How to Delete MSI Installer
By Sam Fitz
MSI files, also known as Windows Installer files, install programs with predetermined parameters. They are often used by corporations that want to ensure that many different computers and users get the same options in a particular program.
Procedure
The typical method of deleting an MSI-installed program is via the "Add or Remove Programs" option inside the Control Panel. In Windows XP, click "Start" and "Control Panel." Click "Add or Remove Programs." Click "Uninstall" next to the program you wish to delete.
In Windows Vista and 7, click "Start" and "Control Panel." Click "Uninstall a program" listed under "Programs." Double-click the program itself to begin the uninstallation process.
Problems
For several years, if a problem arose while you were installing or deleting an MSI program, Microsoft recommended that you use Windows Installer Cleanup Utility. However, after determining that the utility sometimes caused issues in the operating system, Microsoft now recommends downloading and running a "Fixit" solution specific to each program.
Installer Only
If you want to delete the MSI installer file only and not the program that it installs, simply right-click the file and select "Delete."
References
Writer Bio
Sam Fitz started writing in 1999 as a journalist for his high-school newspaper. His work has seen publication on several reputable user-submitted Internet article directories since November of 2009. Fitz's writing specializes in the areas of cooking, fitness, nutrition and computers. He holds an associate degree in general studies from Quinsigamond Community College.