Problem Uninstalling Daz Studio
Crichton
Posts: 8
My version of Daz Studio is corrupted. It first became apparent when I was no longer connecting to my content (cloud based Daz Connect Library). When I attempted to install the latest version, the installer could not uninstall my current version (4.12.1.117 Pro Version). The error message was not informative. Unknown error while running uninstaller.
Then, I noticed that Studio was not listed on the control panel. I found the uninstall program in windows explorer. It gave me an error. App will not run on your PC. Internet searches yielded many ways to uninstall a program not appearing on the control panel. None work. I even attempted to find an uninstaller in the registry. I tried contacting support. They do not respond. Message sent in mid December.
Does anyone have any suggestions? I am desperate! I have never seen this before.
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Comments
How did you install it originally?
Downloaded from their site. I have been updating the program for many years. This is the first time I have had this issue. I go to my account and my product library. Under Daz Studio pro, the latest version exists. Been doing it this way for years.
In case there is still doubt, the program was downloaded from Daz. I spent big money for the original version. They went free shortly thereafter.
So manual installers, rather than Install Manager/Daz Central?
Well,mainly manual installers, but I have also tried Install Manager several times. Everything downloads, then I get a different cryptic error. This file could not be opened for reading. This package cannot be installed. I get the feeling all methods use the same uninstall app. I am probably wrong, but I get the feeling that if windows 10 doesn't see the program, it can't uninstall it. Daz Install Mgr and DazCentral are in the Control Panel - Programs and Features listing, but not Daz Studio. I have a sense of hopelessness. I miss using the program. Plus, I spent a fortune on content.
It was just so strange how all this happened. The program ran fine for a long time. Then, I purchased some urban content from Kitbash3d. It reminded me of some of my past Stonemason city sprawl packages that I bought, but never installed. I could not find it. Eventually, I located one package in Daz's equivalent of being in limbo. It would not install. At this point I still had most of my content available. Persistently, I attempted to install urban sprawl 1 with DazCentral. That is when I lost all my content. I tried to install the latest Studio version. That is when my uninstall failures started.
Daz Studio 4.12.1.117 runs, but if I try to re-install any of the figures, for example, they will not completely install. All my content appears to still be intact on the cloud. I just cannot link to it. When I first open the program, it "successfully" links to my content. Except to doesn't, just the partial installs mentioned earlier.
I'm not a fan of Daz Central nor DIM. Have used DIM only when absolutely necessary for one or two items and then uninstalled it.
So. AFAIK you don't want all your content "on the cloud" [which is where W10 loves to put things]. That's a rather limited storage place considering how much content many of us have ;-) [? might have to also be signed in via whatever M$ uses to guard the cloud too]
I did notice with DIM that everytime I went to change something in DIM, ALL the "where to download to" links had to be reset. So be careful where all the links are leading to before downloading. A few items may need to be manually installed as W10's security will kick up its heels to protect the computer. DIM and whatnot cannot get past those security checks. Basically, anything that ends with .exe tends to install better manually in my experience. [and Hexagon to the C deck, not inside the program folders]
And then of course in D/S the Content Manager has to be told where to find everything.
{DIM is great for downloading 'everything it can' to one location {such as an external hard drive} - and then for to install content to the chosen place be it on an external harddrive, or the D drive or whatever - but set it not to remove the zip folders when done. This is then also your backup collection which is a good idea these days.}
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What I downloaded from Kitbash3d were the .obj files. Those are not 'seen' - they need to be browsed for and imported into the program. A rather time consuming project then to separate out mesh and/or texture it as I recall too. But doable :-)
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To uninstall a troubled program: this may or not work, has worked upon occasion for me:
1. reinstalling the program may uninstall the previous installation as it finds itself. If that does not happen, then uninstall that one and proceed to 2.
2. Close the computer. Boot it up in Safe Mode. [stay disconnected from the 'net]. Then try again to run the deinstaller for D/S. Reinstall the desired D/S edition.
3. Close the computer and open it normally. If D/S is working [hopefully it is], then proceed with dealing with the content, etc.
Thank you Catherine3678ab and Richard Haseltine and Fixmypcmike for your responses. I really appreciate you all sparing some time for me!
Catherine3678ab, yes I am also not a fan of DazCentral. To use a war analogy (I usually use sports analogies, but I need extra drama), I feel like a solder wounded on the battlefield with DazCentral coming to rescue me. It kills me with friendly fire. I, at least, had most of my content available until I used DazCentral. If I understand your step 1, that is what I have been trying since mid-December. I attempt to install a newer (or same) version of Studio. It does see that there is an existing version installed, but the uninstaller fails. The process stops. I do not get a new install.
