Msizap.exe

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Msizap.exe

Msizap.exe is a command line utility that removes either all Windows Installer information for a product or all products installed on a computer. Products installed by the installer may fail to function after using Msizap.

On Windows 2000 and Windows XP, administrative privileges are required to use Msizap.exe.

This tool is only available in the Windows SDK Components for Windows Installer Developers and should not be redistributed. Use the recent version of Msizap.exe (version 3.1.4000.2726 or greater) that is available in the Windows SDK Components for Windows Installer Developers for Windows Vista or greater. Lesser versions of Msizap.exe can remove information about all updates that have been applied to other applications on the user's computer. If this information is removed, these other applications may need to be removed and reinstalled to receive additional updates.

Syntax

msizap T[WA!]{product code}

msizap T[WA!]<msi package>

msizap *[WA!] ALLPRODUCTS

msizap PWSA?!

Command Line Options

Msizap.exe uses case-insensitive command line options shown in the following table.

Option	Description
*	Removes all Windows Installer folders and registry keys, adjusts shared DLL counts, and stops Windows Installer service. Also removes the In-Progress key and rollback information.
a	Only changes ACLs to Admin Full Control for any specified removal.
g	For all users, removes any cached Windows Installer data files that have been orphaned.
p	Removes the In-Progress key.
s	Removes Rollback Information.
t	Removes all information for the specified product code. When using this option, enclose the Product Code in curly braces. This option may be used with either the full path to the .msi file or with the product code.
w	Removes Windows Installer information for all users. When this option is not set, only the information for the current user is removed. Use of this option requires that the user's profile be loaded so that the user's per-user registry hive be available.
?	Verbose help.
!	Forces a 'yes' response to any prompt.

Related topics

Released Versions, Tools, and Redistributables

Build date: 5/5/2012

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Community Additions ADD

Massive Installer Folder

How does Microsoft propose cleaning up massive %windir%\Installer folders with lots of orphaned files without this tool?

Willy Drucker

1/16/2012

Don't use MSIZAP or MSICUU2

MSIZAP and MSICUU2 are no longer supported because they have been found to cause problems. Please use the Program Install and Uninstall troubleshooter available here: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2438651

Jeff Ingalls [MSFT]

11/22/2011

cleanuputil.exe - Courtesy of QuickBooks 2010 installer

Launch the QuickBooks 2010 installer, wait for it to unpack its files and then pause on the initial UI page.Open explorer to *TEMP* (environment variable - forum wouldn't allow use of proper name - please replace askterisks with percent signs) and you'll find:

*TEMP*\Pro\QBooks\cleanuputil.exe

Right-click the file to view its properties and you'll see that it's description is "Windows Installer Data Zapper" .. with an Original Filename of "msizap.exe"

While I loathe QuickBooks, I was not surprised to find that they continue to use this otherwise recalled tool. Microsoft pulled the tool, apparently due to other issues it created in the process of "zapping" previously installed apps.

Related note:
If you're about to install QuickBooks 2010, pause on the initial UI, as noted above. Then, consider the following:

1. Rename the folder *TEMP*\Pro\QBooks\googledesktop -- avoid having Google Desktop installed without your approval

2. Rename any / all of the folders under *TEMP*\Pro\ThirdParty\yadayada -- avoid having Flash, Jet, .NET 3.5, or Microsoft Office 2003/2007 Primary Interop Assemblies installed without your approval

Original-Paulie-D

5/19/2011

Alternative Download Location

MsiZap.exe v3.1.4000.2726 and MsiCuu.exe v2.5.0.1 can be downloaded from the following location:$0 $0 $0BROKEN LINK: http://download.microsoft.com/download/e/9/d/e9d80355-7ab4-45b8-80e8-983a48d5e1bd/msicuu2.exe$0 $0 It will be installed in the following folder:$0 $0 $0C:\Program Files\Windows Installer Clean Up$0 $0 For more information, visit:$0 $0 $0http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;290301 $0 $0

Oskar Austegard

4/22/2011

How to get it

Msizap is included with the install of the Microsoft Installer Cleanup Utility. It's a much smaller download than other things that contain it (developer kits, etc.) Install the Microsoft Installer Cleanup Utility after downloading it from a trusted source (at the time of this writing it has been taken down from www.microsoft.com/downloads). I trust majorgeeks, though I didn't download the copy I used from there (I already had it).

http://majorgeeks.com/Windows_Installer_CleanUp_Utility_d4459.html

If that link is dead, search the net for msicuu2.exe. Always run a virus scan on any download you don't trust, and create a restore point before running this type of tool.

Open a command prompt and navigate to the installation directory under c:\Program Files (where msizap is located).

Don't run msizap without knowing what options you want to run it with (for a list of options run msizap /? first).

Thomas Lee

10/5/2010