"The customization cannot be installed because another version is currently installed and cannot be upgraded from this location"

0
votes

After installing my VSTO addin with a MSI package installer(Created by windows installer project), I am getting the following error:

Microsoft.VisualStudio.Tools.Applications.Deployment.AddInAlreadyInstalledException: The customization cannot be installed because another version is currently installed and cannot be upgraded from this location.

[NOTE: As I have a Windows 10 x64 OS with x32 Office solution, to make my addin visible in Outlook I have to move my setup installed registries manually from:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\Outlook\Addins\Company.OutlookAddin

to

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Office\Outlook\Addins\Company.OutlookAddin]

The Addin works fine(after above mentioned manual changes) in VS debug mode.

From few days I am trying to solve this and tried the following methods:

  1. Remove program by install/uninstall program menu(inside control panel)
  2. Changing Setup product key and reinstalling.
  3. Removing Registries(with GUID) from VSTA(which was already empty) and VSTO.
  4. Removing other related registries by searching them through Registry Scanner

  5. Using a Fix it package from Microsoft

  6. Deleted the click-once cache by deleting everything in: %APPDATA%\Local\Apps\2.0

Maybe I am missing to change any other registry key manually which points to the current registry key(with manifest).

Can anybody please help me here?

1
c#windows-installervstooutlook-addin

1 Answers

0
votes

You can delete the click-once cache by deleting everything in: %APPDATA%\Local\Apps\2.0

You could also find and delete only what relates to your add-in but that is not easy as everything has random names.

This should allow you to install again. In the future, be sure to increment the version so the system won't think it is already installed. You shouldn't have to do any manual registry edits.