I am not a techie but I am eager to use this program. However, when I opened it, a message said to update to version 1.10.0.0. When I try to install the newer version, I get this message:
An error occurred while trying to replace the existing file:
DeleteFile failed; code 5
Access is denied
I uninstalled the older version but still get this message. What do I need to do to make this work?
Please remember that I am not a technical expert.
Thank you.
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Before installing a new version, you need to make sure that the old version is not running. So before you update, check if the program is running. Check if you can see the program in the taskbar(the long bar at the bottom of the screen) or in the notification tray(the group of tiny icons on the right of the taskbar). The program's icon is an orange "A". If it is running, click on the program and select File->Exit from the menu. When the program has exited, run the installer for the new version.
FYI: When you ran the installer for the new version, the old version of program was still running. That is why it failed. Even after you have uninstalled it and tried to run the installer for the new version, the program was still running. That is why is failed again.
*There is a message that is displayed when installing a new version that reads "Please close MadAppLauncher before continuing". You need to select File->Exit from the Menu to accomplish this. It might be a bit confusing because clicking on the [x] of the window might not close it because there is an option to just minimize it when the [x] is clicked.
You are most welcome. If you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to ask. :-)
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Amazingly, after reading your message, I tried again. Without doing anything, there was not the same problem and the new version appears to be installed now.
The reason for the above condition is that when you uninstalled the program, the shortcut link in the Start > Programs > Startup folder was also removed. Hence, when you restarted your computer today, the program wasn't running.
I would like to understand which menu you are referring to in the last paragraph. There was no window for the program and it did not appear in the task bar.
The program does have a window. If the program is running and it is not shown in the taskbar, look for it in the Notification Area(the tiny icons to the left of time/date in the taskbar). Click on the icon(the orange letter A) to show it. You can then see the menu.
If you want the program to also be shown in the taskbar, select the Settings > Options from the menu and check "Show in taskbar when minimized".
It would be great if you could briefly explain the following in case this happens again:
I realize that Windows may not uninstall all files--in fact, there was a message alert about that. But it doesn't make sense to me that after I uninstall a program, it should still be able to run - especially when I did not open it and it does not appear in the task bar. Could it be possible that the older version was not actually running but there were still some file conflicts?
In you particular case, my guess is that the program was running when you uninstalled it. That is why the program(madapplauncher.exe) remained. A file in use cannot be deleted. After the first installation, the program started automatically. It may now show in the taskbar but it showed on the Notification tray. I can't think of any conflicts at all since it really is a very simple program where it doesn't even work with any other program except the .Net Framework. The program consists of only one file.
In the future, make sure that the program you are installing or uninstalling is not running. This is true for any program.
I think I saw one process running - would that count as the program still running?
Yes, it means the program is still running. The process name is MadAppLauncher.exe. There is currently only one process for the program. Actually, there is only one file for the entire program. The rest are just configuration and caching files which are created automatically.
Since I had restarted the computer, I don't understand how the older version could still have been running (or at least some remaining files were running) unless it automatically opens on startup. Is that the case? (that would make sense but just want to be sure.)
The installer does prompt the user if he/she wants to run it when Windows starts. It is selected by default since a launcher is really meant to be running always. If you have successfully upgraded, then the program running must be the latest version you installed when you restarted the computer.
Would there be any value in removing specific files that remain after the program is uninstalled? If so which ones and how to do that?
Not really, the program and all its configuration files should only take about 2MB of disk space, maybe less. If you want to remove every trace of the program, do the following.
a. Make sure the program is not running. Select File->Exit from the program menu if it is running.
b. Run the uninstaller. The uninstaller removes the file C:\Program Files\MadAppLauncher\MadAppLauncher.exe or C:\Program Files (x86)\MadAppLauncher\MadAppLauncher.exe if your Windows version is 64-bit. Removes the file association *.mal from the registry.
c. Other files you may want to remove. The youfilename.mal you created using the program. This contains all the tabs and buttons' configuration. Make sure you do not want to use the program anymore before you do this because configuring tabs and buttons take quite a bit of time. Delete the folder C:\Users\<YOUR USER NAME>\AppData\Local\MadAppLauncher. This folder contains all the program specific configuration files and cache. The folder is very small. Mine is about 800KB.
d. This part is a bit tricky. If you installed the Microsoft .Net 4.0 Client Profile with MadAppLauncher, you can choose uninstall it. Otherwise, if it was already installed, another program might need it so leave it alone. The Microsoft .Net 4.0 Client Profile might be worth uninstalling if you are running out of space since it takes about 600MB-1.5GB. Personally, I would just leave it. If you can't spare 1GB of space, chances are you need to upgrade your hard drive soon anyway.
The Microsoft .Net Framework is a collection of small program parts that are used by a product like MadAppLauncher. It is shared by other programs in order to save disk space and memory usage.
Since I did not change anything, how could the installation have worked this time and not previously? That is, how could the conflict with the older version have disappeared? (There may not be a clear answer but maybe you have some thoughts.)
Okay, I think this is what happened.
a. You installed the old version. After the installation the program ran and you were prompted to install a newer version so you downloaded it.
b. The program was still running. You installed the new version and it failed, error DeleteFile failed; code 5.
c. The program was still running. You ran the program's uninstaller which uninstalled everything except the MadAppLauncher.exe because it was still running. More importantly, the uninstaller deleted the shortcut link to the program in the Start > All Programs > Startup folder. So the next day (today), when you turned on your computer, the program was not running anymore.
d. You installed the program and everything went fine.
