wtf firefox just deletet 15gb on my disk!!!

Dunderklumpen · Post by **Dunderklumpen** » May 8th, 2004, 12:24 am

Vectorspace wrote:No-one stops to check the path, since common sense says it will work.

I agree and the reason for not checking is that some installers automatically adds the name of the software when creating the new directory - they just do not show the whole and complete path during installation.

The question is actually "Should I wipe out most your installed files in C:\program files\ - and I do mean c:\program files\ ?"

No user will ever belive that and no one can expect them to either. An installer should stay way from any file that was not installed there during the installation. A filelist would do it and other installers have it and it works so I do not get why this one can not have it also. Simple as that.

mikeymike · Post by **mikeymike** » May 8th, 2004, 2:59 am

I just downloaded the 0.8 installer from here: http://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/mozilla.org/ ... up-0.8.exe
And I used Winiff to compare it to the version I already had, which I downloaded in Februrary.

Windiff declares them identical.

Ok, that is poor.

finuvir · Post by **finuvir** » May 8th, 2004, 5:23 am

Racer wrote:Vigil: how would completely solving the problem (with probably about 5 lines of code) be obnoxious?

It doesn't completely solve the problem. I install Firefox to <code>C:\Program Files\Mozilla\Firefox\</code>. The directory <code>C:\Program Files\Mozilla\</code> has several other applications in it, including several versions of some of them (for testing extensions). If I accidentally installed to <code>C:\Program Files\Mozilla\</code> and then ran the uninstaller I could potentially lose my mail client and several testing browsers.

The solution is obviously to remove the uninstaller's ability to delete whole directories and make the installer less likely to trick people into installing in the wrong place.

sboulema · Post by **sboulema** » May 8th, 2004, 5:34 am

does the thunderbird (un)installer also have this bug?

scratch · Post by **scratch** » May 8th, 2004, 5:51 am

it's the same installer, so I'm sure it does.

Dunderklumpen · Post by **Dunderklumpen** » May 8th, 2004, 5:55 am

Great - both software got it.
Even more reason to ask why is still there and why not use a open source installer instead?

sboulema · Post by **sboulema** » May 8th, 2004, 5:58 am

scratch wrote:it's the same installer, so I'm sure it does.

hmmm, hope they fix it soon

Post by **BenBasson** » May 8th, 2004, 5:58 am

It would surely have been possible to withdraw the installer until it was fixed, and rely on the zip file system?

Serious dataloss issues should have blocked the installer release, period. There's a rather nasty bug in the nightly installer builds at the moment, and IMO, that should have been prioritised too.

Dunderklumpen · Post by **Dunderklumpen** » May 8th, 2004, 5:59 am

I second that, fully.

Another user:

http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?t=64871

bobharvey · Post by **bobharvey** » May 8th, 2004, 12:44 pm

mikeymike wrote:It has been sorted out.

So why are all the issues still open?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » May 8th, 2004, 5:10 pm

Wait, wait, wait. Firefox 0.8 uninstall does that, but only on Windows XP and only if you do a Windows Update and then don't restart, right? If so, it should be easy for lister to safely uninstall without losing Program Files, just by not doing it after a Windows Update run.

Incidentally, I've uninstalled before on Windows 98 (non SE) without problems. Of course, I don't think I've ever run Windows Update, either...

Guest · Post by **Guest** » May 8th, 2004, 5:16 pm

finuvir wrote:lushan you don't need to use the uninstaller to get rid of Firefox. Just delete the Firefox folder (C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\) and the profiles folder (C:\Documents and Settings\[username]\Application Data\Phoenix\).

Hrm, that leaves stuff in the registry though, doesn't it? When I manually deleted installed programs on my other comp, you'd still see their names listed when you ran Add/Remove Programs from the Control Panel...

finuvir · Post by **finuvir** » May 8th, 2004, 5:42 pm

Is Firefox in the Add/Remove programs list? I don't think it adds anything significant (or at all?) to the registry, it certainly can work without it (it didn't have an installer/uninstaller for a long time). The uninstaller may remove references to Firefox as the default browser or something but that'll clear itself up as soon as you choose a new default anyway.

I know it's not usually a good idea to just deletee software but in this case I know its safe.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » May 8th, 2004, 9:19 pm

Wait is it safe to remove firefox? Will it delete my files when I uninstall and upgrade when the next version comes out?

Dunderklumpen · Post by **Dunderklumpen** » May 9th, 2004, 2:57 am

I would not use the installer or recommend anyone to use it.

. Get the zip
. Rename the software directory (Mozilla Firefox_old)
. Make a new directory (Mozilla Firefox)
. Unzip the new version with all folders intact in there
. Done!

If things does not work as the should just delete the new directory, rename the old back as it was.