Cannot uninstall PSE10 after failed install (Windows 7 Home Premium)

Report · Dec 04, 2011

I am trying to install Photoshop Elements 10 from a disk.

The process has gone like this:

I restarted my laptop and made sure it's Windows Updates were up-to-date.
I uninstalled the PSE9 trial that I had on this computer (that had expired a while ago).
Restarted laptop.
Put PSE10 disk 1 into drive and ran Autoplay.exe. [Maybe I accidentally ran it twice as at a later point I vaguely remember seening a message box saying 'can't ran ... at the same time' or something like that]
I chose the 'Install PSE10 option' - with no Premier trial.
The install app opened in a normal way and ran for several minutes while I did something else.
When I next looked it was displaying a message saying something like Couldn't install Shared Technologies...
I looked the issue up on the web and found an Adobe page saying to install Adobe Support Advisor, which I did and this identified the issue as "cpsid_83574r3: Read or write file system errors when installing - Creative Suite 5"
There was also a link to a help page which suggested Uninstalling the program, renaming any remaing PSE10 folders and reinstalling.
So I ran Uninstall - by running Autoplay.exe on the disk (couldn't find any other way).
This quickly produced an error and reported that no changes had been made.
I changed the name of the 'Photoshop Elements 10' and 'Elements 10 Organizer' folders anyway. This involved going into safe mode as the first folder would not delete.
Then I tried reinstalling. But everytime I try to reinstall via autoplay.exe it just offers me the uninstall option and this always fails with error message: Error 2343.Specified path is empty

What do I do next????

Report · Dec 05, 2011

I believe you are receiving the 2343 error since you have now renamed the folders. I would recommend changing the name back and then trying to uninstall by using the Programs and Features option located at Start>Control Panels>Programs & Features. After the uninstall has completed successfully you will then want to rename the folders as solution 1 suggests.

If you are continuing to have difficulties then I would recommend you work through solution 2 located in Install log "Exit 6" or "Exit 7" read, write system file errors | Creative Suite 5, CS5.5.

Report · Dec 09, 2011

Jeff,

I have tried renaming the folders back to what they were - to no effect.

Uninstall does not work either by:

Using Control Panel -> Programs and Features. Photoshop Elements does not appear anywhere in the list of installed programs.
Running the Installation from the disk - it says it's going to do an uninstall and gives a 2343 error and says nothing's been changed.

The link you gave did not seem relevant as it was about looking at the install log and trying to spot the problem there. But the install log I have tells me what happened when I tried to run the original installation process.

I did manage to find the uninstall log.

The bit where things goes wrong looks like:

Action 17:06:45: SetCustomShortCutDir_uninstall.

Action start 17:06:45: SetCustomShortCutDir_uninstall.

Error 2343.Specified path is empty.

MSI (s) (EC:5C) [17:06:48:358]: Product: Adobe Photoshop Elements 10 -- Error 2343.Specified path is empty.

When I search for 'CustomShortCut', I find thsi further down the log

Property(S): CustomShortCutDir = C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\

(I've checked and this directory does exist, but just has a shortcut to the Photoshop Elements 10 exe)

and a bit further down the log I found:

Property(C): CustomShortCutDir = P:\CustomShortCutDir\

This directory didn't exist (obviously). I do have a P: drive (an ordinary partition on my HDD), so I created the dir. But there was no effect the next time I tried to run uninstall.

Report · Dec 09, 2011

Anni_Bello I apologize but I believe your issue is becoming more complex than what we can solve through the forum. For the best assistance, I recommend our chat support at http://adobe.ly/tl8Vx7. Our chat representatives can provide a personalized experience to resolve the issue you have described.

Report · Dec 17, 2011

The chat sorted things out completely .

Tip to technically astute readers who get here from Google: downloading Microsoft Mr Fix It app did the job of uninstalling old trial version perfectly. Then installing new version ran fine.