Main lesson here is ... MAKE SURE that the program is not running when installing or uninstalling. This is actually a good policy, if not necessary, for any program. This was also the cause of all your problems.
This program has saved me a lot of time. I got tired of hunting for programs. I have tried other launchers/docks but none fit my requirements. My main problem with the other ones was that I still end up hunting for programs and files, at least to some extent. I like having the description displayed with the icons and since I'm a touch typist, I want to be able to run programs without using the mouse. Try it for a bit. You might find it very useful.
Cheers!
Robert
Last edit: madproton 2013-11-16
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
Hi,
I am not a techie but I am eager to use this program. However, when I opened it, a message said to update to version 1.10.0.0. When I try to install the newer version, I get this message:
An error occurred while trying to replace the existing file:
DeleteFile failed; code 5
Access is denied
I uninstalled the older version but still get this message. What do I need to do to make this work?
Please remember that I am not a technical expert.
Thank you.
Hi,
Before installing a new version, you need to make sure that the old version is not running. So before you update, check if the program is running. Check if you can see the program in the taskbar(the long bar at the bottom of the screen) or in the notification tray(the group of tiny icons on the right of the taskbar). The program's icon is an orange "A". If it is running, click on the program and select File->Exit from the menu. When the program has exited, run the installer for the new version.
FYI:
When you ran the installer for the new version, the old version of program was still running. That is why it failed.
Even after you have uninstalled it and tried to run the installer for the new version, the program was still running. That is why is failed again.
*There is a message that is displayed when installing a new version that reads "Please close MadAppLauncher before continuing". You need to select File->Exit from the Menu to accomplish this. It might be a bit confusing because clicking on the [x] of the window might not close it because there is an option to just minimize it when the [x] is clicked.
You are most welcome. If you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to ask. :-)
Hi Madproton,
Thank you for the quick response.
The reason for the above condition is that when you uninstalled the program, the shortcut link in the Start > Programs > Startup folder was also removed. Hence, when you restarted your computer today, the program wasn't running.
The program does have a window. If the program is running and it is not shown in the taskbar, look for it in the Notification Area(the tiny icons to the left of time/date in the taskbar). Click on the icon(the orange letter A) to show it. You can then see the menu.
If you want the program to also be shown in the taskbar, select the Settings > Options from the menu and check "Show in taskbar when minimized".
In you particular case, my guess is that the program was running when you uninstalled it. That is why the program(madapplauncher.exe) remained. A file in use cannot be deleted. After the first installation, the program started automatically. It may now show in the taskbar but it showed on the Notification tray. I can't think of any conflicts at all since it really is a very simple program where it doesn't even work with any other program except the .Net Framework. The program consists of only one file.
In the future, make sure that the program you are installing or uninstalling is not running. This is true for any program.
Yes, it means the program is still running. The process name is MadAppLauncher.exe. There is currently only one process for the program. Actually, there is only one file for the entire program. The rest are just configuration and caching files which are created automatically.
The installer does prompt the user if he/she wants to run it when Windows starts. It is selected by default since a launcher is really meant to be running always. If you have successfully upgraded, then the program running must be the latest version you installed when you restarted the computer.
Not really, the program and all its configuration files should only take about 2MB of disk space, maybe less. If you want to remove every trace of the program, do the following.
a. Make sure the program is not running. Select File->Exit from the program menu if it is running.
b. Run the uninstaller.
The uninstaller removes the file C:\Program Files\MadAppLauncher\MadAppLauncher.exe or C:\Program Files (x86)\MadAppLauncher\MadAppLauncher.exe if your Windows version is 64-bit.
Removes the file association *.mal from the registry.
c. Other files you may want to remove.
The youfilename.mal you created using the program. This contains all the tabs and buttons' configuration. Make sure you do not want to use the program anymore before you do this because configuring tabs and buttons take quite a bit of time.
Delete the folder C:\Users\<YOUR USER NAME>\AppData\Local\MadAppLauncher. This folder contains all the program specific configuration files and cache. The folder is very small. Mine is about 800KB.
d. This part is a bit tricky. If you installed the Microsoft .Net 4.0 Client Profile with MadAppLauncher, you can choose uninstall it. Otherwise, if it was already installed, another program might need it so leave it alone. The Microsoft .Net 4.0 Client Profile might be worth uninstalling if you are running out of space since it takes about 600MB-1.5GB. Personally, I would just leave it. If you can't spare 1GB of space, chances are you need to upgrade your hard drive soon anyway.
Okay, I think this is what happened.
a. You installed the old version. After the installation the program ran and you were prompted to install a newer version so you downloaded it.
b. The program was still running. You installed the new version and it failed, error DeleteFile failed; code 5.
c. The program was still running. You ran the program's uninstaller which uninstalled everything except the MadAppLauncher.exe because it was still running. More importantly, the uninstaller deleted the shortcut link to the program in the Start > All Programs > Startup folder. So the next day (today), when you turned on your computer, the program was not running anymore.
d. You installed the program and everything went fine.
Main lesson here is ... MAKE SURE that the program is not running when installing or uninstalling. This is actually a good policy, if not necessary, for any program. This was also the cause of all your problems.
This program has saved me a lot of time. I got tired of hunting for programs. I have tried other launchers/docks but none fit my requirements. My main problem with the other ones was that I still end up hunting for programs and files, at least to some extent. I like having the description displayed with the icons and since I'm a touch typist, I want to be able to run programs without using the mouse. Try it for a bit. You might find it very useful.
Cheers!
Robert
Last edit: madproton 2013-11-16