them in W7 some years ago during the initial install, but they were rejected as incompatible for W7 as well. I exited the install CD and checked the installed programs, and they do not appear there. W7 did accept the Nero Digital video program, and I uninstalled that. I did find a Nero directory in Programs (x86) after the uninstall and I deleted that. No folders for winzip were found. I find no entries for those programs in msconfig. I went thru regedit and deleted any registry entries that mentioned nero or winzip. I ran a registry cleaner and cleaned up any registry entries with invalid addresses.

I ran the upgrade program again and it still faults saying to manually delete those programs. The only option it gives me is to wipe the entire drive and install a clean copy of W10. I need many of the programs that I have installed and configured in W7 , but many new programs will only install in W10. Where is the install program looking and finding these non existant programs, and how do I delete them manually?
 

britechguy

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In a case like this it sounds like one of two things has happened: The program uninstaller burped at some stage, leaving traces behind that it should not have, or the program uninstaller was just not thorough about removing everything it installed.

This is a case where a utility such as Revo Uninstaller can be used to remove all traces of the offending programs before attempting the upgrade again.
 
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allenp

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The Revo Uninstaller only finds the programs windows finds in its uninstall programs app. I tried an older version of Revo and downloaded the newest free version same results. It will clear out deleted files and old histories, but when you try the option to search for left over files from uninstalled programs there is no execute or clear option just an OK and it does nothing. A search for the files Ahead, Nero, and WinZip immediately yield nothing so it doesn't search for anything. I did all the things it does manually, and my system is clean of these files, but the W10 install program says they are still there and needs to remove manually and it will not continue until that is done. Where is that install program looking for other installed programs? Is it somewhere in the Windows directory? Most files there are only named with numbers and letters like registry entries and cannot be located manually. My Revo doesn't find left over files. What do I do now?
 

britechguy

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I have no idea. I have never had an instance where if Revo didn't find something the Windows 10 installer did.

I would consider calling Microsoft support on this. Since they really want as many people on Windows 10 as possible they're pretty good about providing support for those who have "stuck" Windows 10 upgrade processes.