So, this is where I stand. The Studio installer sees the existing version, but the uninstaller app fails to see it, regardless of the Studio installation method used. Maybe it is relevant to the discussion, maybe not, that Daz Studio does not appear on my control panel listing of programs installed on my computer. I have never noticed that before with any computer I have ever used and I am not young ...unfortunately.
If your safe mode method fails, I am left with a few options. I could go to the Geek squad. I pay them an annual fee to keep my technology running in my home. Sad! But they might have some ideas. Since my main goal is to get my Daz content into iClone and eventually into Unreal, I could fbx my content off my laptop. It has a low memory graphics card which creates frequent lockups. Hence, I bought this better desktop so I could use Studio and other graphics heavy programs. I was procrastinating this misery since December by learning Sustance Designer. Cool program, steep learning curve. Finally, I realized I need my Studio! This is such a crazy problem.
I should put my big disclaimer: I am NOT a professional. I have done this a few times with various programs. The only reason I am sharing of these steps is because the OP has the Geek squad to come by and fix the matter entirely if need be.
If the Control Panel is not showing D/S, then it is likely not installed so there is nothing for the uninstaller to remove. Now anytime a program in uninstalled there can still be some files lying around that need to be removed manually [if it matters]. I have a few places in mind to check so this post will take a few edits to complete.
When doing a clean install, I remove all programs associated with the program - and reinstall them again afterwards. So after uninstalling D/S, in this scenario, I would then uninstall the DAZ PostgreSQL CMS.
Then I would check through the [hidden folders] AppData folders CAREFULLY.
C:\Users\yourname\AppData There are several locations in there in which D/S has some files tucked away. Do NOT touch anything else for any other program - these folders are normally hidden for a reason ;-)
There may [or not] also be some folders tucked away here: C:\Users\Public\Documents
And also in here: C:\Program Files\DAZ 3D {if anything left over in here is from 3rd party installs, "cut" them out and "paste" them elsewhere {like the the desktop} so they can be returned when D/S is again properly installed.}
One set of uninstallers live here: C:\Program Files\DAZ 3D\PostgreSQL CMS\Uninstallers
The other set live here: C:\Program Files\DAZ 3D\DAZStudio4\Uninstallers
Uninstallers can be run from the folder you find them in.
For the Content: One does NOT have to uninstall any of that: just change the name of the folder.
i.e. DriveLetter:\top folder named "A" All that needs be done is rename that folder i.e. "B". Then make an empty folder "A".
When you think it's as clean as it need be, reboot the computer.
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Then manually download the Program installers from the Product Library in your account. The one for D/S, the one for DAZ PostgreSQL CMS. It may be that in installing D/S it also installs DAZ PostgreSQL CMS, if so that's fine. Doesn't hurt to have the file ready to install if need be, and we do need DAZ PostgreSQL CMS.
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Slide the installers over to the Desktop, run the installer for D/S. W10 will stop it. Click the line for more info, then the option to run it anyways appears. Go have a coffee or something. Make sure any options for where you want it installing to are clear. We do not move program files around once they are installed.
When it is finished, close the installer [do not have it launching anything]. There should be a desktop icon to launch the program with. You click or double-click on that and hopefully the program launches. Hopefully it does {because that's about all the ideas I have on the matter}. Don't worry about any can't find messages or missing content atm. Close the program. Go back to the place where you had renamed the Top folder. The one you had renamed "A" may now have some content in it from the installation. That's fine. "All" the content you have in the renamed folder "B" then gets merged back into "A" however you like doing that. The fastest way is to rename that "B" back to "A" and tell the OS to merge the folders. Time to get another coffee or whatever. Actually I prefer Pepsi ;-) Okay ... Now, when that appears to be all done. All the folders completed their tasks ... reboot the computer.
Then open D/S, make sure the Content Manager Directory has the correct paths for where the content is ... open up the Content Library Tab ... everything should be there. IF you use Smart Content there is an option to get the program to reread all the meta files so it can work properly too.
~ end of transmission ~ Good luck ~ Hang in there ~ ;-)
Catherine, thank you so much for your efforts!!! Support got back to me on Wednesday. Yesterday, I started to prepare my home for the coming Arctic blast. We Houstonians are not accustomed to near single digit temperatures. I am really worried about a stray cat that ! have started to feed.
Regardless, support said that all I had to do was delete DazStudio4.exe then install the new version. I don't think either one of us thought that would work. I tried it. Well, all my cloud based content is grayed out. At least I can see it all and it appears, so far, that I can re-install it. A few tests have worked on figures. I will continue testing. It appears that the cloud is not a reliable storage location. Where do you put your installed content?
