How to uninstall "InstallShield" Update Manager!

FormalDaHyde · Joined: Jan 02, 2005 Posts: 1511

The Install Shield Update Manager (ISUM) is one of those subtle programs/utilities that is not prominent to the eye but always seems to manage to install itself without even provoking a bark from Scotty.... let alone warning the installer! During the installation of some programs, the ISUM manages to write a few StartUp services on behalf of the software and the user! Sad

Few years ago, it seemed that it was the quite the fashion! It appears that less software vendors are using the ISUM in the last year or so. Smile

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How to uninstall "InstallShield Update Manager"
Document ID: Q111006
Last Revised On: 9/27/2004
Description
The Update Service is a tool that InstallShield sells to software vendors that is designed to help you keep your software up-to-date. Keeping your software updated has many benefits, but InstallShield recommends that software vendors build in an option to disable automatic update checking. If you are using an application that uses the Update Service, your application may have a configuration option to disable update checking. Please check your applicationâ€™s menu options.

If your application does not have this option, InstallShield has created a tool called the Update Manager that can disable automatic update checking. The Update Manager utility lists all applications currently using Update Service on your computer and the Update Service's status with that application.

The installed ISUM name in your system makes no reference to the words "Install Shield", and it is simply named UpdateManager. grrrr.gif

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... You may already have the Update Manager installed. If Program Updates is listed in your Start menu, then the Update Manager is installed. If you do not have the Update Manager installed, follow these instructions ...

Good Luck finding it in your StartMenu. Alternatively, you may wish to look in your ControlPanel for an blue icon labeled "Update Manager"... I think! Don't bother looking in your ControlPanel>>Add and Remove Programs for it, though! Twisted Evil

InstallShield company is gracious enough to provide the user/OEM with a utility that REMOVEs the ISUM that may be lurking in your system without your knowledge (and maybe even w/o the knowledge of your security suite). Surprised

Here is the FREEware utility that you can use to "supposedly" eradicate the beast! I wish I could report that I was successful in using this little utility; unfortunately I have never seen the need to allow InstallShield to occupy any part of my system... thank you!

Of course, if you are dying to install such a utility in your system {???}, you can download that file, as well >> Same Link

Enjoy!

jt333 · Joined: Oct 07, 2008 Posts: 1

I had a similar problem in which the install shield update manager kept trying to run agent (about every 2 minutes) to check to see if there was an update. The update manager sneakily installed itself like an opt-in for a mail list.

This began to get annoying with my noisy personal firewall warnings about update manager checks. Like you, I also could not find Install Shield in my Control Panel > Add or Remove Programs area, but I did find it under C:\Program Files\Common Files\InstallShield\UpdateService.

After doing a CTL-ALT-DEL to open the Task Manager, I stopped the Install Shield update manager and agent from running. Then I deleted those executibles in the Install Shield file. This may break something later, but seems to be working for now. Rolling Eyes