BTW, Daz Studio still does not appear on my control panel listing. The mystery continues. Off to dig out numerous plumerias. Thank you so much!
It isn't in the 'cloud', it is on your computer in a folder named "cloud". I hate Connect as it relies entirely on the CMS database. Install with DIM and can always find your content in the Content Library pan under either DAZ Studio Formats or Poser Formats, Categories and Products also rely on the database.
You mean to say that 'somebody' decided to name some important folder "cloud"
- we definitely needs some new smilies ... guess this is where a "no comment" is best as to what I think of that idea, wowser. Guys, W10 LOVES TO MOVE THINGS TO CLOUD storage. If we are not carefully W10 will be "helpful" ... and there is not enough storage on that cloud. [to get more storage would be $$$ of course].
Not only did that 'somebody' decide to call that folder "cloud", but also completely ignored the resulting path length, which I have already seen mentioned here as causing problems...
We Canadians tend to be amused when cold weather and snow goes where it's not normally found. Single digit, that's WARM. Wait 'til it get to minus 50. That's cold. Stray cat should be fine, a nice shelter with a blanket might be nice. Safe from dogs of course. Or open the door, if it's cold enough and it's smart enough, it'll come in. No direct eye contact, blink, close an eye now and then, i.e. no staring ... talk to it like it's the cutiest little kitten you ever saw. Could bring some memories of better days so it'll trust you. No scolding it for anything ... keep a litterbox with sand or litter in it, handy and hope it uses it.
Okay. D/S is installed and content is installing and working. Good so far. Wonky control panel. hmm ... just curious, can you manually see the folders that it's in, like is it really installed into C:\Program Files\DAZ 3D\DAZStudio4 ?
Where do I put my installed content. My laptop has a C and D drive. Programs go on C and D/S content used to go on D. HOWEVER, I did a little too much shopping and um, well, okay ... my content for Daz Studio now goes on E. An external 8T hard-drive which is pretty much dedicated to Daz Studio. Then I have another hard-drive to keep the zip folders on.
No kidding! Lengthy path names and trigger word 'cloud' ... yeah I can see that causing some problems. Staying with manual downloads/installs as much as possible.
Wow, I go outside for a few hours to save my plumerias and my post takes off. Cool! It must be Friday. Now Catherine, I was raised in Pennsylvania and went to Penn State where 20 below with chill factor was somewhat common. I used to shovel snow in shorts and tee shirt (far from 20 below). So, I can handle cold weather, although I never liked the chapped lips and feet. My plants, though, like it hot. We Houstonians all want a tropical paradise. We can have it too, for awhile. The forecasted 9 degrees will nuke about everything I have. I was admiring my gorgeous ginger plants today. In a few days they will be dead. They might just die back. No, we aren't used to this. We will also be getting freezing rain and snow. Nobody has snow tires or chains. It has been thirty years since we had something like this. Heck, our water pipes are in the attic, no basements.
The stray I took in, who is now mainly an indoor cat, would not appreciate the company. I would do it though to save his life.
Support told me that the developers intentionally wanted Daz Connect to save content in a different place than any other method default or personal desire. Hence using the name cloud. I noticed that the cloud folder is also hidden from windows explorer. She also said that it is the one storage method that when you have a program hiccup, there is no recovery. All content must be re-installed. I wish I knew how I blew up the program so I don't repeat it. Interestingly. iClone and Character Creator now have a similar install methad as Daz Connect. Just click an icon to install.
Yes, the program is in the folder path you sited above. I will have to check my laptop. When I went to my account and my product library, I could only download and install 4.15 with Install Manager, no more manual downloads.
Thanks again, Catherine!!! This seems like a fun community. I might post more often.
Yeah, below freezing all the plants either die or hibernate. For what it's worth there is one good side effect IMHO about freezing cold weather - it kills poisonous spiders, snakes, a number of unwanted insects, etc. too. So I figure 2 weeks of cold and no poisonous spiders, okay :-)
Freezing rain though nobody likes aside from the fact it can look real pretty, icicles all over the tree branches and electrical wires BUT it kills the trees 'cause even though they are hibernating, they need to breath. Wires of course can get too heavy and break and there goes the power.
To prevent pipes from freezing the tip is to keep a trinkle of water running [enough water flow that it can't freeze]. Those pipe covers can help too.
Well I hope when there is snow, all those without proper tires stay off the road. Given that the area is not used to that much cold weather, I would think it should melt away soon enough too. Over here it lasts for awhile ;-)
I am so very glad I never tried Daz Connect. Many have it though and the discovered information could be helpful for them too in the event they have any program hiccups with it.
The main thing is that the program is where it should be and is working :-)
Yes we have manual downloads for D/S. They are listed separately that's all.